Soil - Meeting The Challenges
Of A Changing Landscape
Marking the UN’s International Year of Soils, this innovative soil conference for landscape professionals will take place from
9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 14th October 2015 at the Howbery Park Conference Centre, Wallingford, Oxfordshire OX10 8BA.
The brainchild of soil scientist and
projects, including HS2 Phase 1 (London
for different sorts of SuDS, issues relating
landscape consultant Tim O’Hare, the
to Birmingham). Rob has submitted
to contaminated land, steep sides, clay
conference has an impressive line-up
his suggestions for a standard set of
soils and point source and blanket
of speakers delivering presentations
Significance Criteria for development on
infiltration.
that promise a full day of professional
agricultural land to the British Society of
development, discussion and debate.
Soil Science's (BSSS) Professional Standards
Presentation Programme:
Committee and he is liaising with the key
3. City silviculture | Dynamics of the
urban landscape
statutory organisation, Natural England.
Johanna Gibbons, J&L Gibbons and
1. The significance of soil in EIA
Feedback from the professionals in this
advisor to English Heritage
Rob Askew, Senior Associate, Tim O’Hare
audience will be very much appreciated
From John Evelyn to the rapidly evolving
Associates
and considered.
field of urban forestry and expanding
Currently, a nationally recognised, and
2. SuDS and the role of soils
urban populations, Jo will draw from the
industry accepted, standard set of
Sue Illman, Illman Young Landscape
Significance Criteria to help assess the
Design and Past President LI
significance of infrastructure projects
on Greenfield soil resources (topsoil and
subsoil) does not exist. Therefore, Rob’s
talk will present examples of bespoke
Significance Criteria for assessing
agricultural land and soil resources. These
have been used on recent major, national
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
foundations of the notion of sustainability
rooted in forestry practice through to the
current call to arms by pressure groups
Sue will discuss many aspects of
such as Trees and Design Action Group
Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS)
through publications such as 'No Trees,
design, and how soils are a fundamental
No Future'. The talk will discuss a cross
part of their function. The presentation
disciplinary collaborative approach from
will cover a number of practical aspects,
soil science, community engagement,
including the need to understand the
engineering and ecology in realising the
geology in SuDS design, the soils required
value of the urban forest.