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Thursday, 2 September 2010

The importance of street trees and urban forests to the community will be discussed at the 11th National TREENET Symposium hosted by the University of Adelaide, starting today.

More than 250 delegates from around Australia will converge on the two-day event, which is the nation's premier tree conference.

The symposium will involve delegates from local and state government, arboricultural, urban planning, landscaping and nursery industries, as well as tertiary institutions.

The event is run by TREENET, a not-for-profit organisation based at the University of Adelaide's Waite Arboretum, Waite Campus.

"A number of key issues will be dealt with at this year's annual symposium," says the organiser, TREENET Director Mr David Lawry OAM.

"These include the important role that trees play in reducing heat stress-related deaths, reducing urban runoff and bioremediation of urban storm water. Urban forest renewal is another key topic, as local authorities tackle the complex issues of tree replacement, often against public opinion."

Mr Lawry says perceived community risks posed by trees - through falling limbs or bushfires - will also be discussed. "Presentations on this issue will play an important role in the current Local Government Association (LGA) inquiry into trees on public land," he says.

Day one of the symposium - held at the National Wine Centre - involves formal presentations, with day two involving practical presentations at the Waite Arboretum and in the field.

Day two will also see the public launch of a new design for kerbside storm water inlets, known as the TREENET kerb inlet.

"This is designed to direct the 'first flush' storm water runoff from the road directly to the street tree root zone. At the root zone, pollutants are removed from the storm water before it ultimately returns to the atmosphere, rather than going out to sea."

For more information about the TREENET Symposium, including the full program, visit: www.treenet.org