Tree Lady Talks

In this episode Julian Forbes-Laird stresses the importance of arboriculturists knowing their fungiFor more episodes in the Tree Lady Talks Archive click here.

Following Julian Forbes Lairds 'And Another Thing' Episode, in Series 2 (Episode 7 & 18), we gave people the right to reply and so here is Jon Heuch, Arboricultural Consultant, who took us up on the offer. Don't forget if you'd like to have your say about this subject, just get in touch via the website!

Featuring Vanessa Keith, Principal of Studioteka in New York, who talks, amongst other things, about her book 2100: A Dystopian Utopia - The City After Climate Change, which is being made into a video game and is utterly inspiring and a very practical and clever way of engaging all age groups into delivering climate change reality through the education of gaming - check it out - due for release in March 2023 it's incredible!First up is Kristian Lars Ahlmark, who is an architect with Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects in Denmark, who have embarked on a project to build the worlds tallest wooden skyscraper, or 'plyscraper' as it is being nicknamed, called the Rocket &Tigeli building, in Winterthur, Switzerland. 

James' notes from his biog at https://jamesaldred.com 'I got my first proper break with the BBC in 1998 when they sent me to film in the rainforest canopy of Borneo. Since then I've been lucky to film in dozens of different countries and to spend long periods working in most of the worlds tropical rainforests. I've been honoured to provide camerawork for many high profile productions along the way and had the pleasure of working alongside hundreds of truly inspirational people, not least Sir David Attenborough.  Highs include filming the rare Philippine Eagle at its nest in the wild. Lows include a dose of cerebral malaria and African civil war.' 

From the Grown in Britain website:-In the UK, we import £7.8bn of foreign timber each year, whilst neglecting the potential of our own forests and woodlands. Only China imports more wood than the UK.Grown in Britain certification reduces unnecessary imports, by encouraging and supporting active and sustainable management of our own forests and woodlands.Dougal Driver, CEO, talks to Sharon about the week and what to expect.The 2022 theme is ‘Building resilience together', and will feature sessions on topics such as ELM, plant health, carbon and biodiversity net gain, among others.The conference is normally attended by up to 200 foresters, farmers, landowners, land managers and other stakeholders from across the country, and provides a strong platform to hear from a range of experts and case studies, share experiences, network and collaborate.  Confirmed speakers so far include:  • Forestry Commission Chief Executive Richard Stanford• CLA President Mark Tufnell• Nicola Spence, Chief Plant Health Officer, Defra• Janet Hughes, Programme Director for Future Farming and Countryside Programme• Liz Nicholson, Director of the Forest Canopy Foundation• Richard Deffee, Head Forester at Gascoyne Cecil Estates.• Graham Clark, CLA Senior Land Use Policy Adviser and lead on forestry.

This years conference was held at Loughborough, and the podcast contains contributions from Jill Butler, Ted Green, Russell Horsey, Keith Sacre and more, in roving interview style by The Tree Lady, Sharon Durdant-Hollamby.  See more about getting involved in the industry at the arboricultural association website Also interviewed was Mark Brays, Oklahoma Forestry Service Officer, describes the Survivor Tree after the Oklahoma bombing in 1995. John Gathright from Japan talked about his work helping children climb trees - more here at his website.Russell Ball discussed his work for Fund For TreesThis podcast is also available on our Youtube Channel, SHA Sharon Hosegood Associates

This weeks podcast features Jim Chambers  from Tim Moya Associates talking to Sharon about the diseases that affect London Planes, including Neofusicoccum parvum, Inonotus hispidus, and massaria, to name but 3.  Also available on the youtube channel SHA Sharon Hosegood Associates, with photos describing what Jim has found out, 

Matthew Wells is the Public Landscape Manager for the coastal City of Santa Monica in Southern California. Santa Monica strives to be a beacon of sustainable local government. Prior to this role, Matthew served as the Director of Tree Preservation for NYC Parks, an Arboricultural Officer for the London Borough of Camden, and a Tree Surgeon in his local English village. As a Chartered Forester with a master's degree in Arboriculture & Urban Forestry, he has a unique international experience of urban forestry. Matthew has presented at conferences globally and is passionate about research driven resource management.  

This bitesize episode centres on the interview Sharon had with Cath Wright, in our Mental Health and Nature Special, and following the sad passing of Queen Elizabeth , September 8th 2022.

Lyndsie Bourgon, author, oral historian, and 2018 National Geographic Explorer chats to Sharon about her new book, the Tree Thieves, which covers the subject of timber poaching.The book follows cases of redwood burl theft and maple and cedar poaching, and then branches out to consider the global timber trade and work being done by the US Fish & Wildlife Service and Forest Service to keep up with wide scale poaching 

Extract from a previous episode with Peter Wohlleben, Series 2 Episode 15, The Heartbeat of Trees. 

Professor Roland Ennos is a visiting professor of biological sciences. His book, 'The Wood Age', places wood at the centre of our evolution, history, and our future.

JFL provides an update on the case featured in his earlier podcast And Another Thing,  explaining the successful outcome for his client: the prosecution was thrown out as an abuse of the process of the court, or, alternatively, because the prosecution related to an offence “unknown to law”. In a subsequent ruling, the Judge awarded JFL's client a substantial six figure sum for costs. As a refresher, the original episode featured the following:-Why the Ancient Woodland Inventory is a fake, and the hazard this creates for housing deliveryThe error of law in the Forestry Commission's Operations Note 52The fraudulently construed Highways England felling licence, knowingly granted by the FC in deliberate subversion of the statutory framework'Catch all the episodes through the Tree Lady Talks website 

 Astonishing events occur beneath the sea: a mysterious glow beckons at night, the smallest organisms play the largest role, and fish, who seem so taciturn, converse with each other—loudly.  But we only know a fraction of the sea, despite its size and intrigue—even the moon's surface has been studied more than the ocean's depths.In The Blue Wonder, marine biologist and diver Frauke Bagusche brings readers along with her into the ocean and offers solutions for the future.Click below for links to fantastic fish choruses and other ocean audio, and more!https://owlconnected.com/archives/fish-dawn-chorushttps://www.newscientist.com/article/2130815-hear-the-roar-of-the-lionfish-recorded-for-the-first-time/https://www.newscientist.com/article/2106331-fish-recorded-singing-dawn-chorus-on-reefs-just-like-birds/https://news.curtin.edu.au/stories/singing-fish-no-tall-tale/www.fraukebagusche.comwww.thebluemind.orghttps://www.penguinrandomhouse.de/Buch/Das-blaue-Wunder/Frauke-Bagusche/Ludwig/e540609.rhd

On all your favourite platforms and at the  Tree Lady Talks website is Andrew Baker of the Woodland Carbon Code, telling all in this informative interview with Sharon about the UK situation with Carbon - sequestration, offsetting, and more.  Affectionately known as 'The Carbonator', he is on a mission, and he knows what he's talking about! Andy recently joined the Woodland Carbon Code (WCC) team as their Woodland Carbon Markets Advisor. During his time at Tilhill he represented the ICF on the WCC Advisory Board, after achieving his professional membership in 2019. Working with landowners, investors and project developers, Andy now works to improve the wider understanding of the WCC, and to promote the myriad of benefits that it can afford. Find out everything about this really hot subject now on the website.

After 5 years as a Forest Manager and another year as Carbon Project Manager with Tilhill, Andy recently joined the Woodland Carbon Code (WCC) team as their Woodland Carbon Markets Advisor. During his time at Tilhill he represented the ICF on the WCC Advisory Board, after achieving his professional membership in 2019. Working with landowners, investors and project developers, Andy now works to improve the wider understanding of the WCC, and to promote the myriad of benefits that it can afford. 

Peter Wohlleben is a German forester and author who writes on ecological themes in popular language. He is the author of the New York Times Bestseller The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate, published by Greystone Publishing which was translated from German into English in 2016. His new book, The Heartbeat of Trees, is out in June and this episode is designed to coincide with that. He recently featured in The Guardian and The Times in relation to publicity for the book. The press release can be viewed here.

Peter Wohlleben is a German forester and author who writes on ecological themes in popular language. He is the author of the New York Times Bestseller The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate, published by Greystone Publishing which was translated from German into English in 2016. His new book, The Heartbeat of Trees, is out in June and this episode is designed to coincide with that. He recently featured in The Guardian and The Times in relation to publicity for the book. In this soundbite, Peter talks to Sharon about whether the human 'super-powers' need to be sharpened in this era of climate change and bio-diverstity loss. The press release can be viewed here.

Before, during and after views of the situation that faced, and still is facing the people and the council of Sheffield, after the felling of five and a half thousand trees from 2017. Featuring:-Christine King – STAG – on the Street Tree Partnership - website features the timeline of events that took place.Darren Butt - Sheffield Street Tree Strategist - Treeconomics website for dataCatharine Nuttgens - Community Forest Manager, Sheffield City CouncilSarah Shorley – Urban Projects officer at the Woodland Trust – Sheffield Street Tree PartnershipAnna from Kids Plant Trees and her children – they have worked on a variety of tree planting projects in the city.

Sarah Shorley is the Urban Projects Officer for the Woodland Trust, and in this soundbite she delivers her dream scenario for Sheffield in the wake of the tree removals which is discussed in the full episode out this friday May 28th.Inspired by community activism for trees in her home city of Sheffield, Sarah joined the Woodland Trust in 2018 to lead the Tree Charter community mobilisation programme.    Sarah’s passion for mobilising people, working in partnership and driving policy change, led her to join the Trust's urban team in January 2020 where her remit involves working to bring together multiple stakeholders from within local communities and council departments to secure the protection, creation and establishment of urban woods and trees. 

One woman's soundbite, an extract taken from the full interview to be published on May 28th. 

Anna Parkin talks here about the nature recovery plan in collaboration with  Sheffield Green Parents and Kids Plant Trees have been joined by Rotherham Wildlife Trust, Sheffield Greenpeace, Sheffield Climate Alliance, The Diocese of Sheffield, Sheffield Friends of the Earth and more to declare a Nature Emergency for Sheffield. Get involved on your social media and support this by putting posters in your windows saying that you declare a nature emergency for Sheffield, on Friday, 21st May!  Check the opening page at Wild Sheffield.com to add your e-mail and name for more details. Soundbite here - full episode Friday 28th May with multiple interviews about Sheffield - And Now The Good News!

It all happens in a virtual coffee shop. Michelle Ryan, Chair of the Arboricultural Association, has created a Women in Arb group, and for this episode, Sharon has joined her and a group of ladies in the profession to discuss everything from a woman's point of view.If you're looking to get into this profession, this is a fascinating insight from people who do it, and some great views about what is happening in the industry from a female perspective, including interviews with Lesley Adams, Claire Harbinson, Georgi Ennis, Michelle Ryan herself, Stella Bolam and Theri Riechlin, with contributions from Sophie Chappell of the Arboricultural Association, Sarah Maddox (Bartlett UK), Bettina Broadway-Mann, Sara Noons, (Gloucestershire Council), Jane Conway, Laura Gardener and Sheila Bishop. 

Michelle Ryan, Chair of the Arboricultural Association, talks to Sharon for this episode of Women in Arb. 

This is a taster of a long documentary entirely featuring women who are working in the arboricultural industry - tree surgeon, tree officer, arboricultural consultants, a career-changer,  a technical specialist, and the Chair of the Arboricultural Association. And it's all conducted in a virtual coffee shop.  

In this episode, Naomi explains the path her career took when a career in dance was set aside for a chance to work in arboriculture.  She explains:-Growing up in Bronx NY and studying dance and music throughout my formative years, I would never have imagined the professional life realized. I studied Botany, Horticulture, Landscape Design, but nothing fit until my first hike in the Catskills (NY) Forever Wild forest. My tree journey led me to the developing world of Urban Forestry studies and a relationship with Federal and State Urban Foresters, enabling me to    • co-author the Federal ReLeaf U&CF program for NY State; implement /chair the program in NYC;   • author Recommendations for an Urban Forest Management Plan;   • coordinate international and local educational conferences, seminars and workshops for       professionals and concerned citizens;   • develop/ initiate informed stewardship/ citizen science opportunities for concerned NY       residents, e.g. the Asian Longhorned Beetle NYC Public Outreach program (Federally-funded). I became a Certified Arborist in 1996, working as a Consulting Arborist, specializing in reviewing/ editing/ authoring Tree/ Landscape Preservation/ Protection specifications for large public infrastructure projects, developing a “Building WITH Trees” approach to design and build. I co-organized and chaired NYC Root Zone, a 501-c-3, authoring publications and providing informal educational opportunities for landscape professionals. I am now semi-retired, living in Luzern Switzerland and working to enhance and advance European Urban Forestry through    • contributions to COST projects;   • the Swiss federally funded Climate Change Adaptation project;   • implementation of i-Tree as an i-Tree team affiliate member;   • European Forum on Urban Forestry steering committee membership.

Naomi says, in her biog:-I studied Botany, Horticulture, Landscape Design, but nothing fit until my first hike in the Catskills (NY) Forever Wild forest. My tree journey led me to the developing world of Urban Forestry studies and a relationship with Federal and State Urban Foresters, enabling me to    • co-author the Federal ReLeaf U&CF program for NY State; implement /chair the program in NYC;   • author Recommendations for an Urban Forest Management Plan;   • coordinate international and local educational conferences, seminars and workshops for       professionals and concerned citizens;   • develop/ initiate informed stewardship/ citizen science opportunities for concerned NY       residents, e.g. the Asian Longhorned Beetle NYC Public Outreach program (Federally-funded).

For the past 22 years, as Director of Business Development, Joh Stulen's Innovatek team has delivered business improvement services through WoodWORKS and Forest Industry Engineering Association. FIEA is the leading provider of technology transfer to forest and wood products sectors in Australasia.  The group has developed over 200 international forest and wood technology conferences in New Zealand, Australia and North America.Sean Weaver is founder and CEO of Ekos – an environmental financing consulting business focusing on indigenous forest carbon projects and zero carbon certification for organisations and products. He is an international expert in indigenous forest carbon, carbon markets and market-based mechanisms for environmental and climate financing. He is a forest carbon consultant to national and local governments (NZ and the Pacific Islands), multilateral banks (World Bank, African Development Bank), international agencies (UNDP, SPREP) small medium and large businesses/corporations. A former senior lecturer in Environmental Studies at Victoria University of Wellington. He has a PhD in Forestry, and is based in Christchurch, New Zealand.For news of the 2021 event click here

For the past 22 years, as Director of Business Development, Joh Stulen's Innovatek team has delivered business improvement services through WoodWORKS and Forest Industry Engineering Association. FIEA is the leading provider of technology transfer to forest and wood products sectors in Australasia.  The group has developed over 200 international forest and wood technology conferences in New Zealand, Australia and North America.Sean Weaver is founder and CEO of Ekos – an environmental financing consulting business focusing on indigenous forest carbon projects and zero carbon certification for organisations and products. He is an international expert in indigenous forest carbon, carbon markets and market-based mechanisms for environmental and climate financing. He is a forest carbon consultant to national and local governments (NZ and the Pacific Islands), multilateral banks (World Bank, African Development Bank), international agencies (UNDP, SPREP) small medium and large businesses/corporations. A former senior lecturer in Environmental Studies at Victoria University of Wellington. He has a PhD in Forestry, and is based in Christchurch, New Zealand.For news of the 2021 event click here

Barn Club is an inspiring tale of craft, nature, landscape and community. When life-long craftsman Robert Somerville moved to Hertfordshire from Devon, he discovered an unexpected landscape rich with wildlife and particularly elm trees. Nestled within London’s commuter belt, the wooded rolling hills inspired Robert, a lifelong woodworker, to revive the ancient tradition of hand-raising barns. Barn Club follows the building of Carley Barn, over the course of one year. Volunteers from all walks of life joined Robert’s barn club, inspired to learn this ancient skill of building by hand, at its own quiet pace and in the company of others.

Barn Club is an inspiring tale of craft, nature, landscape and community. When life-long craftsman Robert Somerville moved to Hertfordshire from Devon, he discovered an unexpected landscape rich with wildlife and particularly elm trees. Nestled within London’s commuter belt, the wooded rolling hills inspired Robert, a lifelong woodworker, to revive the ancient tradition of hand-raising barns. Barn Club follows the building of Carley Barn, over the course of one year. Volunteers from all walks of life joined Robert’s barn club, inspired to learn this ancient skill of building by hand, at its own quiet pace and in the company of others.

The full length interview with Treeconomics looks at the big picture, what can be achieved, the Cambridge Project Case Study, and how i-design is influencing sustainable Highway Design. 

The full length interview, out on the 19th March, with Treeconomics looks at the big picture, what can be achieved, the Cambridge Project Case Study, and how i-design is influencing sustainable Highway Design. Here's founder Kenton Rogers' soundbite.

Keith Sacre has a MSc in Arboriculture and Urban Forestry, a BSc in Arboriculture, a BSc in Social Science and a post graduate diploma in management studies. He is currently a director at Barcham Trees, the largest container tree nursery in Europe. Keith has over 30 years of experience in the nursery industry and was the lead author of the UK British Standard Trees: From Nursery to Independence in the Landscape published in 2014. Prior to working in the nursery industry he spent several years managing and developing public open space in the local authority sector. Click here for the Powerpoint presentation:- Are Nurseries Preparing for the urban forest of the future

Keith Sacre has a MSc in Arboriculture and Urban Forestry, a BSc in Arboriculture, a BSc in Social Science and a post graduate diploma in management studies. He is currently a director at Barcham Trees, the largest container tree nursery in Europe. Keith has over 30 years of experience in the nursery industry and was the lead author of the UK British Standard Trees: From Nursery to Independence in the Landscape published in 2014. Prior to working in the nursery industry he spent several years managing and developing public open space in the local authority sector.

Director and Principal Consultant of Forbes‐ Laird Arboricultural Consultancy Ltd (FLAC), a small but internationally reputed practice. He has over 30 years’ experience in arboriculture, working for a wide range of government, corporate and private clients.In Julian's words, here's what we're covering in this powerful episode:-Why the Ancient Woodland Inventory is a fake, and the hazard this creates for housing deliveryThe error of law in the Forestry Commission's Operations Note 52The fraudulently construed Highways England felling licence, knowingly granted by the FC in deliberate subversion of the statutory framework'Buckle up.............

Director and Principal Consultant of Forbes‐ Laird Arboricultural Consultancy Ltd (FLAC), a small but internationally reputed practice. He has over 30 years’ experience in arboriculture, working for a wide range of government, corporate and private clients.

This is the story of how a much loved Horse Chestnut tree was saved from felling thanks to the passion of the community (Keep River Lawn Green), the open mindedness of the developer (Assura), the application of science and arboricultural practice (Sharon Hosegood Associates) and the care of the Builder (Jenner). Local children got involved and made this a real celebration.Result? Where there's a will, there's a way.Listen to Johnathan Webb and Claire Rick from Assura, and Mark Hood, tree activist and green councillor at Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council and local children.

This is the story of how a much loved Horse Chestnut tree was saved from felling thanks to the passion of the community (Keep River Lawn Green), the open mindedness of the developer (Assura), the application of science and arboricultural practice (Sharon Hosegood Associates) and the care of the Builder (Jenner). Local children got involved and made this a real celebration.Result? Where there's a will, there's a way.Listen to Johnathan Webb and Claire Rick from Assura, and Mark Hood, tree activist and green councillor at Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council and local children in this soundbite from this week's episode, out on the 26th February.

Craig was Hon. Treasurer of the Soil Association from 1990 to 2001 and was Chairman from 2001-2007. He then chaired Soil Association Certification Ltd from 2007-2009 and continue as a director.In partnership with his wife Josephine Fairley he founded Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate in 1991, an award-winning organic and fair trade confectionery brand whose Maya Gold chocolate was the first product to carry the Fairtrade Mark.He is co-founder and Executive Chairman of Carbon Gold Ltd, a carbon sequestration business based on the use of biochar as a soil improver. Biochar is emerging as a major tool for mitigating climate change and restoring our planet’s degraded soils.

Craig was Hon. Treasurer of the Soil Association from 1990 to 2001 and was Chairman from 2001-2007. He then chaired Soil Association Certification Ltd from 2007-2009 and continue as a director. In partnership with his wife Josephine Fairley he founded Green & Black’s Organic Chocolate in 1991, an award-winning organic and fair trade confectionery brand whose Maya Gold chocolate was the first product to carry the Fairtrade Mark.He is co-founder and Executive Chairman of Carbon Gold Ltd, a carbon sequestration business based on the use of biochar as a soil improver. Biochar is emerging as a major tool for mitigating climate change and restoring our planet’s degraded soils.

By popular demand here is the audio file of the extract of 'Armillaria' as rapped by Kent Honl in the latest episode of Tree Lady Talks. E-mail noel@treeladytalks.co.uk if you'd like us to record the whole lyric!

Kent Honl has worked for Rainbow Company of Minnetonka, Minnesota since 1994, serving as a Technical Arborist, Consulting Arborist, and currently as Arborologist. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from St Olaf College and studied Ecological Horticulture at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Kent has been an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist since 2007, and acquired his ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification in 2016. Kent also serves as Adjunct Faculty in Arboriculture for Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, USA.Note this episode also contains potentially the worlds 1st musical 'Rap' extract about Armillaria - it's a must listen! See the Rainbow Treecare Website here

Kent Honl has worked for Rainbow Company of Minnetonka, Minnesota since 1994, serving as a Technical Arborist, Consulting Arborist, and currently as Arborologist. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from St Olaf College and studied Ecological Horticulture at the University of California at Santa Cruz. Kent has been an ISA Board Certified Master Arborist since 2007, and acquired his ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification in 2016. Kent also serves as Adjunct Faculty in Arboriculture for Hennepin Technical College in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, USA.

Amelia Williams, MICFor, CEnv, MArborA, Dip Arb L6 (ABC) Cert Ed.F.E, Dip Arb L4 (ABC) BSc (Hons) is the Principal Arboricultural Consultant and Company Director of The Arboricultural Company which she founded in February 2020. She has over 20 years experience in Arboriculture and has previously run her own tree consultancy company earlier in her career and has gained a wide range of knowledge and experience in all her previous roles. She is also an assessor for the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) as well as an active member on various strategy task and finish groups of the ICF. Amelia's Website

Amelia Williams, MICFor, CEnv, MArborA, Dip Arb L6 (ABC) Cert Ed.F.E, Dip Arb L4 (ABC) BSc (Hons) is the Principal Arboricultural Consultant and Company Director of The Arboricultural Company which she founded in February 2020. She has over 20 years experience in Arboriculture and has previously run her own tree consultancy company earlier in her career and has gained a wide range of knowledge and experience in all her previous roles. She is also an assessor for the Institute of Chartered Foresters (ICF) as well as an active member on various strategy task and finish groups of the ICF.

Ian is a Professor of Environmental Economics and Director of the Land, Environment, Economics and Policy Institute (LEEP) at the University of Exeter Business School. Ian has a wide array of research interests revolving around the issue of ensuring sustainable wellbeing through the integration of natural and social science knowledge within decision making and policy. Particular interests lie in the fields of quantitative analysis, integrated modelling and the valuation of non-market benefits and cost. He has been or is advisor or consultant to Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Department for Transport (DfT), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and numerous other bodies

Ian is a Professor of Environmental Economics and Director of the Land, Environment, Economics and Policy Institute (LEEP) at the University of Exeter Business School. Ian has a wide array of research interests revolving around the issue of ensuring sustainable wellbeing through the integration of natural and social science knowledge within decision making and policy. Particular interests lie in the fields of quantitative analysis, integrated modelling and the valuation of non-market benefits and cost. He has been or is advisor or consultant to Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Department for Transport (DfT), Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and numerous other bodies

Following an apprenticeship in the forestry industry and 2 years as an arborist, in 1978 Tony started at The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew on the 3-year Diploma course, graduating in 1981 with honours.He is now the Head of the Arboretum, Gardens and Horticultural Services, responsible for the management and curation of over 14,000 trees in the collections and curates and manages the hardy shrub and herbaceous collections as well.Please click here for Tony's full biography.

Soundbite from this weeks Friday episode of Tree Lady Talks is from Tony Kirkham, Head of the Arboretum at Kew.

Paul Chatterton is a writer, researcher and campaigner. He is Professor of Urban Futures in the School of Geography at the University of Leeds and is currently Director of the University's Sustainable Cities Group which launched the ground breaking MSc Sustainable Cities. Paul is also co-founder and resident of the award winning low impact housing co-operative Lilac and helped set up local civic groups Leeds Commuity Homes and Kirkstall Valley Development Trust. His recent books include Low Impact Living and Unlocking Sustainable Cities with Pluto Press. He is also co-founder of the public charity 'Antipode' dedicated to research and scholarship in radical geography