Here at NATO we try to do as much as we can to serve our members. Members are corporate and are all local authorities in the UK. The main contacts tend to be tree officers but we have a full range of people involved with trees ranging from large County Council's, through to small rural districts. Our main areas of work are as follows:
A summary of each of these areas of work is contained below with some recent examples of our work.
We have been training tree officers since 1999 and we are responsive to the needs of tree officers nationally. Use the Training tab on the left side menu for for full details of the training that we provide.
We have been producing the quarterly Newsletter for our members for over 10 years now. 'The Tree Officer’ has become a regular feature for our members and we try to include as much current information as possible. This is for members only but we have included below a preview of some recent newsletters showing typical contents. Members can also contribute to the Newsletter and raise issues which require the views and help of others.
NATO is involved in a wide range of activities. The examples below illustrates the range of work that we do. We keep members up to date with progress and involve them in the discussions. We set up virtual groups drawn from the membership to undertake reviews and discuss current issues.
NATO is also part of the Arboricultural Liaison Group along with others such as the AA, HSE, ICF and Lantra. The ALG meets a number of times each year and works together on a number of projects. The minute of the recent meeting(s) are below.
NATO is constantly liaising with a number of bodies including DCLG and DEFRA and provides regular updates for its members through e-mail contact and via the Newsletter. An example of a recent NATO response to a consultation is provided below.
NATO is represented on a number of review committees and has been successful in putting forward the views of tree officers to ensure that their needs are fully taken into account. Examples are illustrated below:
Arboricultural Research Initiative - A representative from NATO is on the steering group of the initiative whose initial aim is to 'resurrect' the arboricultural research seminars, the last one being in the early nineties; these were then organised by the Forestry Commission (FC), Arboricultural Association and the then DoE. The outcome of such seminars was reported in a FC Bulletin e.g. FC Bulletin 97 - Research for Practical Arboriculture was the write up of the proceedings of the 3 day seminar held at York University in 1990. 1st meeting scheduled for January 2010.
BS 5837 review - the 5 year review of 5837:2005 is due and will begin in January 2010. NATO is represented on the review group, by invitation, to input to the review process from the local government perspective. It is envisaged that the process will take approx 12 months from start to finish.
BSI 213 Committee - this is the oversight committee that deals with all tree related British Standards; 3998, 5837 etc. NATO has representation on this ongoing committee, with meetings arranged in 2010. Currently topical matters on this committee are the revision and development viability of a BS tree planting standard; and the viability of the controversial draft tree inspection standard, as well as oversight of the revision of 3998 which is near to completion.
AFAG - NATO attend regular meetings to discuss and improve safety and health throughout the industry, focusing on the underlying root causes of serious injury. We have several focus groups working on training and certification, reducing accidents involving chainsaws, improving working practices, promoting this and communicating it out to the wider industry members.
TDAG - The Trees & Design Action Group is a multi-disciplinary group of individual professionals and organisations from both the private and public sectors who have come together under The London Trees & Woodland Framework to collaborate in achieving an increased awareness of the role of trees in the built environment. NATO is involved primarily to support their initiatives where appropriate but also with a view to help developing the group's contribution beyond the limits of the Capital. NATO has also been involved in presenting at TDAG seminars.
AA Professional Committee – NATO is represented on this committee and currently holds the chair for this year (2010). The committee deals with ethics and standards across the broad breadth of the arboricultural industry and NATO input from a local authority perspective but also in the spirit of inter-association cooperation.
AA Board of Trustees - through NATO’s involvement in the AA Professional Committee our representative is also a Director and Trustee of the AA.
NJUG 4 – NATO was actively involved on the NJUG 10 review that resulted in the revision which is the current NJUG 4 which offered the opportunity to have arboricultural input into the Guidelines.
Helliwell System – NATO was pleased to be on the working group for the Helliwell System review and also contributed to the final document.
AA Standard Conditions of Contract: revision – NATO assisted in the revision of this AA product.
Trees in Towns II
It is now over 18 months since the publication of Trees in Towns II and here at NATO we want to emphasise the need for it to be 'used' rather than put to one side and left. We urge you to use the research data provided to help back your case for getting the resources you need to help make the improvements that you identify for your service. We stress the ten targets that are identified in the study:
To have at least one specialist tree officer;
To obtain at least £15,000 in external funding for the LA tree programme over the next five years;
To develop and implement a comprehensive tree strategy;
To undertake a best value review of the LA’s tree programme;
To install a computerised tree management system;
To ensure that at least 40% of the LA's tree maintenance work is done on a systematic, regular scheduled cycle;
To ensure that at least 90% of all the LA's newly planted trees, excluding woodland plantings, receive systematic post-planting maintenance until they are established;
To establish a programme, within the next five years, that will ensure every TPO is reviewed on a specified cycle;
Every LA that has a planning function to have a comprehensive Supplementary Planning Guidance document relating to trees and development;
Every consent to work on protected trees to be monitored regularly and enforcement action taken where necessary.
NATO is in contact with Mark Johnston at Myerscough to organise a Trees in Towns II workshop for our training programme in 2010. The executive summary can be downloaded from DCLG’s website at the link below:
In addition to the Newsletter, NATO commissions from time to time reviews of important documents such as Green Papers, BS reviews and the recent High Hedges debate. We have included below the review of the Hedgerow Regulations as an example of the type and level of review carried out.
NATO has been able to obtain the views of its members and to express views on their behalf to others. In addition a copy of the response made by NATO to the BS 5837 review is shown below.