Industry Conference Elevates
Soil To Its Rightful Place In
The Landscape Hierarchy
An innovative conference for landscape
Sue Illman of Illman Young Landscape Design
for species-rich grasslands, understanding soil
professionals, ‘Soil – meeting the challenges
presented on the many aspects of Sustainable
pH, and the new 2015 version of BS3882.
of a changing landscape’, took place on 14th
Drainage System (SuDS) design, and how soils
October at the Howbery Park Conference
are a fundamental part of their function. The
Centre in Wallingford, Oxfordshire to mark the
presentation covered a number of practical
UN’s International Year of Soils. Six industry
aspects, including the need to understand
experts, including conference organiser Tim
the geology in SuDS design, the soils required
O’Hare and past president of the Landscape
for different sorts of SuDS, issues relating to
Institute, Sue Illman, presented to 90
contaminated land, and point source and
delegates, who included landscape architects,
blanket infiltration.
garden designers, landscape contractors,
topsoil suppliers and tree nurseries.
With the engaging title ‘The Topsoil Journey
– from lovely drop of gear to exact science’,
George Longmuir reflected in his presentation
on how natural topsoil was bought and
sold in the past when greenfield sites were
abundant, the ‘muck away’ influence, today’s
established topsoil blending operations to
produce BS3882 topsoil, and the future of
City silviculture and the dynamics of the
designer soils to meet individual project
urban landscape was the subject addressed
requirements. The London Olympics was used
The conference was the brainchild of soil
by Johanna Gibbons. From John Evelyn to the
as a ‘best practice’ case study.
scientist Tim O’Hare, who has provided soil
rapidly evolving field of urban forestry and
science consultancy to some of the country’s
expanding urban populations, Jo drew from
highest profile public realm landscape
the foundations of the notion of sustainability
schemes, including the Queen
John Melmoe, Commercial Director of multiaward winning landscape contractor Willerby
Landscapes, gave the contractor’s
perspective
Elizabeth Olympic Park, The Garden
on
selecting
and
applying the correct soils for the job,
Bridge, Jubilee Park, Chavasse
discussing the importance of pre-
Park, Battersea Power Station and
construction planning, advanced
King’s Cross Regeneration. His
procurement, site testing of soils,
objective for the conference was
correct handling, and hold points
to provide a platform for debate by
during installation. He highlighted
the landscape sector on the issues
projects where soils have had a
around soil, to give delegates a
significant importance and bearing
practical soils tool kit to which
they can refer when they next embark on
rooted in forestry practice through to the
a landscape project, and to ensure soil is
current call to arms by pressure groups such
elevated to its rightful place in the landscape
as Trees and Design Action Group (TDAG)
hierarchy.
through publications such as ‘No Trees, No
First to speak, on the significance of soil in
Environmental Impact Assessments, was
Senior Associate at Tim O’Hare Associates,
Rob Askew. A nationally recognised and
industry-accepted standard set of Significance
on the contractor’s programme,
including Jubilee Park, Chavasse Park, Queen
Elizabeth Olympic Park South Park and, more
recently, Cubitt Park, King’s Cross.
Future’. She argued for a cross disciplinary
One surprising theme that emerged from all
collaborative approach from soil science,
of the presentations was the need to specify
community engagement, engineering and
soils on a ‘project-specific’ basis and to not rely
ecology in realising the value of the urban
on the British Standard for Topsoil (BS3882).
forest.
Speaking after the conference, Tim O’Hare
Criteria to help assess the potential impact
Tim
‘Practical
commented: “I am delighted with how
of infrastructure projects on Greenfield soil
applications of soil science for today’s
well the conference was received by all the
resources (topsoil and subsoil) does not
landscape’ gave delegates useful, practical
delegates. We have had tremendous feedback
currently exist. Rob presented examples of
information they could take away and
on the quality and relevance of the speakers’
bespoke Significance Criteria for assessing
apply to their future landscape projects.
presentations and I really do believe we have
agricultural land and soil resources, which
Drawing on his 23 years’ experience working
put soils back at the top of the landscape
have been used on recent major national
within the landscape industry he clarified
agenda. If this means that soils form part of the
Environmental
(EIA)
some of the more common soil issues and
very early planning stages of future projects
projects, including HS2 Phase 1 (London to
misunderstandings that arise on projects,
– as they should – then this conference will
Birmingham).
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