Join us for #MembersHour on 2 July with David Day and Dr James Talbot.
The Great London Plane of Ely is the largest in the UK and one of the originals. A gift from King Charles II to the Bishop of Ely, it was planted in 1674 and is recognised as one of the Top 50 Great British Trees by The Tree Council. This #MembersHour will cover the history of the tree and why it is an important part of our national heritage, the interventions and management required to conserve the tree for future generations, and the pioneering collaboration with the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge, whose novel structural and dynamic modelling of the tree helped to guide the design of the new bracing system. The project brings together the arboricultural and engineering worlds, providing an analysis-based approach to caring for an important heritage tree. The conservation project is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the first time an award has been given to an individual tree.
Speakers
David Day – Chair, Board of Governors at The King’s School Ely
David Day is Chair, Board of Governors at The King’s School Ely. The Great London Plane of Ely is located in the grounds of the Bishop’s Old Palace, which today is the school’s Sixth Form Centre. David is leading the project to conserve the tree, which is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Having spent a career in technology, he was keen to use monitoring technologies to help with the conservation and management of the tree, resulting in the collaboration with the Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge.
Dr James Talbot – Senior Lecturer (Dynamics and Vibration Group), University of Cambridge
Dr James Talbot is a Senior Lecturer in the Dynamics and Vibration Group of Cambridge University Engineering Department. He has a mixture of academic and industrial experience, primarily in the fields of vibration engineering and structural integrity. His primary research interests lie in the analysis and mitigation of vibration in buildings, but recent work on the London Plane of Ely has opened up new interests in the dynamics of trees! He is a Chartered Engineer, a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and a Fellow of the Institute of Acoustics.
This event is open to members of the Institute of Chartered Foresters only. Not a member yet? Join the ICF community to access events like this and gain a wide range of professional development benefits.