Join us on 4 November 2026 as the National Tree Officers Conference returns for another unmissable gathering of tree professionals from across the UK.

We’re delighted to be bringing NTOC to Sheffield for the first time, and the conference will once again bring together leading voices from arboriculture, urban forestry, woodland management, and planning to share knowledge, explore emerging challenges, and showcase innovation in the management of trees and green infrastructure.

Proudly hosted by the Association of Tree Officers, Institute of Chartered Foresters, London Tree Officers Association, and the Municipal Tree Officers’ Association, the conference provides a unique platform for local authority tree professionals and the wider sector to connect, learn, and exchange ideas.

Over the years, NTOC has established itself as a key event in the arboricultural calendar, offering an invaluable opportunity for practitioners to share real-world experiences, discuss policy and practice, and engage with the latest research and developments affecting the sector.

Whether you are an experienced tree officer, a planning professional working in green infrastructure, or an early-career arboriculturist, NTOC 2026 will offer practical insights, professional development opportunities, and plenty of inspiration. The programme will feature a range of expert speakers, case studies, and presentations exploring the challenges and opportunities facing those responsible for managing our urban treescapes.

As the sector continues to respond to climate change, biodiversity loss, development pressures, biosecurity threats, and increasing public expectations of green spaces, NTOC 2026 provides a timely forum for discussion and collaboration. The conference will bring together a community of professionals committed to ensuring trees continue to deliver environmental, social, and economic benefits for generations to come.

VIEW THE PROGRAMME

Attendees can expect a day of thought-provoking presentations, valuable networking opportunities, and engaging discussions that will help shape the future of arboriculture and urban forestry. Whether you are looking to share experiences, gain new perspectives, or strengthen professional connections, NTOC 2026 promises to be a rewarding and inspiring event.

Speakers

Kate Josephs CB
Chief Executive, Sheffield City Council

Opening speaker

Kate Josephs CB joined Sheffield City Council as Chief Executive in January 2021, following a 20-year career in national government in the UK and United States. She leads an organisation of over 8,000 staff, supporting Sheffield’s political leadership to deliver for England’s fourth largest city.

Since joining Sheffield, Kate has led a major programme of organisational improvement and renewal, strengthening the Council’s focus on delivery, resident outcomes, partnership working and long-term strategic planning. She has championed a more ambitious, outward-facing agenda for the city, including the development of Sheffield’s ten-year City Goals and the city’s first inclusive Growth Plan, launched in 2024.

Owain Devey
Highways Tree Officer, Oxfordshire County Council

When tree damage has a cost: using CAVAT to protect public tree assets

Damage to tree roots by utility contractors is an increasingly common challenge for local authorities, often resulting in long-term impacts on tree health, safety and public amenity. This presentation will explore Oxfordshire County Council’s experience in addressing this issue using the Capital Asset Value for Amenity Trees (CAVAT) system. While CAVAT is widely recognised as a method for quantifying the value of trees and assessing compensation following damage, its role as a proactive deterrent is often overlooked. By demonstrating the potential financial consequences of poor working practices, CAVAT can encourage greater care around trees and promote compliance with industry guidance. The session will share practical examples, lessons learned and outcomes achieved, highlighting how CAVAT can support both tree protection and accountability within utility works.

Andrew Martin MICFor
Senior Arboricultural Consultant, Treework Environmental Practice

From inspection to risk – a work in progress

Managing trees is often about balancing limited time and resources against increasing demands and expectations. This presentation reflects on what happened when our existing approach came under pressure and we began to question whether inspection effort was being directed where it would make the greatest difference. Drawing on experience from a local authority, the talk explores the practical challenges of changing established practice, making professional judgement more visible, and supporting consistent decision-making. Rather than presenting a finished answer, it offers an honest reflection on lessons learned, challenges encountered, and questions that remain relevant to the profession.

Andy McCutcheon
Principal Environment Services Officer, States of Guernsey

Hugo Ciotti
Tree Inspector and Arboricultural Consultant, Hugo Ciotti Tree Consultancy

Goretti gets Guernsey – impact, response and future resilience

Storm Goretti delivered the most severe island‑wide tree damage Guernsey has experienced in many years, with well over a thousand tree failures occurring in a six‑hour window. This talk explores what happened, why trees failed, and how the multi‑agency response operated under major‑incident conditions. Using images and data from the event, it attempts to identify patterns of failure, species vulnerability, aggravating factors, and the operational challenges of coordinating clearance during peak winds. The session also highlights lessons from the Guernsey Local Resilience Forum debrief and outlines how Guernsey is reshaping its approach to tree management, resilience planning, and future storm preparedness.

Professor Cecil Konijnendijk FICFor (Hon)
Nature Based Solutions Institute

The good, the bad, and the potentially ugly of urban tree metrics

Recent years have seen the emergence and wide adoption of guidelines and metrics for urban tree planning and management, from tree canopy cover and tree equity scores to the author’s 3+30+300 principle. Based on examples from the UK and the rest of the world, this presentation will take a critical look at the implementation of these guidelines and metrics to date. Particular strengths and opportunities are highlighted, as are potential pitfalls and misuses. Proper inclusion of guidelines and metrics to urban tree strategies and urban forest masterplans will also be a focus of the talk, as will be their communicative and collaborative potential. Suggestions are provided on using metrics and guidelines for real impact at different scales and in different contexts.

Scott Watson
Arboricultural Officer, Hartlepool Borough Council

Tree Equity for Hartlepool

Tree Equity for Hartlepool is the UK’s first fully town‑wide application of the Tree Equity tool, using data‑driven insights to develop targeted interventions for the neighbourhoods that need trees the most. Led by Trees for Cities, the project runs from February 2025 to May 2027 and advocates for the value of urban trees, shapes long‑term strategic direction, and works with communities to increase canopy cover across the town. Key components include opportunity mapping informed by multiple datasets, extensive public consultation, and collaborative planting events delivered in 2025–26, with further priority sites identified for 2026–27. The project will culminate in a new Urban Forest Master Plan for Hartlepool, designed to maintain momentum and embed tree‑equity principles into future decision‑making. Together, these efforts aim to create a healthier, more resilient and more equitable urban forest for Hartlepool’s residents.

James Hare
Tree Officer, Dumfries and Galloway Council

Taking control of canopy cover analysis in your urban forest

Urban forests are vital for climate resilience, wellbeing, and environmental quality with public (tree stock management) and private contributions (planning influence) equally offering the answer to more sustainable cities and communities. Yet many urban forest managers don’t fully understand the state of their green provisions and where they can make meaningful improvements. This presentation will use the Welwyn Hatfield Borough area to look at the importance of Tree and Woodland Strategies (TAWS) and why they should include intermediate testing such as canopy‑cover analysis to set realistic, evidence‑based targets. Only by taking control of the analysis, looking into the contributions to canopy coverage and identifying where resources can best be focused, will we make real improvements on our urban forests.

Vanessa Lyons
Woodlands and Countryside Manager, Sheffield City Council

Modern threats for ancient woodlands

In 2025, Sheffield City Council (SCC) successfully prosecuted a homeowner who decimated a protected ancient woodland. Replacing over 8,700 sq m of canopy cover with hard standing, profiled land and buildings for which he had no planning consent, the landowner was fined £65,000. As the tree officer involved,  Vanessa gives an account of the resources needed to undertake a prosecution two years in the making. The presentation describes how joint working across multiple departments was the key to success, how this set a new precedent for how SCC tackles such issues, and looks at the wider context of Sheffield, with its wealth of ancient woodland, and how we as a Council, but also a society, can work to protect it.

James Shallcross
Woodland Officer, Forestry Commission

Wider awareness of trees and the law

This presentation will cover tree felling licenses, including exemptions within the Forestry Act 1967, and how these relate to TPO legislation. The importance of woodland management plans for current woodland owners will be discussed, along with links to grant aid support for undertaking woodland management. Legislation, illegal felling and processes for following up on reports of alleged illegal felling will be presented. We will also signpost to further guidance and advice that tree officers can build into their conversations with clients.

Mick Biddle
Response Manager – Pathology, Forest Research

Canker Stain of Plane – an update on research to prepare for an outbreak

Forest Research presents an update on research aimed at strengthening the UK’s preparedness for the damaging disease, Canker Stain of Plane, caused by the fungal pathogen Ceratocystis platani.

Recent outputs and ongoing activities include:

• Research to optimise surveillance and enhance the capability to provide rapid diagnostics of suspect sample material;
• Preliminary evidence on the socio-cultural value of plane trees, their distribution within the UK, and the knowledge needs of land managers regarding CSP to better understand and communicate about the resource at stake;
• An investigation into disease introduction pathways via used arboricultural and civil engineering equipment, and the experience of CSP experts managing the disease in Europe to inform effective UK contingency planning;
• Current research with the aim of modelling the influence of urban networks on the spread and management of CSP.

James Allen
Tree Officer, London Borough of Waltham Forest

Can biodiversity help manage oak processionary moth? Early lessons from a predator reinforcement pilot

Oak processionary moth presents a significant challenge for local authorities. It requires a balance between public safety, tree health, and wider biodiversity objectives. Current management often relies on nest removal and insecticide treatment, but this approach comes with ecological trade-offs and doesn’t address the absence of natural regulation. This presentation outlines a three-year predator reinforcement pilot established in Waltham Forest, where we are exploring whether targeted habitat enhancement can support the natural predators and parasitoids of OPM. While the pilot is not intended to replace existing control measures, it provides an opportunity to test whether biodiversity-led interventions can contribute to long-term OPM management. The talk will cover the rationale behind the project, pilot design, monitoring framework, governance considerations and early observations from implementation.