Fund 4 Trees
By Mark Chester
2018-06-25
Fund4Trees is a UK charity, founded by Russell Ball with the aim of raising funds to support research in tree-related issues. Russell is supported by a team of trustees including Martin Gammie, Tracy Clarke and Mick Boddy. Russell and Mick were present at the recent Claus Mattheck lectures in Loughborough. Russell shared with the audience about the importance of research and the challenges of funding it.
During the event, Russell was presented with a cheque from Symbiosis Consulting, who helped to organise Claus’ visit. This will enable more research to be supported. He also spoke to the audience about the importance of wider fundraising. Afterwards, I caught up with him to find out how the charity is progressing.
Russell, you are keen to widen the funding base for the charity. Explain how Just a Job works.
Individual fundraising events, such as Ride4Research are great in generating funds. However, it is important that the base for fundraising is as wide as possible. In order to make this as accessible as possible, we have developed two approaches. For tree officers and others in employed roles, we invite you to contribute your earnings from a single hour of work per month. If 100 people each gave just £10 per month, this would generate £1000 per month, and have a significant impact on the fund-raising operation.
For consultants, we invite you to donate your fee from a single job per year. This could be as modest as £150, which is just over £10 per month. Some companies donate larger sums.
How much of a difference would this make?
It would be tremendous. Single fund-raising events are great, but without an on-going flow of revenue, it becomes more difficult to budget across the year. Just think if each member of the Consulting Arborist Society committed to a small regular donation, we could do so much more.
And Claus endorses this?
He does indeed. Claus’ work depends on funding. I was really touched that he was willing to present the cheque to me during the lecture on Wednesday!
You have put in quite a bit yourself, haven’t you?
Yes, and I am happy to have done this. I have done numerous bike rides, including from Gibraltar to Kew Gardens. However, these on their own only generate a small amount of the funds we need to raise. The more who contribute, the greater the work that can be achieved. Not all donations are financial. Barcham Trees have donated the trees that we plant at schools visited during our Ride 4 Research tours. Last month, at the ARB show, Coles Nurseries donated some one-year trees (whips) which were then given to children visiting the event. I understand that one of these has ended up at a school in Herefordshire…
You have also assembled a team to advise on where funds are allocated.
That is correct. We need to have a transparent process. I was delighted when Dr. Andrew Hirons from Myerscough joined the Fund4Trees (F4T) Research Advisory Committee (RAC). When he joined, he commented,
“I'm delighted to have the opportunity to contribute to RAC. Sources of funding for research are scarce in arboriculture, this makes F4T a key-player in driving innovation for our industry. As I am also part of the Arboriculture Association's Education and Training committee, I look forward to the opportunity to liaise between the two organisations and help develop a shared vision for UK arboricultural research. Funding for research is vital for any progressive industry and I look forward with anticipation to the new insights and practices emerging from work supported by F4T.
RAC vets all F4T research grant applications and advises the F4T Trustees which grants to award.
You are keen to distribute funds once they have been raised.
Yes! Fund4Trees recently announced the funding of a new research project by Alexander Laver ISA, BCMA of Tree Logic and Dr. James Shippen of Coventry University. This is exploring ‘Optimised Techniques for Tree Climbing Activities’.
The project intends to map the body's movements whilst tree climbing, utilising and comparing different techniques to analyse the pressure on both joints and muscles. The research should lead to a better understanding of how we use our bodies in the tree and how potential injuries are sustained, including the mechanisms for longer term injuries. To see the technology in action please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z0IzvbQYGg The results will be presented to the UK arboricultural industry and worldwide. The technology is truly unique in its application to the tree care industry and has been developed along with specific software provided by Coventry University, who have applied their techniques to car and equipment manufacturing as well as sports professionals and performers. This should be a turning point in our understanding of how we use and abuse our bodies during tree climbing activities.
“The proposed research could substantially increase understanding of potential causes of physical stress-related injury. This will improve training techniques for climbers and reduce the occurrence of chronic industrial injury.”
Jack Kenyon (F4T: Co-opted Technical Advisor)
“This is exactly the type of practitioner-based research we need to produce in order to benefit arborists in our industry. It also makes a good case to support F4T via Donate1Job to further our research efforts.”
Martin Gammie (F4T: Trustee)
Also, we have funded a Fund4Trees Bursary Award to Annabel Buckland from Exeter University on
‘Assessing changes and benefits in urban forest canopy cover in the UK’.
She said,
‘Receiving this bursary will enable me to undertake an internship with the US Forestry Service, in order to improve the canopy cover function of i-Tree Canopy for the UK. These improvements will extend the use of i-Tree Canopy within the UK, from the current function of estimating tree cover, to additionally estimating Carbon Storage, Air Pollution Removal and Avoided Runoff effects at the landscape scale. The ability to easily estimate these benefits should contribute to more effective and widespread communication of the importance of the urban forests. As i-Tree is an open-source software, these improvements will be available to everyone once complete’.
Annabel Buckland (University of Exeter) PHOTO