Over 130 delegates at last week’s SoilsCon 2019 heard key industry
speakers promote sustainable soil practices in landscaping and construction.
Housebuilders, landscape architects, garden designers,
contractors, and topsoil suppliers attended the fourth annual soils conference
at Phyllis Court, Henley-on-Thames, organised by soil scientist and landscape
consultant Tim O’Hare.
Delegate feedback showed that the subjects covered, including
using soils sustainably in landscape projects, the management and preparation
of back garden soils, and recycling and conditioning topsoil, were particularly
relevant to the audience.
Tim O’Hare’s practice, based in Wallingford, Oxfordshire, has
provided soil science consultancy to some of the country’s highest profile
public realm landscape schemes, including the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park,
Chavasse Park Liverpool, King’s Cross Regeneration, and Jubilee Gardens. The
practice’s overseas projects are extensive and include Commonwealth Park in
Gibraltar, Parque Central in Valencia, Dubai Expo 2020 and Oman Botanic
Gardens.
The speakers for 2019 provided delegates with knowledge across a
range of soil-related subjects that will enable them to take a more holistic
approach to working with soils sustainably.
Following a brief introduction by Tim O’Hare, Neville Fay, a
chartered arboriculturist and Founder/Director of the Sustainable Soils
Alliance was first to speak. He explained the vital mutually supportive
relationship between trees and soils and the threats posed by the loss of c.
2.9 million tonnes of topsoil a year.
Next up to the podium was Tim O’Hare, who delivered a masterclass
in sustainable soil use in landscape projects. Tim took delegates through the
soil planning process and stressed the importance of understanding the site
soils they are working with from a very early stage.
After the morning break, during which a Soil Surgery was held,
staffed by soil scientists from Tim O’Hare Associates, the next speaker was
Sarah Morgan, garden designer, horticulturist, lecturer and Chair of the
Society of Garden Designers (SGD). Sarah’s presentation demonstrated why
knowledge of geology and soil should influence the design of landscape projects
if they are to be successful in the long-term.
Closing the morning’s presentations was Tim White, Senior
Associate at Tim O’Hare Associates, who talked about the management and
preparation of back garden soils. With particular emphasis on the gardens
presented to homeowners on new build developments, Tim discussed the
difficulties presented by construction sites, where the presence of many
different trades, their plant, machinery and vehicles, and the limited space
for storing topsoil presented the ‘perfect storm’ in terms of soil management.
After lunch, soils scientist Simon Leake, Managing Director of
SESL Australia, discussed the design of low fertility soils, referencing the
Barangaroo project in Sydney for which he designed the project soils. Following
on with the theme of manufactured soils, the next speaker was Andy Spetch,
National TOPSOIL Manager at British Sugar plc.
Choosing and using mulches was the day’s penultimate presentation,
delivered by Catherine Dawson, Technical Director of Melcourt Industries.
Opening her presentation with an explanation of the physical properties of
different types of mulch, Catherine then looked at the various claims for what
mulch could achieve, giving delegates clear guidance on the correct selection
of mulch, how to apply it, and the expected outcomes for planting schemes when
best practice is applied.
The day’s final presentation, and possibly the most photogenic,
was on Wildflowers – superheroes of green infrastructure and urban greening,
delivered by Helen Gillespie-Brown, Business Development Manager at Wildflower
Turf. In her presentation, Helen explained the development of wildflower turf
and how it is grown, including the selection of seed mixes for different
landscape applications.
SoilsCon has proved, once again, that there is a real urgency
amongst landscape and construction professionals to improve their understanding
of soils and how to use them in a more sustainable way.
Tim O’Hare commented: “This year’s conference was incredibly
informative and provided a rounded approach to using soils more sustainably.
"It was obvious from the comments we received on the day, and
in the feedback, that delegates appreciated the breadth of subject matter and
went away much better informed and able to apply the knowledge in their work.
"I am indebted to the amazing speakers who without exception
brought the subject to life for those in the audience and I hope that many of
those who attended will now actively support the work of the Sustainable Soils
Alliance in its mission to seek fundamental change in the way soils are
regarded and treated.”
