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Climate Change and Planting for the Future

PlantNetwork Spring conference
Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester
with The National Arboretum at Westonbirt
10-12 September 2008

Wednesday 10 September
2.00 pm	Welcome and introduction Matthew Jebb, PlantNetwork Chairman John Weir, Director, The National Arboretum at Westonbirt
2.10 pm	Forests and climate change: a convenient truth? A DVD to set the scene
2.30 pm	Climate change, trees and the future Mark Broadmeadow, Forestry Commission
3.00 pm	UKCIP08 climate scenarios - what they mean Chris West, UK Climate Impacts Programme
3.30 pm	Climate change: certainties and uncertainties, regional effects and extreme events Kathy Maskell, Walker Institute for Climate System Research, University of Reading
4.00 pm	TEA
4.30 pm	Phenology at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh for the past 150 years Clare Morter & Christine Thompson, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
4.50pm	Effects of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems in Ireland Alison Donnelly, Trinity College Dublin
5.00 pm	Phenological change in the UK and further afield Tim Sparks, Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Monk's Wood
5.25 pm	Kew's experience with climate change Nigel Taylor, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
6.00 pm	Discussion
Thursday 11 September
9.00 am	Boom and bust, flood and drought - it's a hard life being a garden plant Ross Cameron, Environmental Biology, University of Reading
9.30 am	New creative opportunities for planting on buildings: green roofs and living walls Nigel Dunnett, Department of Landscape, University of Sheffield
10.00 am	Urban greenspace and climate change Roland Ennos, University of Manchester
10.25 am	COFFEE
10.55 am	Effect of climate change on decomposer and mycorrhizal fungi Lynne Boddy, Cardiff University
11.20 am	Horizon scanning for potentially invasive non-native plants Ruth Waters, Natural England
11.45 am	Climate change: new ecology and planting opportunities James Hitchmough, Department of Landscape, University of Sheffield
12.15 pm	Tree collections and climate change: taking stock Richard Jinks, Forest Research, Alice Holt
12.40 pm	Discussion
1.00 pm	LUNCH
2.00-5.30 pm	Visit to the National Arboretum at Westonbirt John Weir, Hugh Angus, Simon Toomer & Richard Jinks, Forestry Commission. A tour of the National Arboretum will give an introduction to Westonbirt and cover some of the main activities. The main focus will be to stimulate discussion on climate-change issues such as analysis of plant collections, potential pests and diseases, historic landscapes, species selection and how we might mitigate the effects of climate change.
Friday 12 September
9.00 am	Planting for the long-term: climate change and National Trust gardens Mike Calnan, Gardens & Landscape, National Trust
9.30 am	Adapting planting at Royal Horticultural Society gardens Christopher Bailes, RHS Garden Rosemoor
9.55 am	Tolerant turf: grass species for practical solutions to the changing climate Jayne Leyland, UK Research & Development Manager, Barenbrug UK Limited
10.20 am	Adapting alpine and woodland plantings at Kew Katie Price, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew
10.45 am COFFEE
11.20 am	Exotic pests and diseases likely to flourish or be encountered with climate change Ray Cannon & Helen Moran, Central Science Laboratory
11.45 am	Will our gardens become reserves for species threatened by climate change? Alastair Culham, University of Reading
12.10 pm	Rare and ornamental trees: some candidates for planting Owen Johnson, Tree Register of the British Isles
12.35 pm	Discussion, Summing up and thanks Matthew Jebb, PlantNetwork Chairman
1.00 pm	LUNCH

	Climate change impacts on phenology: implications for terrestrial ecosystems Stirnemann, R., Pletsers, A., Proctor, H., Cooney, T., Caffarra, A., O’Halloran, J., Jones, M. and Donnelly, A. Recent global changes in climate such as increasing temperature have notable effects on the timing of biological events (phenology) of plants and animals. The effects are however variable across space and between species. The proposed study will consider climate change impacts on phenology of plants and birds at a local scale (in Ireland) in order to clarify the spatial range and variation across species and trophic levels. To do this we are conducting an analysis of the existing phenological data in Ireland. This data will form the basis for the establishment of a range of experiments and models focused on clearly identifying the current and future impacts of climate change on Irish ecosystems.
	Monitoring of four invasive non-native garden pests Andrew Salisbury, Ian Waghorn and Andrew Halstead The Entomology section of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is collating records of four invasive non-native garden pest insects following their establishment in the UK. Data collection has previously relied on data gathered from RHS members’ enquiries, however in May 2008 internet- based monitoring has been launched. Help the RHS to monitor these pests, by submitting sightings at:- http://www.rhs.org.uk/Learning/Research/project_pest.htm
	Invertebrate Pests Associated with Large and Exotic Trees Imported in the UK The Establishment of Exotic Pests and Climate Change Helen Moran Climate change is resulting in species surviving in the UK today that would not have been expected to survive here even as little as ten years ago. Examples of these include the cottony cushion scale (Icerya purchasi) and the green shield bug (Nezara viridula), both of which have established populations in London. As the UK climate becomes warmer, the risk posed by exotic pests is expected to increase.
	Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh: PHENOLOGY – DAILY PROJECT Geoffrey Harper & Stephan Helfer The basis of the study is the individual plant (organism phenology), as opposed to large populations (population phenology). In the case of herbs, the basic unit is a small patch, usually of several or many plants. Several accessions of each taxon are monitored where possible, in different parts of the Garden, with a view to assessing intra-taxon consistency and variation, and also to safeguard against loss or damage to individual accessions.
	Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh: PHENOLOGY – WEEKLY PROJECT Geoffrey Harper & Stephan Helfer Weekly project 2005: Records FFD and flowering duration, 114 taxa (211 plants)
	Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh: The Rhododendron Phenology Project Christine Thompson, Cathy Bell, Margaret Elliot, Maggie McKenzie This project begun in 2008 monitors the flowering curves, leafing and capsule-dehiscence of a wide variety of rhododendron species.
	Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh: PHENOLOGY – FUNCTIONAL GROUPS OF FLOWERING PLANTS Geoffrey Harper Distinct functional groups of taxa can be identified, each of which responds to climate change in a predictable way, depending on how temperature and other factors affect the different developmental stages. Some taxa flower earlier, others later, and still others are remarkably stable in their dates. Mediterranean plants can flower at any time of year except summer, and are already showing extreme reactions to climate warming.