Conference 2026

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Conference 2026: Booking now Closed

7–9 September 2026 | Lancaster University

Delegate Booking Now Closed

Bed and Breakfast booking click here: Limited accommodation will be available after 31st July and the university reserves the right to close its accommodation booking pages by 28th August. Use promotion code AAC26.

See ticket pricing

View Speakers

View Exhibitors

Wednesday Field Trip

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Conference is known for more than its speaker line-up; it’s a place where the arboricultural community comes together.

Speaker sessions and interactive workshops will inform, challenge and inspire, drawing on research, innovation and everyday practice.

Across the three days, you can expect:

A welcoming, friendly atmosphere
Opportunities to connect with peers from across the sector
Social events including the Conference Dinner and informal evening gatherings
Make connections with a wide range of top exhibitors and suppliers
A field trip to round off the event

Whether you’re a long-standing attendee or joining us for the first time, Conference 2026 offers a chance to learn something new and connect with the profession.

All Delegate Booking Closed 24th August

Monday 7 September

Time	Session	Speaker	Country
08:00	Registration
08:45–08:55	Welcome and introduction	Neil Davies	–
Session 1 Chaired by Neil Davies
08:55–09:20	Reading tree architecture in formative pruning: identifying future scaffold limbs in young trees	Joey Bokschoten	Netherlands
09:20–09:45	Morphophysiological pruning — adult/mature trees	Giovanni Morelli	Italy
09:45–10:10	Structural root adaptations in an ancient holotype Chiranthodendron pentadactylon	Jonatan Emmanuel Flores-Bonilla	Mexico
10:10–10:30	Questions
10:30–11:10	Break
Session 2 Chaired by Emma Gilmartin
11:10–11:15	Welcome and introduction
11:15–11:40	Cauterizing pruning cuts and tree wounds: traditional stewardship in modern arboriculture	Sprout Weinberger	United States
11:40–12:05	Crown restoration of heavily mutilated urban trees as an alternative to replacement planting	Ioan Stetca	Romania
12:05–12:30	Creating bat roosts in trees	Jim Mullholland & Sean Shereston	UK
12:30–12:50	Questions
12:50–13:50	Lunch
Session 3 Chaired by Tony Kirkham
13:50–13:55	Welcome and introduction
13:55–14:20	Award presentations, speed briefing	–
14:20–14:45	Urban tree responses to extreme heat and drought	Manuel Esperon	Australia/UK
14:45–15:10	After the ambulance leaves: what nobody tells you about workplace incidents	Mark Roberts	New Zealand
15:10–15:30	Questions
15:30–16:00	Break

Choice of Workshops

16:00–17:00

Survival strategies of AoVTs — Morphophysiological Life Stage 10: a new body language of trees

Russell Miller & James Chambers
UK

Tree preservation order work applications: Getting it right

Jonathan Fulcher
UK

From pixels to planning: AI and remote sensing for evidence-based urban forestry

Aleksandra Zienkiewicz
Poland

Into the MycoVerse: 3D modelling and the future

Callum Throw
UK

Regenerating Soil Systems Around Tree Roots

Andrew Hirons
UK

17:00	Close
17:00–18:00	Exhibitor reception
from 19:30 — late	Conference dinner

Tuesday 8 September

Time	Session	Speaker	Country
08:00	Registration
08:45–08:55	Welcome and introduction	Fiona Melville	–
Session 4 Chaired by Fiona Melville
08:55–09:20	Trees of the Middle East: observations on urban ecosystems and adaptation	Mark Laurence	UK
09:20–09:45	Tree equity, ecosystem services and urban tree maintenance in Stirling, Scotland	Carla Padilla Salas	Costa Rica
09:45–10:10	A toxic afterlife: trees and the dead	Alex Needs	UK
10:10–10:30	Questions
10:30–11:10	Break
Session 5 Chaired by Jessica Stocks
11:10–11:15	Welcome and introduction
11:15–11:40	Predicting risk to non-native tree species from potential threats in the UK	Laura Kelly	UK
11:40–12:05	Assessing pest and pathogen risks to the urban forest	Nick Porter	UK
12:05–12:30	Canker stain of plane: an update on research to prepare for an outbreak	Mick Biddle	UK
12:30–12:50	Questions
12:50–13:50	Lunch
Session 6 Chaired by Louise Hill
13:50–13:55	Welcome and introduction
13:55–14:20	Protecting trees and woodlands: thoughts from across the border	Charles Mynors	UK
14:20–14:45	The accidental framework: infrastructure projects as a funding model for veteran tree management	Matt Searle	UK
14:45–15:10	Veteran walking willows of Cambridgeshire	Kenny McGregor	UK
15:10–15:30	Questions and close
15:30–16:00	Break

Choice of Workshops

16:00–17:00

Survival strategies of AoVTs — Morphophysiological Life Stage 10: a new body language of trees

Russell Miller & James Chambers
UK

Tree preservation order work applications: Getting it right

Jonathan Fulcher
UK

From pixels to planning: AI and remote sensing for evidence-based urban forestry

Aleksandra Zienkiewicz
Poland

Into the MycoVerse: 3D modelling and the future

Callum Throw
UK

Regenerating soil systems around tree roots

Andrew Hirons
UK

17:00

* Speakers and abstracts subject to change.

Tickets

Full package and day tickets are available

Prices shown are excluding VAT

		Early Bird Rate (until 7th August)		Standard Rate (from 8th August)
Option		Member	Non-member	Member	Non-member
Full conference with field trip (limited tickets) This three-day package includes:		£430	£520	£520	£620
Sunday 6th	Evening meal
Monday 7th	Conference ticket, with lunch and refreshments, wine reception and Conference Dinner
Tuesday 8th	Conference ticket, with lunch and refreshments, evening meal
Wednesday 9th	Morning field trip
Full conference (without field trip) This two-day package includes:		£340	£410	£410	£490
Sunday 6th	Evening meal
Monday 7th	Conference ticket, with lunch and refreshments, wine reception and Conference Dinner
Tuesday 8th	Conference ticket, with lunch and refreshments
Day ticket (Monday or Tuesday)		£200	£240	£240	£290
Monday 7th or Tuesday 8th	Conference ticket, with lunch and refreshments	£200	£240	£240	£290
Student day ticket (Monday or Tuesday)		£95	*	£115	*
Monday 7th or Tuesday 8th	Conference ticket, with lunch and refreshments	£95	*	£115	*
* Students can join the Arboricultural Association for free

Tickets

Full package and day tickets are available

Prices shown are excluding VAT

All prices exclude VAT

Full conference + field trip (Limited Tickets)

Three-day package

Sun 6th	Evening meal
Mon 7th	Conference, lunch & refreshments, wine reception & dinner
Tue 8th	Conference, lunch & refreshments, evening meal
Wed 9th	Morning field trip

Early Bird (until 7 August)

Standard (from 8 Aug)

Member

£430

Non-member

£520

Member

£520

Non-member

£620

Full conference (no field trip)

Two-day package

Sun 6th	Evening meal
Mon 7th	Conference, lunch & refreshments, wine reception & dinner
Tue 8th	Conference, lunch & refreshments, evening meal

Early Bird (until 7 Aug)

Standard (from 8 Aug)

Member

£340

Non-member

£410

Member

£410

Non-member

£490

Day ticket

Monday 7th or Tuesday 8th — conference, lunch & refreshments

Early Bird (until 7 Aug)

Standard (from 8 Aug)

Member

£200

Non-member

£240

Member

£240

Non-member

£290

Student day ticket

Monday 7th or Tuesday 8th — conference, lunch & refreshments

Early Bird (until 7 Aug)

Standard (from 8 Aug)

Member

£95

Non-member

Join free*

Member

£115

Non-member

Join free*

* Students can join the Arboricultural Association for free — making member pricing available to all students.

Note that accommodation and breakfast is not included and should be arranged separately.

Venue and accommodation

Recommended accommodation is available to book on campus for just £73.50 per night, using promotion code AAC26.

Book Accommodation

Bed and breakfast rooms are located in Cartmel College, adjacent to meal and bar facilities and a ten-minute walk from our Conference venue.

The university campus is 3 miles south of Lancaster, or a 20-minute cycle from the city centre to campus on the signed cycle route.

Please Note: B&B booking will close Friday 31st July.

There will be a limited number of accommodation after the 31st July and only will be able to book until the 28th August and then its's fully closed.

Travel Information

Bookable Extras

Sunday 6th

Evening meal – Hot buffet at Barker House Farm

£35

Monday 7th

Conference Dinner – Three course Gala Dinner in the Great Hall

£60

Tuesday 8th

Evening meal – Hot buffet at Barker House Farm

£35

Book here

Tickets are now available, All Delegate Booking Closes 24th August

Conference 2026

If you’re interested in becoming an Exhibitor, Sponsor or Advertiser at the Arboricultural Association Conference 2026, then please give us your details to keep you informed!

Conference 2026: Booking now Closed

7–9 September 2026 | Lancaster University

Sponsored by:

Delegate Booking Now Closed

Bed and Breakfast booking click here: Limited accommodation will be available after 31st July and the university reserves the right to close its accommodation booking pages by 28th August. Use promotion code AAC26.

Monday 7 September

Welcome and introduction

Session 1

Reading tree architecture in formative pruning: identifying future scaffold limbs in young trees

Morphophysiological pruning — adult/mature trees

Structural root adaptations in an ancient holotype Chiranthodendron pentadactylon

Session 2

Cauterizing pruning cuts and tree wounds: traditional stewardship in modern arboriculture

Crown restoration of heavily mutilated urban trees as an alternative to replacement planting

Creating bat roosts in trees

Session 3

Award presentations, speed briefing

Urban tree responses to extreme heat and drought

After the ambulance leaves: what nobody tells you about workplace incidents

Choice of Workshops

Survival strategies of AoVTs — Morphophysiological Life Stage 10: a new body language of trees

Tree preservation order work applications: Getting it right

From pixels to planning: AI and remote sensing for evidence-based urban forestry

Into the MycoVerse: 3D modelling and the future

Regenerating Soil Systems Around Tree Roots

Exhibitor reception

Conference dinner

Tuesday 8 September

Welcome and introduction

Session 4

Trees of the Middle East: observations on urban ecosystems and adaptation

Tree equity, ecosystem services and urban tree maintenance in Stirling, Scotland

A toxic afterlife: trees and the dead

Session 5

Predicting risk to non-native tree species from potential threats in the UK

Assessing pest and pathogen risks to the urban forest

Canker stain of plane: an update on research to prepare for an outbreak

Session 6

Protecting trees and woodlands: thoughts from across the border

The accidental framework: infrastructure projects as a funding model for veteran tree management

Veteran walking willows of Cambridgeshire

Choice of Workshops

Survival strategies of AoVTs — Morphophysiological Life Stage 10: a new body language of trees

Tree preservation order work applications: Getting it right

From pixels to planning: AI and remote sensing for evidence-based urban forestry

Into the MycoVerse: 3D modelling and the future

Regenerating soil systems around tree roots

Tickets

Full conference with field trip (limited tickets)

Full conference (without field trip)

Day ticket (Monday or Tuesday)

Student day ticket (Monday or Tuesday)

Tickets

Conference ticket pricing — Early Bird and Standard rates for members and non-members

Full conference + field trip (Limited Tickets)

Full conference (no field trip)

Day ticket

Student day ticket

Note that accommodation and breakfast is not included and should be arranged separately.

Venue and accommodation

Please Note: B&B booking will close Friday 31st July.

Bookable Extras