Beginning in 1978, Mark’s career in arboriculture spans 37 years of experience as a contractor, local authority tree officer and arboricultural consultant. In 2009, he was accepted as a Registered Consultant of the Arboricultural Association, the premier accreditation for practitioners within the arboricultural profession.
From 1985 to 2001, he was arboricultural and landscape officer for two large local authorities, and gained experience both in managing large highway tree populations, parks and council-owned trees and woodlands, and in the operation of tree controls and tree-related issues at all levels within the planning system, from householder applications to major transport infrastructure projects. These included the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (HS1), where he successfully secured significant changes to the proposed route to reduce its landscape impacts.
During this period, he was also Chairman of the Arboricultural Association’s Education Committee and served on its Executive Council, as well as being an examiner and assessor for the Technician’s Certificate in Arboriculture from 1993 to 1999. He has contributed to many government consultations on the operation of the TPO system, and to the development of British Standards relating to tree care on development sites.
Since moving into private practice in 2001, Mark has been involved in a wide spectrum of projects, acting on behalf of clients ranging from private individuals to major national housebuilders and minerals companies on development and planning-related matters, frequently relating to issues affecting ancient woodland, as well as tree hazard and risk assessments, tree accident investigations, tree and woodland management plans, ancient and veteran tree management, and many others.
Mark has extensive experience of preparing and giving expert evidence in Public Inquiries and in Court, including the Magistrates’ and High Courts, and has previously given evidence before Select Committees of both Houses of Parliament on arboricultural and landscape matters. He holds the Cardiff University & Bond Solon Civil Expert Witness Certificate, and is a member of the Expert Witness Institute.
– Arboricultural Association Registered Consultant
– Fellow of the Arboricultural Association
– Member of the Expert Witness Institute
– Associate Member of the Institute of Leadership and Management
– Cardiff University & Bond Solon Civil Expert Witness Certificate
– M.Sc. in Landscape Ecology, Design and Maintenance
– LANTRA Certificate in Professional Tree Inspection
– BA (Cantab.) Modern and Medieval Languages
mark@daa-arboriculture.co.uk
Tel: 07761826237