Group Meeting – 29th June 2018

Ted Green captivated the audience at Ferring Conservation Group’s June meeting by speaking with passion and enthusiasm about his deep knowledge and love of trees. Ted’s professional life began when he was employed as a laboratory technician at Silwood Park, attached to Imperial College, where he had access to the Ancient Woodlands on the nearby Windsor Estate. Here he could pursue his interest in conservation and so accumulating a vast knowledge by observation, experiment and plant trialling. From 1988 to 2003 Ted was the English Nature Conservation Consultant to the Crown Estate at Windsor. He continues as Conservation Consultant there to this day and has been awarded an MBE for his services, and he still works ceaselessly for the protection and greater awareness of our ancient trees.

Ted is credited with bridging any gaps between forestry and conservation and has influenced the debate in forestry and arboriculture for more than 50 years. During his long career, Ted has put forward theories on the importance of managing the whole ecosystem and he has played a major part in encouraging land owners to re-appraise the way they manage their woods and to adopt a more holistic style.

Ted was the founder member of the Ancient Tree Forum in 1993 and has also been involved with the Knepp Rewilding project since its inception in 2001.

After a break for refreshments Tricia Hall presented her welcome Nature Notes slot by telling members of the flora and fauna that was discovered during a recent Group visit to Shoreham Beach. They firstly looked at pioneer species such as Sea Kale, Silver Ragwort and Biting Stonecrop. They also found the blue Viper’s Bugloss, Tree Mallow, red Poppies and the pale pink Sea Daisy. The Group also had glimpses of lizards in the vegetation.

To conclude the meeting Ed Miller advised us of a planning application submitted by WADARS for a cat homing unit on their site at Hangleton Lane, which Ferring Conservation Group intend to support.