Ted's career in trees for over 50 years has included forestry, conservation and a huge input in attempting to save this country's ancient trees. He has been a consultant in arboriculture for the Crown Estate at Windsor and 1993, founded the Ancient Tree Forum. He was awarded the MBE for this and his conservation work and is now recognised as the country's foremost authority on ancient trees. In his talk he will be challenging the headlong push for planting trees in plantations and suggesting that creating oak wood pastures would be far more beneficial to the environment.

Ted is a popular speaker, not afraid to raise contentious issues and always posing interesting questions related to trees. This talk will not be lacking in these.

Ted has visited Shropshire to give talks on a number of occasions, always attracting a large audience. On this occasion, he will be looking into the Government's wish to promote the planting of millions of trees. However, do not expect a traditional answer to this. What you will hear will have arisen from his years of experience with trees, his wisdom and, of course, his usual wit.