Tag Archive for: Forum

Origin hosts Amenity Forum Updating Event

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Origin hosts Amenity Forum Updating Event: The Amenity Forum England first Updating Event of 2023 is being hosted by Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) on Wednesday 17th May 2023 at their Turf Science & Technology Centre in Dunmow, Essex.

The amenity forum is the UKs voluntary initiative promoting best practice in all aspects of weed, pest, and disease management. This year’s Updating Events have been delayed in order to include the outcomes and recommendation of the National Action Plan (NAP).

Origin hosts Amenity Forum Updating Event

Origin hosts Amenity Forum Updating Event

The Amenity Forum is seeking to have a clearer view of what their members want from them.  They will be holding a number of facilitated sessions to capture member views. The Updating Events headline sponsor is WeedFree but each Event will have a separate sponsor who will be putting on their own presentation along with a session to look at facilities or cover additional topics.

Origin Amenity Solutions is hosting and sponsoring the first of the England Updating events.  The day will comprise of a Policy Update presented by Amenity Forum and includes a preview of the 2023 National Action Plan.

Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) comprises four major industry brands: Headland Amenity, Rigby Taylor, Symbio and Turfkeeper.com, and is a UK distributor for Rain Bird, the global manufacturer and provider of irrigation products and services.

Peter Corbett, Executive Officer of Amenity Forum will present ‘Responding to Policy Update’.  He will highlight what is required to comply with policy changes and will include a response to the current policy landscape and provide an overview of the work of the Water Catchment Partnerships.

Mike Potts, Principal Enforcement Officer from HSE will present on ‘the Role of Pesticide Enforcement Officers’.  He will explain this new post that has been created to ensure sustainable and safe use of PPP’s with the introduction of OCR.

The day will include a tour of Origin Amenity Research & Development Centre, where the latest trial will be shared.

Further events will be hosted by ICL on 31st May at Radley College, followed on 7th June when the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAEFA) will host at the College of Agriculture Food & Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) in Antrim.

For more information or to register for this free event visit https://bit.ly/3ounfXS

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Amenity Forum in collaboration with Defra

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Amenity Forum in collaboration with Defra: The Amenity Forum already offers a series of guidance notes and video material on integrated approaches to weed, pest and disease management and, in 2020, published an extensive document on the subject in relation to weed control, along with a template to help amenity organisations produce integrated plans.

Integrated approaches are long established in the sector but it is clear that, with the great emphasis being placed by government on this topic, it would be beneficial to further improve both access to and content of guidance to all operating in amenity and sports surface management. As such the Forum is in positive and collaborative dialogue with Defra as to how this can be achieved.

Amenity Forum in collaboration with Defra

Amenity Forum in collaboration with Defra

Defra published its Pollinator Action Plan recently and in it was the following reference to part of this work.

Work with stakeholders, including local authorities, to:

  1. support the development of guidance on the use of pesticides by amenity managers, including IPM and sustainable approaches for weed control which consider pollinators.
  2. explore ways to maximise uptake of IPM by amenity users

John Moverley, Independent Chairman of the Amenity Forum, said ‘’We have been in dialogue for some time with the Defra team about creating better access to guidance on integrated management. Whilst the publication of the much anticipated UK National Action Plan has been delayed, it is clear that the production of Integrated Plans will feature strongly. As such we welcome direct input into helping improve guidance. Integrated approaches involve creating plans for management making use of all tools available including pesticides  to provide the required outcome in a way which protects the environment and minimises carbon emissions’’

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Amenity Forum publishes its Annual Report

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Amenity Forum publishes its Annual Report: The Amenity Forum is the UK Voluntary Initiative promoting best practice in all aspects of the management of amenity spaces and sports surfaces.

It seeks to bring together all who work in this diverse and essential sector providing support and guidance and acting as an independent link between the sector and policy makers. The Annual Report for 2021 covers the year up to the end of July this year. Whilst a report on activities, it also provides information on how the sector has progressed in meeting UK targets and identifies key issues facing all involved in, what without any doubt, are extremely challenging times.

Amenity Forum publishes its Annual Report

Amenity Forum publishes its Annual Report

Writing in the Report, the Forum’s independent chairman, Professor John Moverley OBE says ‘’Even without the implications of the Pandemic, this has certainly been another year full of change, challenge and opportunity for the Forum. There is much going on at policy level with the UK Government finalising its review of the National Action Plan and a further review of pesticide policy ongoing. The Forum is fully contributing to the process where requested and appropriate with UK and national governments and indeed all involved in policy making and implementation.

The report shows that the Forum continues to respond to a wide range of consultations and has been fully engaged with partners and all stakeholders dealing with the implications of the pandemic. The role of amenity managers during this time has been essential maintaining our transport networks, parks and more. It has not been easy working conditions and they deserve all our thanks.

It is important to ensure the debate is not an either or but based on an integrated approach making use of all the tools available in the most effective way. The year has also seen the debate widened to take account of the environmental costs of different approaches particularly in determining carbon sums from the various methods employed. Out of change inevitably comes challenge – but the professional amenity sector is robust and ready. There is much to be proud of in the professionalism of our sector’’.

The report identifies that some  key priorities in the year have been in assisting everyone engaged to further develop integrated management  approaches, promoting the sector wide Amenity Standard and to significantly increasing communications both to the public and within the sector. The full report is available on the Amenity Forum website in the resources section https://amenityforum.co.uk/resources/amenity-forum-2021-annual-report/

The report identifies that there is much change ahead and in this regard the timing of the 2021 Amenity Forum conference, to be held on October 21st, could not be better and its title ‘Facing the Future’ very apt indeed including some eminent speakers and good opportunity to network and catch up on developments in the exhibition area. A day not to be missed and, given the support from organisations, very competitively priced at £95 per delegate. For further information, contact Kate at admin@amenityforum.net

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Amenity Forum seek new independent chairperson

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Amenity Forum seek new independent chairperson: Professor John Moverley is to step down as independent chairman of the Amenity Forum from the end of June 2022. John has held the role since 2009 and, since then, the Forum has grown in size and influence acting as the voluntary initiative for the amenity sector on all aspects of weed, pest and disease management.

The Forum Board has initiated the process to find his successor on a time scale which will allow for appropriate hand over to maintain the growth and development of the Forum’s essential work. The Forum is asking those with an interest in the role to contact Kate at admin@amenityforum.net

Amenity Forum seek new independent chairperson

Amenity Forum seek new independent chairperson

She can provide more information and can also arrange for a discussion with a Forum Board member on what the role involves. All expressions of interest will be dealt with on a strictly confidential basis.

Expressions of interest are sought by the end of July 2021

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ICL to sponsor Amenity Forum event

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ICL to sponsor Amenity Forum event: ICL has announced that it is sponsoring the Amenity Forum ‘Meeting the Challenge’ online event, taking place on 25 February 2021.

Dr Dan Jones – Managing Director of Advanced Invasives, and Barry Browne – ICL’s Landscape and Industrial National Sales Manager, will be featuring in the highly anticipated online event. Their presentation will be focussing on a new invasive weed management project that has been developed off the back of the successful Invasive Science Lite webinar series.

ICL to sponsor Amenity Forum event

ICL to sponsor Amenity Forum event

The project will cover native and non-native species and will look to address limited evidence and support within the industry for some key species beyond Japanese Knotweed. It will provide a working guide to each species on how to treat, control and will seek to answer or dispel some misunderstandings and myths surrounding vegetation management of these highly invasive weeds.

Meeting the Challenge timetable on 25th February

09.45 – Arrival and networking.

10.15 – Welcome and Introduction.

10.20 – Policy Update – including the review of The National Action Plan, enforcement and PPPs approval going forward. Adrian Dixon, CRD

10.40 – Change, Challenge and Opportunity in terms of Amenity Management – including a focus on current issues and update on how the sector needs to respond.

– Forum activity to be covered with production of guidance on integrated control and producing plans, carbon reduction and water quality challenges. Presented by John Moverley.

11.10 – Facilitated Participative Session – the group will be split into various work groups.

11.45 – BREAK

11.55 – Presentation by Dr Dan Jones and Barry Browne

12.15 – Update on The Amenity Standard.

12.30 – Conclude.

Meeting the Challenge is a completely free event but will require registration.

To register for the event, please visit www.amenityforum.co.uk/our-events/

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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