Reinventing our City Streets Presenter: Simon Leake
24.07.09
Simon Leake
Sydney Environmental & Soil
Laboratory (SESL)
Email: simon@sesl.com.au
Website: www.sesl.com.au
Presenter Profile
Simon has risen to become one of the best-known urban soil scientists in Australia. He is a founding Director and Principal Soil Scientist of SESL, responsible for all technical matters in the company. His education and interests are centred on soil science and soil chemistry in particular. These areas of expertise led him to composting science, where he developed a senior consulting role to industry over the next 12 years. He is an active member of the Australian Standards Committees for Topsoil, Compost and Potting Mixes.
Presentation Synopsis
There are many constraints to vegetation in urban environments reaching its full potential. Apart from the multitude of above ground issues the designer must deal with, the most serious constraints from a biological perspective, are below ground. Only trained and experienced soil scientists can provide the site specific solutions to overcome these constraints and work with, not against, the prevailing site soil resources.
As specialists in urban soil science our firm has been researching and consulting in the area of root zone design for urban trees and vegetation for many years. We work well with planners and architects to provide the most up to date technologies and science to provide adequate root zone conditions to meet the aims of the design. We can back up the specifications we provide with our laboratory resources to ensure close compliance with the performance specifications.
A well-designed modern street and building scape will consider the aesthetic, community, environmental and engineering requirements as well as the biological needs of the urban vegetation. The result of a good multidisciplinary approach like this is more functional vegetation causing less damage to built structures with lower maintenance costs.
As a firm with its roots in agriculture we have also been advocating the re-integration of food production and food producing plants in the urban environment, and are keen to bring our agricultural science knowledge to clients in this interesting area.