Throughout history, and around the world, there has been a special link between trees and people. Trees feature prominently in mythology, religion, culture and folklore, and certain images – like the world tree, or trees in creation myths – recur over and over again. In this presentation, using established texts and original research, John Parker will talk about how trees have shaped the human story and will describe some of the reasons that people have always venerated trees, and how that veneration has influenced the culture of communities around the globe.

Speaker: John Parker has been Chief Executive Officer of the Arboricultural Association since July 2021, and previously held the role of Technical Director at the Association from August 2019. John is UK & Ireland President of the International Society of Arboriculture, a member of the European Forum on Urban Forestry (EFUF) International Steering Group and a UK representative on the European Arboricultural Council. He has a degree in Arboriculture & Urban Forestry and is a Chartered Environmentalist, Chartered Forester, Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Foresters, Fellow of the Arboricultural Association, Fellow of the Linnaean Society of London and Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. He frequently presents at national and international conferences and has delivered a TED Talk entitled Why trees are better than people (available on YouTube). Since spring 2020 John has chaired the Arboricultural Association webinar series, covering a huge range of topics to a global audience. In 2018 he was awarded the title of Young European Urban Forester of the Year, in 2022 he was named one of the 25 Most Influential People in Horticulture by Pro Landscaper Magazine and in 2024 he appeared on the ENDS Power List of the 100 most influential environmental professionals in the UK. He is a former Trustee of the Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum, the national UK tree collection. John is interested in public engagement, green equity and promoting the benefits of trees, with particular consideration for their social and cultural value. He is a Trustee of the Doverow Hill Trust and founder of the Stonehouse Community Arboretum.