Boomzorg symposium Tree Selection on October 16: which trees do we plant in today's cities? |
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Which trees fit in today's cities? That choice is of ecological, climatological, economic and social importance. Existing selection lists provide insufficient guidance for the changing urban climate. That is why Boomzorg, together with Treeport Brabant, is organizing the TREE SELECTION symposium at the location of Boomkwekerij Udenhout, with Swedish urban forestry professor Henrik Sjöman as keynote speaker.
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Program:
| 12.00 pm |
| Reception with lunch |
| 1.00 pm |
| Welcome |
| 1.10 pm |
| Henrik Sjöman: 'Don't choose urban trees based on instinct, but on facts' |
| 1.45 pm |
| Andrew Hirons: 'The CSR method - an ecological lens for tree selection' |
| 2.10 pm |
| Eduard Groen: 'Comparing biodiversity lists - one single truth does not exist' |
| 2.30 pm |
| Break |
| 3.00 pm |
| Henry Kuppen: 'Are municipalities opting for the snack bar or the tree's five food groups' |
| 3.35 pm |
| Patrick Bellan: 'Diversity as the key to a sustainable tree population in Malmö' |
| 4.05 pm |
| Jaap Smit: 'The Tree Hunters 2.0 present ten particularly valuable trees' |
| 4.30 pm |
| Tree Officers forum |
| 5.00 pm |
| Drinks |
 | | Henrik Sjöman |
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Henrik Sjöman: 'Don't choose urban trees based on instinct, but on facts'
Keynote speaker Henrik Sjöman is an urban tree expert and researcher at the Swedish University of Agricultural Science and at the Gothenburg Botanic Garden. He advocates for better substantiated choices when planting trees in cities. Many young trees do not survive, often due to poor species selection. According to Sjöman, policy and practice place too little focus on suitability for the changing urban climate. He warns against overly uniform species choices and emphasizes the importance of risk diversification.
 | | Andrew Hirons |
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Andrew Hirons: 'The CSR method - an ecological lens for tree selection'
British scientist Andrew Hirons introduces the CSR method during the symposium: a model that helps to better understand trees and select them more effectively. CSR stands for Competitor-Stress tolerator-Ruderal, and provides insight into how plants cope with their environment. Hirons applies this model to urban trees. By positioning species according to their growth strategy - competitive, stress-tolerant, or pioneering - it becomes clearer which trees are suited for which conditions. This makes the model a useful tool for selecting urban stress-tolerant trees.
 | | Eduard Groen |
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Eduard Groen: 'Comparing biodiversity lists - one single truth does not exist'
Eduard Groen compares, during his presentation, the three tree lists currently in circulation in the Netherlands with regard to biodiversity. The comparison shows remarkable differences. For instance, the green list from Natuur & Milieu contains species that are not allowed in Leiden, and vice versa. This raises questions about the underlying criteria and practical considerations of these lists. Groen advocates for more substantiation, context-specific application, and an open dialogue among experts on how biodiversity lists are developed and used.
 | | Henry Kuppen |
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Henry Kuppen: 'Are municipalities opting for the snack bar or the tree's five food groups'
At the Tree Selection symposium, Henry Kuppen presents a practice-oriented analysis of how municipalities shape their tree policies. He poses the question of whether the choice is for convenience and speed - the 'snack bar method' - or for a thoughtful assortment based on five pillars: policy goals, location, soil, climate, and knowledge of species and origins - the 'tree's five food groups'. The presentation consists of two parts. First, Kuppen examines how municipalities currently determine their assortment. Then, he explores what a strategic assortment approach could look like.
 | | Patrick Bellan |
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Patrick Bellan: 'Diversity as the key to a sustainable tree population in Malmö'
Tree specialist Patrick Bellan from the city of Malmö (Sweden) explains the municipality's tree policy. They strongly apply the 3-30-300 and 10-20-30 rules to strengthen urban green spaces. Evaluations of growth rates show that many species hardly perform in paved urban areas. That is why Malmö uses a list of more than 200 species that have proven suitable for such conditions. Bellan stresses that native versus non-native is not decisive, but rather performance in practice.
 | | Jaap Smit |
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Jaap Smit: 'The Tree Hunters 2.0 present ten particularly valuable trees'
Among tree growers and tree managers, there is a wealth of knowledge about applying special - and sometimes less special - trees in public spaces. We searched for and found ten modern Tree Hunters 2.0 who wanted to make a case for trees that we could and perhaps should use more often. Dendrologist Jaap Smit introduces them to us.
Practical information
Date: Thursday October 16, 2025
Location: Boomkwekerij Udenhout, Schoorstraat 23, 5071 RA Udenhout, NL
Entrance fee: € 95 p.p.
Target group: Everyone professionally working with trees, from growers to policymakers.
Order your ticket here
via the webshop or register using the form below.
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The symposium is an initiative of Boomzorg (NWST Publishers), with Treeport Midden-Brabant and Treeport Zundert as hosts. The event is aimed at tree managers, green managers, growers, policymakers and other green professionals involved in urban planting.
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This article was previously published on September 22, 2025 on the Boomzorg
website.
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