David Lonsdale

It is with sadness that I report that Dr David Lonsdale passed away on Wednesday, 10th April 2024 after a short illness.

David’s PhD (awarded in 1975) research was on potato diseases, but after this he turned to trees, working in the Pathology Group at Forest Research (based at Alice Holt) for 26 years until he took early retirement in 2002. His work there began with beech bark disease and then moved on to tree decay, including tree hazard assessment, continuing with the latter after his retirement up to his death. During his time at Alice Holt, I had the pleasure of co-supervising three PhD students with David, working on strip cankers of beech and wood decay fungi latently present in the trunks and branches of living trees. His kindness, extreme carefulness and sense of humour always shone through.

He authored numerous scientific papers on tree disorders / diseases and conservation, and safety issues. Perhaps his most influential work was his book ‘Principles of Tree Hazard Assessment and Management’ (HMSO 1999), in which he combined an unparalleled combination of knowledge and understanding of mycology, tree biology, tree biomechanics and even the law. His huge knowledge about ancient and other veteran trees, and longtime support of the Ancient Tree forum made him the ideal person to edit the important ‘Ancient and other Veteran Trees: further Guidance for Management’ (The Tree Council, 2013). He also translated ‘The Body Language of Trees’ by Claus Mattheck and Helge Breloer, from German into English. These publications earned him the International Society of Arboriculture’s 2015 RW Harris Award of Distinction which is ‘given to authors who consistently publish timely and valuable content related to the field of arboriculture’.

David enthusiastically shared his knowledge in talks to academics and arboriculture practitioners, and was always keen to answer questions and debate topics, with his head characteristically cocked to one side as he carefully listened, pondered and responded. He was internationally recognised in his lifetime, and his name will live on - not only in his publications and the knowledge he passed on to others but also as a genus of bacteria involved in oak decline has been named after him - Lonsdalea. David will be greatly missed by his friends, colleagues and tree lovers alike.

Lynne Boddy