Greg is a Senior Research Associate of Burnley College, University of Melbourne, where he was Principal from 1988 to 2007; he was Head of the School of Resource Management at the University from 2002 to 2007. With a general interest in horticultural plant science, revegetation and ecology, Greg is particularly interested in arboriculture. He was inaugural president of the International Society of Arboriculture, Australian Chapter, and has been a member of the National Trust of Victoria’s Significant Trees Committee since 1988 and chair since 1996. He has served the Board of Greening Australia (Victoria) 1988-2012 and was a trustee of Trust for Nature, 2009-17. He serves on the Treenet Advisory Board and Management Committee and was Chair from 2005 to 2019. Greg has written two books, contributed to five others and has published over 165 scientific papers and articles. He was awarded the Order of Australia medal 2017 for services to the environment, particularly arboriculture.
Treenet Symposium Speaker
Dr Greg Moore OAM
Speaker Biography
Session Abstract
Yellow Gum (Eucalyptus leucozylon) suitability for climate change
A great deal is demanded of urban trees, especially those growing along streets.In contrast to trees from northern hemisphere genera, there has been little research into the criteria used to assess and select Australian native tree species for use as street trees. Yellow gum, Eucalyptus leucoxylon. is one of a few eucalypts occurring in south-eastern Australia with bright coloured flowers and is highly regarded as a street tree. There are a number of subspecies within the species, but the one most widely planted with urban Melbourne is subspecies megalocarpa. Yellow gum is propagated from seed, but progeny typically show seedling variability and diversity. E. leucoxylon was identified as the most widely planted eucalypt in the streets of the city of greater Melbourne, Australia.
This research assessed 300 E. leucoxylon street trees growing across greater Melbourne for their performance against arboricultural criteria relating to canopy structure and density, straightness of the trunk, health (assessed on canopy, trunk and branch condition, production of exudates and presence of fungal fruiting bodies), flower colour and root systems. The results showed that E. leucoxylon megalocarpa was a suitable street tree species with most specimens showing good habit, vigour and health. The trees had traits such as live crown ratio, height, flower colour and capacity to cope with pruning that are considered appropriate for a street tree. Their dense canopies and high live crown ratios provide shade that can reduce the urban heat island (UHI) effect. Trees also did well during the millennium drought that impacted Melbourne’s street trees from 1999-2010. This suggests the species has the potential to be a successful street tree not only in Australia, but in other parts of the world.
