The Ronald Flook Award was established in 1993 to recognise high standards of practice in arboriculture. Each year the recipient is selected for their exceptional management of trees. The award is named after well-known Nelson-based Landscape Architect Ron Flook for his tireless contribution to arboriculture in New Zealand through the Notable Trees Scheme and the Development of the Standard Tree Evaluation Method. The award also recognised the high standard of his professional work and the way he used trees as significant features in his landscape designs.
 
The Award for the year 2019 goes to Stacy Colyer, Auckland-based tree advocate, business owner and consultant arborist for more than 26 years.  Colyer has been one of the preeminent contributors to the growth of the arboricultural consultancy industry in New Zealand.  He is a consistent voice of the industry and has never been afraid to speak-up for the need to have tree protection in the Auckland region.  He was one of the key members in the early 1990s developing the policy that made up the bulk of the tree protection rules in the Auckland Council’s district plans on the Isthmus and the Hauraki Gulf Island.  One particularly memorable moment in his career was when he organized a full page spread in NZ Herald campaigning against relaxation of tree rules in Auckland ‘Stop the Chop’.
 
Colyer has worked hard to grow his own business Greenscene over the last 25 years, setting a benchmark for ethical approach to business and needs of the tree over the needs of the client. Over that time, his business has evolved into a multi-facetted green-services business, providing arboricultural consultancy, landscape design and maintenance, training in horticulture and arboriculture and ongoing support to MPI and their programs of response incursions (Queensland Fruit Fly). 
 
He has also donated much time and effort to not-for-profit organisations and charities over the years. Colyer was involved in arranging for the dismantling repurposing and shipping secondhand playground equipment to areas of much need in the Pacific Islands where they are reassembled for communities in need. He does this in his own time and funds a substantial part of the work. Stacy has also sat on a number of committees over the years including industry conference committees, not-to-mention donating time to help organise climbing events, association sponsorship, branding and a number of other initiatives.
 
This year’s award was presented at New Zealand Arboricultural Association Annual Industry Awards Dinner at the Napier Conference Centre on Saturday 16 November at 7.00 pm.