CONFERENCE SPEAKERS
Regine Hoi Gok Leung
Senior Arborist | Auckland Council
SPEAKER BIO
Regine Leung is a plant ecologist, landscape designer and arborist with more than 27 years of experience in project management and implementation of ecological impact assessment, soft landscaping design and arboriculture in Auckland, Asia Pacific region and Hong Kong. Regine is knowledgeable in plant classification and physiology, soil sciences, ecological habitat restoration, biosecurity, arboriculture and landscape enhancement with her academic background gained in Bachelor degree in Science (major in Biology) and Post Graduate degree in Geography (Master of Philosophy in Geography). Regine is a Certified Arborist® since 2009 and Certified Tree Risk Assessor ® (TRAQ) of International Society of Arboriculture (ISA). She is a qualified mediator of HK Mediation & Arbitration Centre since 2015 and has been qualified as Independent Hearing Commissioner of Ministry for the Environment in 2026, which facilitate her specialist input in the notified hearings and mediations for resource consents. Regine is now working as Senior Arborist in the Planning & Resource Consents Department of Auckland Council to provide specialist input on reviewing consent applications for tree works. Before that, Regine had worked as Project Facilitator of Treescape Limited (Environmental Division) in Auckland, Senior Horticulturist of ADI Limited (a major landscape Architect consultant firm in Hong Kong), Wetland Park Officer of Conservation Department of Hong Kong Government, Ecological Consultant for ERM-HK Ltd (a global environmental consultant firm), Assistant Turf Manager of Hong Kong Golf Club and Project Manager of Pegasus Greenland Limited (soft landscape contractor in Hong Kong).
TALK TITLE
How to maximize the benefits of our green assets and work around them in Auckland, New Zealand
ABSTRACT
We have been struggling for a balance of population growth, housing demands and city development in Auckland, and conservation of natural resources & green assets for Aucklanders to enjoy, in particular for the last 10 years after onset of Auckland Unitary Plan and recent reform in Resource Management Act. Through case studies and lessons learnt from growth performance and functions of exotic trees within urban environment, riparian margin and SEA overlay, greening opportunities in urban environment, management of notable trees in private properties & opportunity for tree transplanting in Auckland, let’s explore the privileges and constraints about tree management in Auckland and how we can work around them to sustain and maximise the benefits from our green assets in a cost-effective way. As profession in the arboricultural industry in Auckland and New Zealand, in what ways we can contribute our parts to enhance the arboricultural practices and sustain the green assets for ourselves and next generation to enjoy.