Current Appointment: Senior Lecturer
                                 Program Director, BSc (Urban Ecology)

Contact: Department of Environmental Sciences
University of Technology, Sydney
Cnr Harris and Thomas Streets
Broadway
PO Box 123 BROADWAY NSW 2007
Australia Office: City Campus, Building 4, level 5, Rm 5.60A
Phone: +61 2 9514 4038
Fax: +61 2 9514 4079
E-mail: Jane.Tarran@uts.edu.au

**SMCA - Urban Biodiverity - Jane Tarran - 24 May 2008 Forum **

**AILDM Seminar - Urban Forests - Jane Tarran - 8 March 2008**

**Urban Forests Presentation - Jane Tarran - North Sydney 2007**

**Cooks River Project - UTS 2006 - V Andrews & L Smith**
 

Professional Areas of Interest and Research

• Urban forestry and urban ecology, including the uses and benefits of trees and other vegetation in urban areas
• Use of indoor potted plants to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from air
• Plant pathology, especially fungal diseases of ornamentals, grapevine and stone fruit
• Determination of causes of plant diseases and disorders in landscape plantings
• Reintroduction of indigenous plants into parkland
• Use of rock dusts to enhance plant growth

Areas of Expertise

• Landscape horticulture, including management of urban vegetation and diagnosis of diseases and disorders
• Tree management, including use of computerised tree inventories
• Plant pathology
• History of garden and landscape design

Recent and Current Research Projects

Use of indoor potted plants to remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and improve indoor air qualityResearch into the capacity of various species and numbers of indoor potted plants to remove VOCs from the air in offices, as well as the impacts of potted plants on other air quality parameters and on office occupants. Research into the capacity of various species and sizes of indoor potted plants to remove VOCs from the air in laboratory test chambers and a room-sized chamber, under both closed and ventilated conditions.
Plant pathologySeveral projects jointly supervised with industry partners e.g. Pythium and Phytophthora associated with root disease of hydroponic lettuce (Botanic Gardens Trust Sydney, NSW Agriculture and hydroponic lettuce producers), Phomopsis cane and leaf blight in grapevine (NSW Agriculture), nutritional and fungal root disease in Waratahs (Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney) and the influence of peat and peat-substitute potting mix components on disease suppression (NSW Agriculture).
Urban vegetation management, including street and park trees and reintroduced indigenous plant speciesResearch into urban trees in Sydney to characterise plant species, age, ondition and other parameters, and interactions between trees and infrastructure.  Research into the potential for reintroduction of indigenous species into open space areas and monitoring of survival and early growth of plants.
The use of rock dusts to enhance plant growthResearch into the capacity of rock dusts to enhance plant growth, both in potted plants (greenhouse experiments using potting mix) and in open space situations (e.g. turf).

Research Grants

Refereed Publications

Tarran, J., Torpy, F. & Burchett, M. (2007) Use of living pot-plants to cleanse indoor air - research review. Proceedings of 6th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation & Energy Conservation in Buildings, Sendai, Japan, 28-31 October 2007,, vol. III, pp. 249-256.

Wood, R. A., Burchett, M. D., Alquezar, R., Orwell R. L., Tarran, J. & Torpy, F. (2006) The potted-plant microcosm substantially reduces indoor air VOC pollution: I. Office field-study. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 175: 163-180.

Orwell, R. L., Wood, R. A., Burchett, M. D., Tarran, J. & Torpy, F. (2006) The potted-plant microcosm substantially reduces indoor air pollution: II. Laboratory study. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 177: 59-80.

Orwell, R. L., Wood, R. L., Tarran, J., Torpy, F. & Burchett, M. D. (2004) Removal of benzene by the indoor plant/ substrate microcosm and implications for air quality. Water, Air, and Soil Pollution 157: 193-207.

Wood, R. A., Orwell, R. L., Tarran, J., Torpy, F. & Burchett, M. (2002) Potted-plant / growth media interactions and capacities for removal of volatiles from indoor air. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology 77: 120-129.

Burchett, M., Mousine, R. & Tarran, J. (2002) Phytomonitoring for urban environmental management. In: Omasa, K., Saji, H., Youseffian, S. & Kondo, N. (eds) Air pollution and plant biotechnology: prospects for phytomonitoring and phytoremediation. Pp. 61-91. Springer-Verlag, Tokyo, Japan.

Merrin, S. J., Nair, N. G. & Tarran, J. (1995) Variation in Phomopsis recorded on grapevine in Australia and its taxonomic and biological implications. Australasian Plant Pathology 24: 44-56.

Published Conference Presentations

Tarran, J. (2006) Trees, urban ecology and community health. In: Lawry, D., Christophel, D. & Smith, S. (eds) Proceedings of TREENET, 7th National Street Tree Symposium, Adelaide, South Australia, 7-8 September, 2006, pp. 58-71.

Tarran, J. (2005) Urban forestry and urban greening: benefits to people and their cities from well-managed urban vegetation. Proceedings of Conference, "Urbanism Down Under: Creative Urban Futures", Wellington, New Zealand, 18-20 August 2005.

Alhussaen, K., Tarran, J., Summerell, B. & Tesoriero, L. (2005b) Temperature effects on root rot disease of hydroponic lettuce. Poster presentation at the 15th Biennial Australasian Plant Pathology Society Conference, Geelong, Victoria, Australia, 26-29 September 2005.

Alhussaen, K., Tarran, J., Summerell, B. & Tesoriero, L. (2005a) Survey of root rot disease in hydroponic lettuce in the Sydney area. Poster presentation at the 3rd Australian Lettuce Industry Conference, Werribee, Victoria, Australia, 3-5 May 2005.

Tarran, J., Pincus, J. & Orton, J. (2001) Working together for a better environment: Environmental Science students at UTS and managers of the Cooks River Foreshores, Sydney. In: Logically working together, Parks and Leisure Australia National Conference 2001, 3-5 September 2001, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Tarran, J. (1999) Urban tree management in Sydney, Australia. In: 17th Osnabrucker Baumpflegetage, 7-8 September 1999, Osnabruck, Germany.

Burchett, M. D., Mousine, R., Tarran, J., Wood, R. & Orwell, R. (1998) Can street trees be used to reduce health and ecosystem effects of air pollution? Poster presentation at the International People-Plant Symposium, Sydney, 19-22 July 1998.

Tarran, J. (1997) Vegetation in urban open space areas. Speaker at Seminar presented by the Australian Institute of Horticulture and Staff & Students of University of Technology Sydney Research into Australian Flora at UTS. 19 July 1997.

Tarran, J. (1994) Tree inventories: an essential basic step in responsible urban tree management. In: Baird, I. A. (ed.) Proceedings of the 1994 2nd National Urban Tree Seminar Urban Trees: the challenge for Australian cities and towns. Canberra, ACT: Royal Australian Institute of Parks and Recreation.

Tarran, J. (1994) Vegetation cover and tree preservation orders. In: National Trust of Australia (NSW) (ed.) Proceedings of a Seminar Things we want to keep - environmental heritage management under the new Local Government Act. Sydney, NSW: National Trust of Australia (NSW).

Tarran, J. (1993) The use of tree inventories as a tool of management. Proceedings of a Seminar Streetwise: trees in a built environment. Sydney, NSW: Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney.

Tarran, J. (1991) The prevention, diagnosis and treatment of interior plant diseases and disorders. Proceedings of 1991 National Conference When the going gets tough. Bowral, NSW: Interior Plantscapers Association.

Reports

Burchett, M., Wood, R., Orwell, R., Tarran, J., Torpy, F. & Alquezar, R. (2004) Improving indoor environmental quality through the use of indoor potted plants. Report to Horticulture Australia Limited for HAL Project NY03003. 48pp.

Tarran, J., Orwell, R., Burchett, M., Wood, R. & Torpy, F. (2002) Quantification of the capacity of indoor plants to remove volatile organic compounds under flow through conditions. Report to Horticulture Australia Limited for HA Project NY 00035. 85pp.

Burchett, M., Orwell, R., Tarran, J., Wood, R. & Torpy, F. (2001) Towards improving capacity of indoor plants and potting mix components for indoor air pollution reduction. Report to Horticulture Australia Limited for HRDC Project NY 98025. 32pp.

Tarran, J. & Burchett, M. D. (1998) The effect of picrite dust on plant growth: a summary of five greenhouse experiments. Report prepared following completion of research consultancy (through UTS Research Office). 41pp.

Burchett, M., Tarran, J. Mousine, R. & Pulkownik, A. (1998) Trees as biomonitors of air quality in the Sydney region. Field experimentation of use of trees as biomonitors of air pollution in the Sydney region. Final Report to UTS Research Office.  66pp.

Burchett, M., Mousine, R., Pulkownik, A., Tarran, J., Wood, R. & Richardson, N. (1997) Initial development of low cost living-plant based air pollution monitoring system. Final Report to the Environmental Research Trust.  February 1997. 147pp.

Tarran, J., Podolec, M., Mackenzie, A., Dimacuha, A., Hart, D., Bateman, P. & Trollope, P. (1995) A scientific study to determine the feasibility of reintroducing indigenous plant species into the south-west corner of Centennial Park, Sydney. Volume 1: Site investigations. Report prepared for Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust. 59pp.

Tarran, J. (1995) Report on problem caused by trees at Warwick Farm Racecourse, Warwick Farm. Insearch Limited, University of Technology Sydney. 34pp. 

Tarran, J. (1995) Assessment of likely cause(s) of plant death at Swane's Nursery, Dural.  Insearch Limited, University of Technology Sydney. 22pp.

Cheng, D., Buckney, R., Orwell, R. & Tarran, J. (1992) West Gosford mangrove die-back study. University of Technology Sydney. 41pp.

Other Publications

Stephens, R. (ed.) (2004) Using pot plants to clean indoor air. Report on research carried out by R. Wood, M. Burchett, R. Alquezar, R. Orwell, J. Tarran and F. Torpy. Nursery Papers, Nursery and Garden Industry Association of Australia (NGIA), 2004: 1-4.

Wood, R., Orwell, R., Tarran, J. & Burchett, M. (2001) Pot-plants really do clean indoor air. The Nursery Papers, Nursery Industry Association of Australia (NIAA), 2001/2: 1-4.

Burchett, M. D., Tarran, J. & Wood, R. A. (eds) (1999) Towards a new millennium in people-plant relationships. Contributions from the International People-Plant Symposium, Sydney, 1998. University of Technology Sydney, Printing Services. 447pp.

Nair, N. G., Merrin, S. J. & Tarran, J. (1994) Studies on Phomopsis causing cane and leaf blight of grapevine in Australia. The Australian Grapegrower & Winemaker 366a: 35-42. 

Published Audio-Visual Material

Bury, M., Tarran, J. & Etienne, V. (1994) The greening of Ashfield. Educational video on street trees in Ashfield (historical plantings, advantages and disadvantages of street trees, and urban tree management strategies). J. Tarran as Writer and Co-producer. Direction, Filming and Editing by V. Etienne.

Teaching Areas

• Management of plants in landscapes, including tree management
• Plant pathology and mycology
• History of garden and landscape design; process of landscape design
• Botany – plant structure, function, identification and culture

Academic Qualifications

BSc (Hons I), DipEd, PhD (UNSW)

Professional Memberships

MAIH (Member of Australian Institute of Horticulture)
MPLA (Member of Parks and Leisure Australia)
MISA (Member of International Society of Arboriculture)
Australian Network for Plant Conservation
Local Government Tree Resources Association
Australian Garden History Society