SESL Australia

Last updated

SESL Australia
Type Private company
Industry Soil science (horticulture, agriculture, environment)
Founded1983 (as Sydney Environmental and Soil Laboratory)
FounderSimon Leake
Headquarters Thornleigh, NSW, Australia; Canberra, ACT; Fortitude Valley, QLD; Flemington, VIC;
Area served
Australia
ServicesSpecialist consultancy laboratory providing fieldwork, monitoring, laboratory analysis, interpretation and recommendations, and training
Website SESL Australia website

SESL Australia was established in 1983 as Sydney Environmental & Soil Laboratory by Simon Leake. SESL provides independent laboratory testing and advisory services to landscape, horticulture, sport and leisure turf, [1] civil construction, environment, [2] government, [3] [4] mining and the waste industry. It offers sample collection, monitoring, analysis and interpretation of soil, water, plant tissue and wastes. SESL also offers training courses on a range of earth science topics mainly focused on urban horticulture, sport and leisure turf, and environmental water.

Contents

History

SESL was founded in 1983 by Simon Leake, a soil science graduate of the University of Sydney.

Services

NATA-accredited [5] laboratory analyses (soil, water, plant tissue, wastes), site analyses (soil, water), soil specifications, plant pest and disease identification, training.

Projects

SESL has been involved from the planning stage in various major infrastructure projects in NSW, notably the Darling Harbour redevelopment, the Sydney Olympic Park redevelopment at Homebush Bay, Central Park on the site of the old Carlton & United Breweries plant in Chippendale and the Barangaroo redevelopment [6] on Sydney Harbour.

Philanthropy

SESL sponsored a prize in oral presentation and prizes for best fourth year thesis, best laboratory practical and best student at the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Sydney from the late 1990s until 2009.

Advocacy

Simon Leake has appeared on ABC's Gardening Australia [7] [8] and Burke's Backyard. [9] SESL Australia contributes to the environmental and soil industries through its monthly Fertile Mind's blog which updates the community on current projects and industry events. In 2014 Simon published Soils for Landscape Development: Selection, Specification and Validation ISBN   9780643109643 under CSIRO publishing, co-authored by landscape architect and consulting arborist Elke Haege.

Professional memberships

From 1997 until 2011, Simon Leake served as a Member of the Standards Australia CS/37 committee, which developed and maintains the Australian standards AS 3743 Potting Mixes, AS 4454 Composts, Soil Conditioners and Mulches, and AS 4419 Soils for Landscaping and Garden Use.

Simon Leake is a member of the Royal Botanic Gardens Trust Gardens Committee, [10] a voluntary expert reference panel assisting the Trust in the design, technical specification and implementation of planning at the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney, Mount Annan Botanic Garden and Mount Tomah Botanic Garden.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sydney</span> City in New South Wales, Australia

Sydney is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about 70 km (43.5 mi) towards the Blue Mountains to the west, Hawkesbury to the north, the Royal National Park to the south and Macarthur to the south-west. Sydney is made up of 658 suburbs, spread across 33 local government areas. Residents of the city are known as "Sydneysiders". The 2021 census recorded the population of Greater Sydney as 5,231,150, meaning the city is home to approximately 66% of the state's population. Nicknames of the city include the 'Emerald City' and the 'Harbour City'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horticulture</span> Agriculture of plants

Horticulture is the branch of agriculture that deals with the art, science, technology, and business of plant cultivation. It includes the cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, algae, flowers, seaweeds and non-food crops such as grass and ornamental trees and plants. It also includes plant conservation, landscape restoration, landscape and garden design, construction, and maintenance, and arboriculture, ornamental trees and lawns.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawn</span> Area of land planted with grasses and similar plants

A lawn is an area of soil-covered land planted with grasses and other durable plants such as clover which are maintained at a short height with a lawnmower and used for aesthetic and recreational purposes—it is also commonly referred to as part of a garden. Lawns are usually composed only of grass species, subject to weed and pest control, maintained in a green color, and are regularly mowed to ensure an acceptable length. Lawns are used around houses, apartments, commercial buildings and offices. Many city parks also have large lawn areas. In recreational contexts, the specialised names turf, pitch, field or green may be used, depending on the sport and the continent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Landscape design</span> Design profession

Landscape design is an independent profession and a design and art tradition, practiced by landscape designers, combining nature and culture. In contemporary practice, landscape design bridges the space between landscape architecture and garden design.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Victoria Park, Sydney</span> Historic site

Victoria Park is a 9-hectare (22-acre) urban park situated on the corner of Parramatta Road and City Road, Camperdown, in the City of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The park is located adjacent to The University of Sydney and the Broadway Shopping Centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian National Botanic Gardens</span> Botanical garden in Acton, Canberra

The Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) is a heritage-listed botanical garden located in Acton, Canberra, in the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. Established in 1949, the Gardens is administered by the Australian Government's Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. The botanic gardens was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List on 22 June 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Domain, Sydney</span> Park in Sydney, Australia

The Domain is a heritage-listed 34-hectare (84-acre) area of open space located on the eastern fringe of the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia. Separating the central business district from Woolloomooloo, The Domain adjoins the Royal Botanic Gardens and is managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens Trust, a division of the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, an agency of the Government of New South Wales. The Domain is used as a venue for outdoor concerts, open-air events, large political gatherings and rallies, as well as being used daily by the people of Sydney for exercise and relaxation. Along with the Royal Botanic Gardens, The Domain was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 2 April 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney</span> Botanic gardens in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

The Royal Botanic Garden, Sydney is a heritage-listed major 30-hectare (74-acre) botanical garden, event venue and public recreation area located at Farm Cove on the eastern fringe of the Sydney central business district, in the City of Sydney local government area of New South Wales, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Office of Environment & Heritage</span> Government department in New South Wales, Australia

The New South Wales Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), a former division of the Government of New South Wales between April 2011 and July 2019, was responsible for the care and protection of the environment and heritage, which includes the natural environment, Aboriginal country, culture and heritage, and built heritage in New South Wales, Australia. The OEH supported the community, business and government in protecting, strengthening and making the most of a healthy environment and economy within the state. The OEH was part of the Department of Planning and Environment cluster and managed national parks and reserves.

This is an alphabetical index of articles related to gardening.

Rubber mulch is a type of mulch used in gardens and landscaping that is made from recycled rubber, most often crumb rubber sourced from waste tires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Sydney</span> Overview of the geography of Sydney

The geography of Sydney is characterised by its coastal location on a basin bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Blue Mountains to the west, the Hawkesbury River to the north and the Woronora Plateau to the south. Sydney lies on a submergent coastline on the east coast of New South Wales, where the ocean level has risen to flood deep river valleys (rias) carved in the Sydney sandstone. Port Jackson, better known as Sydney Harbour, is one such ria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barangaroo, New South Wales</span> Suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Barangaroo is an area of central Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the north-western edge of the Sydney central business district and the southern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It is part of the local government area of the City of Sydney. The area was used for fishing and hunting by Indigenous Australians prior to colonial settlement. The area is inclusive of The Hungry Mile, the name harbourside workers gave to the docklands area of Darling Harbour East during The Great Depression, where workers would walk from wharf to wharf in search of a job, often failing to find one.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumberland Plain</span> Plain in Australia

The Cumberland Plain, an IBRA biogeographic region, is a relatively flat region lying to the west of Sydney CBD in New South Wales, Australia. Cumberland Basin is the preferred physiographic and geological term for the low-lying plain of the Permian-Triassic Sydney Basin found between Sydney and the Blue Mountains, and it is a structural sub-basin of the Sydney Basin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Centennial Parklands</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xeriscaping</span> Water conserving landscaping method

Xeriscaping is the process of landscaping, or gardening, that reduces or eliminates the need for irrigation. It is promoted in regions that do not have accessible, plentiful, or reliable supplies of fresh water and has gained acceptance in other regions as access to irrigation water has become limited, though it is not limited to such climates. Xeriscaping may be an alternative to various types of traditional gardening.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Index of environmental articles</span>

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Sustainable landscaping is a modern type of gardening or landscaping that takes the environmental issue of sustainability into account. According to Loehrlein in 2009 this includes design, construction and management of residential and commercial gardens and incorporates organic lawn management and organic gardening techniques.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Gardens Nature Reserve</span>

The Central Gardens Nature Reserve, also called Central Gardens, is a protected nature reserve located in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1976, the 12-hectare (30-acre) reserve, garden and fauna and wildlife park is situated in the suburb of Merrylands and is managed by Cumberland Council. The park is regionally important and it attracts visitors outside the Cumberland local government area. The bushland contains remnants of Cumberland Plain Woodland and is approximately 3.5 hectares.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urban renewal in Sydney</span>

The urban renewal of Sydney is an ongoing land redevelopment process that is creating and reviving new urban centres across Sydney, Australia. Urban renewal refers to the refurbishment of derelict buildings, streets or neighbourhoods and is accompanied with the process of gentrification attributed by changes in land use and deindustrialisation of areas. In 2020, there are several projects underway and planned including Barangaroo, The Bays Precinct and Green Square.

References

  1. Jackson M. (2008). "Recycled organics in sports turf construction & renovation" (PDF). Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW]. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  2. Wilson K, Ralph P. (2010). "Effects of oil and dispersed oil on temperate seagrass: scaling of pollution impacts. Final report" (PDF). Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney . Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  3. "Annual Report 2010–11. Part 3 – Statutory Information, p 17" (PDF). Woollahra Municipal Council. 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  4. Kembrey M. (30 June 2011). "Faecal bacteria polluting Parramatta River". Parramatta Sun. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  5. "Accreditation". National Association of Testing Authorities. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  6. "Barangaroo Headland Park. Plant Procurement, Soils Specification and the Barangaroo Delivery Authority". Australian Institute of Landscape Architects . Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  7. "Transcript – Episode 20, 1 July 2006". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  8. "Fact Sheet: Clay Soil Test. Presenter: Angus Stewart, 01/07/2006. Angus learns how to test clay soil". Australian Broadcasting Corporation . Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  9. "Crushed sandstone. Fact sheet". CTC Productions. 2000. Retrieved 23 April 2012.
  10. "Botanic Gardens Committee". Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust. Retrieved 23 April 2012.