39th Texas Tree Conference, Academy, Tree Schools and Trade Show 

Online registration is closed
but you can register at the door.

See you in Waco!!!

Join us in Waco on September 25-27, 2019 for the largest and best Texas Tree Conference ever! We anticipate over 1,000 attendees as we explore "Inspiring Change". 

You can attend several events this year including:

• Three Wednesday pre-conference Tree Academies (there is also a TRAQ renewal class on Wednesday - Registration for this will open soon). 
• The Thursday and Friday Tree Conference and Trade Show that includes educational tracks for Commercial, Municipal and Utility Arborists, an awards luncheon, receptions, over 45 exhibitors and more.
•  And the Friday Tree School for English and Spanish-speaking tree workers and   supervisors.
  

Click here for the Texas Tree Conference brochure

(The link for online registration for all these events is at the bottom of the page)

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2019 Texas Tree Conference and Trade Show
Thursday, Sept. 26 & Friday, Sept. 27
(20.5 CEU's)

At this years Texas Tree Conference and Trade Show, we will continue our history of providing outstanding education programs featuring nationally known speakers, the latest in tree research and arboriculture, an expanded trade show, an awards luncheon, and numerous networking opportunities.

Learn from national leaders in research, commercial, utility and municipal arboriculture, urban forestry, urban planning and landscape architecture.

Featured speakers include: Dr. Ed Gilman, Trainer & Consultant, Jacksonville, Florida, Dr. Rob Konopaske, Principal, ME360 LLC, and Director of the Institute for Global Business at the McCoy College of Business at Texas State University, Dr. Jason Gordon,  Assistant Professor of Urban Forestry, University of Georgia, Carlos Llanos, Forester, Asesorias Forestales, Bogota, Colombia, Dr. Eric North, Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Dr. Drew Zwart, Bartlett Tree Research Laboratories, San Rafael, California, Ralph Sievert, Director of Forestry, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Barbara Willey, Director, Monarch Gateway, Sugar Land, Texas, Paul Johnson, Texas A&M Forest Service, Austin, Skip Kincaid, Executive Director, Southern Chapter ISA, St. Louis, Missouri, Stephen Cieslewicz, UVM Consultant, Sebastopol, California, Geoff Kempter, Technical Services Manager, Asplundh, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Marion Murray, IPM Project Manager, Utah State University, Smithfield, Randall Miller, Director of Research and Development, CNUC, Des Moines, Iowa, Kari Hines, Firewise Coordinator, Texas A&M Forest Service, Bastrop, Richard Leon, Urban Forest Manager, City of Jacksonville, Florida, Steve Grantham, Executive Director, Up With Trees, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Matt Grubisich, Director of Operations, Texas Trees, Dallas, April Rose, Urban Forestry Health Coordinator, City of Austin, Texas, David Marks, Owner, Environmental Design, Tomball, Texas, David Vaughn, Owner, ArborVaughan Consult, LLC, San Antonio, Texas, Phillip Kelley, Safety Team Leader, Wright Tree Service, San Juan, Washington, Steve White, Area Manager, Davey Resource Group, Manchaca, Texas, Peter Stoltman, Technical Specialist, Oncor Electric Delivery, Fort Worth, Texas, and more!

The 2019 conference theme is “Inspiring Change” and topics will include: 

• EAB- Lessons Learned Through Experience
• Assessing and Mitigating Urban Soils
• Trees Power Lines and Fires in California
• Looking Forward at Community Forestry
• Pollinator/Wildlife Corridors in Utility ROW Management
• Communicating What You May Already Know: Upping Your Game
• The Role of Community Forestry in Urban Metabolism
• Legal Hot Spots for Arborists
• Danger, Risk, Hazard – How Utilities Characterize the Threat From Trees
• #HealthyTreesHealthyLives
• Canker Diseases of Landscape Trees
• Are You a Boss or a Leader?
• Radial Growth Ring Analysis of Urban Trees
• Wildfire Risk Assessment For the Arborist
• Lessons and Experiences Gained During Thirty Years of Arboriculture and Forestry in Colombia, SA
•  How America’s Largest City Manages It’s Trees
• Working Effectively Across Generations
• Data Analytics for Vegetation Management
• We Don’t Need a Plan – We Have Google Earth
• The City of Dallas Has an Urban Forestry Master Plan! How They Got There and What’s Next
• Moving Giant Trees – Texas Style!
• Training the Next Utility Vegetation Management Leaders
• Make Partnerships Worth Your While
• How Trees Eat
• Advances in UVM Safety and Technology

and more!

(The Wednesday Tree Academy and the Friday Tree Schools are separate events from the Tree Conference and Trade Show)

The link for online registration for all events is at the bottom of the page

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2019 Texas Tree Academies
Waco Convention Center
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
(the day before and a separate event from the Texas Tree Conference)

This year there will be three Tree Academies
Please pick one when you register

Academy One: A Day with Dr. Ed Gilman
Pruning Trees Today, to Enhance Tomorrow’s Landscapes: An Advanced Look at Arboriculture

10:00 to 5:00 (Registration opens 9:00 am) 

(5.5 CEU’s)

 
Dr. Ed Gilman
Tree and Landscape Consultant

Despite pruning standards, pruning appears culture-based more than performance-based in many communities. Specifications based on standards can clarify customer expectations. Research inspired by American Pruning Standard comparing pruning approaches and tree responses with the long view will be discussed in light of improving structure and reducing risk. Come away with an understanding of why we do what we do.

Learner objectives: place your pruning approach in context with practices world-wide, know why standards and specifications matter, differentiate between structural pruning objectives to develop clear communication skills; beginning to advanced.

Topics covered will include:

• The branch union-a unique design
• Natural branch architecture in the nursery and arboriculture context
• Current state of our profession and strategies for improvement: Pruning at planting and in early years
• Pruning in the early to middle years
• Developing arborist-friendly branch architecture in the nursery
• Pruning mature trees: a systems approach (AKA Tree Preservation strategies)
• Outside exercises (we will be going outside to demonstrate pruning)
• Pruning specifications: a simple communication system with crew and clients
  
  

Academy Two: A Day with Dr. Eric North
1. Your Community Forestry Physical and
2. Engaging the Unengaged

10:00 to 5:00 (Registration opens 9:00 am)
(5.5 CEU’s)

Dr. Eric North

Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska

This workshop will address two subjects that through their mastery, will improve the care and access of citizens to its community forest. The first session will address a common challenge: compiling tree data that can by analyzed in a meaningful way. We will cover strategies to get the most out of your time in the field collecting valuable data. The second session will discover how to unleash the energy of our volunteers to improve the community forest. Improvement will come in two areas: our community forest is better maintained, while our citizens will have a closer connection with the trees that make up their community. Finally, we will conclude our day by offering case studies and information on engaging with people who don’t know their oak tree from their pine tree. We hope you can join us as we provide a day of learning to sharpen your skills on these two areas.

DATA ANALYSIS

• How to collect data
• What data to collect
• What useful analysis you can you do with the data
• Sources for additional imagery sources
• How to use the free sources
• What you need for analysis
• Analyzing canopy cover change through time 
• Effectively share the information to your community

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

• Using citizen science as a volunteer engagement
• How volunteer engagement works
• How good is volunteer data?
• How to train volunteers to get the data
• How to engage the disengaged

Academy Three: An overview of the newly published ISA Utility Specialist Certification Study Guide – presented by its two authors

10:00 to 3:00 (Registration opens 9:00 am)

(5 CEU’s)

Geoffrey Kempter, Technical Services Manager, Asplundh Tree Experts and Randall Miller, Director of Research and Development, CNUC

This workshop provides an overview of Utility Arboriculture, The Utility Specialist Certification Study Guide (written by Kempter and Miller). Questions and discussion will be encouraged.

Topics include:

• Safety
• Program Management
• Pruning,
• Integrated Vegetation Management
• Electrical Knowledge
• Storm Preparation and Response
• Communications.

Additional requirements apply for certification.  More information available at https://www.isa-arbor.com/Credentials/Types-of-Credentials/ISA-Certified-Arborist-Utility-Specialist

(The Tree Academy requires a separate registration from the Conference and includes lunch)

The link for online registration for all events is at the bottom of the page

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Texas Tree Schools
Friday, September 27, 2019
(this is a separate event from the Tree Conference)
Waco Convention Center
9:30 am - 3:30 pm

Track 1 - An Introduction to Arboriculture  - 5.0 CEUs

This course is intended for field workers and their supervisors, and will teach how to perform top quality tree care in an efficient yet safe manner.

Classroom topics include:

• Job site safety
• Tree industry fatality causes and statistics
• Tree hazard assessment
• Decay fungi ID
• Tee biology and its relevance to pruning and CODIT
• Proper pruning techniques

Field demonstrations will include:

• Numerous moving rope system (MRS) and stationary rope system (SRS) climbing techniques

Lead instructor is Certified Arborist Guy LeBlanc of Arbor Vitae Tree Care of Austin, assisted by Mike Sills, Texas A&M Forest Service.

Pista 2 - Jornadas para Trabajadores de Arboles - 5.0 CEUs

A Spanish language workshop covering topics including:

• Safety & security during tree work – 30 years of lessons & experiences
• Oak Wilt identification, management practices for control & communication with customers
• Practical applications in the care and maintenance of trees
• Basic tree biology and CODIT
• Pruning practices
• Tree myths

Un taller presentado en español sobre la seguridad durante el trabajo en árboles, 30 años de lecciones y experiencias. Identificación de Oak Wilt, prácticas de manejo para el control y la comunicación con los propietarios. Aplicaciones prácticas en el cuidado y mantenimiento de árboles, la biología básica de árboles, CODIT, prácticas de poda y mitos de árboles.

 

(The Tree School requires a separate registration from the Conference - includes lunch)

The link for online registration for all events is below

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Register Now!