Join us for this virtual conference with a full day of topics designed for tree care professionals, volunteers, and enthusiasts including arborists, tree wardens, urban foresters, foresters, landscape architects, landscape contractors, and shade tree committee members.
See the full agenda below.
Pesticide & Professional Credits
Pesticide credits: 2 pesticide contact hours are available for categories 29, 35, 36, 48 and Applicators License (MUST be present for both the Insect Pests of Trees & Shrubs talk from 9:00-10:00 am and the Diseases of Trees & Shrubs talk from 10:00-11:00 am and answer all poll questions presented during those talks).
Association credits: 5.25 ISA, 5.5 SAF (cat 1), 4 (cat 1) CFE & 1.5 (cat 2) CFE, 1 MCH, 1 MCA (safety), 2 MCA (education), and 2 MCLP (education) available. CTSP credits requested.
Agenda
8:45 Welcoming Remarks
Brian Kane, Ph.D. Mass. Arborists Association Professor, UMass Dept. of Environmental Conservation
9:00 Insect Pests of Trees and Shrubs – Updates
Tawny Simisky, UMass Extension Entomologist
Invasive insect updates, identification, biology, and management options. Spotted lanternfly has arrived in Massachusetts, and browntail moth activity to the north should be watched. Learn about another potential newcomer, box tree moth, so you can report it if seen. Insect relatives such as jumping worms, which have received a lot of attention from the public in recent years, will also be mentioned time permitting.
10:00 Diseases of Trees and Shrubs – Updates
Nicole Keleher, Forest Health Program Director, Mass. DCR
Current diseases threatening ornamental trees and shrubs, including their identification, biology, and management options.
10:55 Break
11:10 Working Natural Disasters Safely and ANSI Z133 Update
Dennis Ryan, Emeritus Professor of Arboriculture & Community Forestry, UMass Amherst
This presentation begins with a brief overview of the Z133 and its current state of revision. Following that, we will cover various aspects of safe work practices that are particularly relevant to working safely during and after storms, which are occurring more frequently and with greater intensity.
12:00 Lunch
12:45 Presentation of Scholarships
Art Goodhind, Mass. Tree Wardens & Foresters Association; Neal Reilly, Mass. Arborists Association; Paul Fletcher; Gary Nedorostek; and Rich Herfurth, Bartlett Tree Experts
1:00 Managing Trees During Construction
James Clark, Managing Consulting Arborist, HortScience, Bartlett Consulting
Trees and built infrastructure are often in conflict, but there are ways to minimize the extent of tree damage that occurs when construction projects take place. One of the world’s leading authorities on the topic will give an overview of what you can do to help preserve trees during construction.
2:00 Tree Risk Assessment – Accurately Assessing Likelihood of Failure
Ari Okun, UMass Amherst Graduate Student, and Ryan Suttle, Consulting Utility Arborist, HortScience, Bartlett Consulting
How many risk trees are in your yard? Your community? Your distribution or transmission system? How do you know whether your assessments of likelihood of failure are accurate? Can advanced tools like tomography improve your assessments?
3:00 Media Matters
Kaitlyn Woods, Social Media Manager, Eversource Energy
Arborists sometimes find themselves in the midst of a media circus or media frenzy when a tree fails and injures someone or when a storm knocks out power when trees contact power lines. The most effective stewardship is accomplished through collaboration and positive relationships—and the media can be a helpful ally in educating the public and sharing the stories of the trees.
3:45 Wrap-up, Instructions for Pesticide and Association Credits
