Community Trees Update Education Program on Woodland Management
Featured Training Course – Stream Restoration – 6 part Course
The United States has more than 3.5 million miles of rivers and streams that, along with closely associated floodplain and upland areas, comprise corridors of great economic, social, cultural, and environmental value. These corridors are complex ecosystems that include the land, plants, animals, and network of streams within them. They perform a number of ecological functions such as modulating streamflow, storing water, removing harmful materials from water, and providing habitat for aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals. Stream corridors also have vegetation and soil characteristics distinctly different from surrounding uplands and support higher levels of species diversity, species densities, and rates of biological productivity than most other landscape elements.
Many miles of rivers and streams have been seriously impacted by human activity. Restoring these steams to a more natural condition is a rapidly expanding field involving a multi-disciplinary approach. This 2-hour online course is the first in a series of courses that defines the issues and provides technical guidance in a wide variety of principles involved in steam restoration. This course covers an introduction to stream restoration and an overview of stream corridors, including physical structure and time at multiple scales, a lateral view across the stream corridor and a longitudinal view across the stream corridor. It is not necessary to complete all of these courses or complete them in order, but the order of the courses provides a logical progression through the subject matter.
- Webinar: More Than Good Looks: How trees influence urban stormwater management in green infrastructure practices
USDA Forest Service Urban Forest Connections Webinar Series
Wednesday, May 8, 2019, 1 PM – 2:15 PM (Eastern Time)
While green stormwater infrastructure increases in popularity, we are still learning about the role of trees in these innovative practices. In this webinar, Andrew Tirpak will discuss recent research results from studies designed to characterize the health of trees in bioretention practices and the benefits they provide to urban stormwater management. Lyn Rutherford will share observations from managing bioretention and detention ponds, noting how design, installation, and maintenance practices affect tree health and water quality function. This information can help stormwater engineers, urban foresters, and landscape professionals be successful in integrating trees into stormwater management efforts.
Presented by:
Andrew Tirpak, University of Tennessee
Lyn Rutherford, City of Chattanooga, TN
Cost: Free
CEUs: 1.0 CEU with the International Society of Arboriculture
Where: Go to https://www.fs.fed.us/research/urban-webinars/connect.php
For more information: http://www.fs.fed.us/research/urban-webinars or contact the Urban Forest Technology & Science Delivery Team at urban@fs.fed.us with questions, feedback, requests for special accommodations, speaker suggestions, or to be added to the mailing list.
[amazon_link asins=’0807155675,1604694866′ template=’ProductCarousel’ store=’webdespro-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’7971d144-15e3-423e-bbf0-b5f29e462e96′]
- Tree Tenders Training
Join thousands of other concerned citizens like yourself. Become a Tree Tender and help increase tree canopy cover in your community. Tree Tenders® is a training program that empowers concerned residents to make dramatic strides towards restoring and caring for the tree canopy in their communities. The course is designed for lay people and experts alike. Become one of the Tree Tenders restoring and tending your part of the forest. Instruction is provided by DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry, in partnership with Penn State Extension, PHS, and other local urban forestry experts.
Tree Tenders training includes:
-Tree Biology
-Urban Stresses on Trees
-Tree Identification
-Tree Pruning and Root Care
-Tree Planting Techniques
-Community Organizing
Warwick Township, PA
May 16, 23, and 30, 2019
Offered by Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
6:00 PM – 9:15 PM
Register online at https://phsonline.org/programs/tree-tenders
For more information, call 215-988-1698
Pittsburgh, PA
May 29, June 5, and 12, 2019
Offered by Tree Pittsburgh
5:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Register online at https://www.treepittsburgh.org/ways-to-give/volunteer/
For more information, contact Joe@treepittsburgh.org or call 412-781-8733.
- Spotted Lanternfly Public Meetings
Offered by Penn State Extension
Spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect that has spread throughout southeastern Pennsylvania and surrounding states. SLF presents a significant threat to Pennsylvania agriculture, including the grape, tree-fruit, hardwood and nursery industries, which collectively are worth nearly $18 billion to the state’s economy. The public can do a great deal to stop the spread of this invasive insect. Learn more at a public meeting near you.
Cost: Free
Register online: https://extension.psu.edu/spotted-lanternfly-public-meetings
Upcoming meetings:
Uniontown, PA – May 17, 2019
Danville, PA – June 8, 2019
Exton, PA – June 13, 2019
Berwick, PA – July 16, 2019
Bloomsburg, PA – August 15, 2019
- Webinar: Thinking Beyond the Backyard: Diversity in Urban Tree Plantings across the Northeastern USA
Penn State Extension Community Forestry Management Monthly Webinar Series
Tuesday, May 21, 2019, 12 PM – 1 PM (Eastern Time)
Tree planting efforts have increased in cities across the United States in recent years. However, information on these plantings remains siloed by cities making it challenging to identify national trends or make city-by-city comparisons.
Danica Doroski, Doctoral Candidate with Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies presents this study that consolidates and synthesizes data from municipalities and non-profit organizations across the Northeastern United States. Ms. Doroski’s work illuminates patterns in species composition that can inform future plantings and improve tree-planting programs on the local level.
Registration and connection details: Register at
https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_nyDMKDAQQdSkj4LZZw-fhg
Use the link above to register for the webinar early, or at the time of the webinar. If you register prior to the webinar, you will receive an email with a link to access the webinar. If you register at the time of the webinar, you will be connected directly to the webinar following registration. We recommend registering and accessing the webinar room 15 minutes prior to the webinar start time to ensure you are able to connect.
Cost: Free
Continuing Education Credits: One Continuing Education Credit for Landscape Architects; SAF Certified Foresters (CFEs); and PLNA Certified Horticulturalist (PCH) will be offered to attendees. One CEU for ISA Certified Arborists will be awarded with 80% or higher score on webinar quiz. Certificates of attendance will be provided after the program.
For more information contact Scott Sjolander at 814-350-7749 or sas305@psu.edu
- Tree Climbing School
Offered by Penn State Extension
The Penn State Extension Tree Climbing School is an intensive 3-day class designed to teach the fundamentals of safe tree climbing and maintenance. Major emphasis will be placed on learning the skills required to climb and prune trees. The school will include classroom and fieldwork covering safety/safe climbing practices, equipment/use of hand tools, tree terminology, tree disease and insect diagnosis, culture and pruning, tree removal, and climbing knots. Check out this video to learn more and see the tree climbing school in action.
Students completing this school will not be accomplished climbers; however, students will have a satisfactory basic understanding, knowledge, and the skills required in the field of tree maintenance and tree climbing. A great deal of time will be spent in trees climbing. To achieve success in this climbing course, all participants should be in good health and have a desire to work in arboriculture.
Allison Park , PA
May 22-24, 2019
7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Cost: $350
Register online at: https://extension.psu.edu/tree-climbing-school
Registration deadline: May 17, 2019
For more information, contact Brian Wolyniak at bjw229@psu.edu or 412-482-3455.
Elizabethtown, PA
May 28-30, 2019
7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Cost: $350
Register online at https://extension.psu.edu/tree-climbing-school
Registration deadline: May 24, 2019
For more information, contact Tim Abbey at tma13@psu.edu or 717-840-7408.
East Norriton, PA
June 3-5, 2019
7:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Cost: $350
Register online at https://extension.psu.edu/tree-climbing-school
Registration deadline: May 27, 2019
For more information, contact Julianne Schieffer at jxs51@psu.edu or 610-489-4315.
- Webinar: Cultivating Innovation – Documenting 15 years of TREE Fund Research Impact
TREE Fund Webinar Series, in partnership with Alabama Cooperative Extension
May 29, 2019, 1 PM – 2 PM Eastern Time
TREE Fund contracted Drs. Andrew Koeser and Richard Hauer to conduct a comprehensive, 15-year assessment of the discoveries, impacts, and returns on investment associated with its past research grant awards. Drs. Koeser and Hauer share some of the highlights of this work – from facts and figures to personal accounts by industry leaders on how TREE Fund has impacted their professional lives in their May webinar. You may be surprised at what commonly accepted practices trace their origins to TREE Fund research projects!
Presented by:
Dr. Andrew Koeser, University of Florida
Dr. Richard Hauer, University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point
Registration and connection details: Register at https://auburn.zoom.us/webinar/register/f688bc627a39ed2c4ac87b605f06faf5
Cost: Free
Continuing Education Credits: One Continuing Education Credit for SAF Certified Foresters (CFEs), ISA Certified Arborists, and NALP.
- Woody Plant Conference
Friday, July 19, 2019, 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Swarthmore College, Swarthmore, PA
Mark your calendars for the 22st annual Woody Plant Conference at Swarthmore College. This popular day-long conference focuses on great woody plants for the Mid-Atlantic states and how to use them in the landscape. The conference is geared to landscape professionals and avid amateur gardeners.
Featured speakers include:
David Rubin, Principal, DAVID RUBIN Land Collective, will discuss collaborative, human-centered landscapes that create positive change. He will focus on landscape architecture and urban design that emphasize socially-purposeful design strategies.
Nina Bassuk, from Cornell University’s Urban Horticulture Institute will highlight superior hybrid oak selections for introduction into the nursery trade. These oaks can improve biodiversity and resiliency in the urban forest.
Ed Bowen, from Issima Nursery in Little Compton, Rhode Island will speak on latest developments in hydrangea breeding. The beautiful flowers of hydrangeas and their long bloom time, from early spring into fall, make them so popular. Ed focuses on hardiness in his hydrangea breeding.
Bernd Blossey, Associate Professor at Cornell University will discuss his research on invasive plants and how they threaten native species and the integrity of ecosystems.
Continuing education units (CEUs) for landscape architects and International Society of Arboriculture
certified arborists will be available.
Register online: http://www.woodyplantconference.org/
The conference is co-sponsored by Chanticleer, Longwood Gardens, Morris Arboretum, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College, and Tyler Arboretum.
- Managing Invasive Plants
Offered by Penn State Extension
July 24, 2019, 8:30 AM – 3:00 PM
Allentown, PA
Managing Invasive Plants will provide participants with the knowledge and skills to properly identify invasive plants and develop strategies for treatment and control.
Invasive weeds and pests are a major threat to our natural and cultivated landscapes, spreading quickly and displacing or killing native plants. Invasive species (plants, insects, and animals) are costing the United States more than $138 billion each year, due to their economic impact on agriculture, forestry, fisheries, waterways, wildlife, and ornamental landscapes. Ecologists now rank invasion by exotic plants, animals and pathogens second only to habitat loss as a major threat to local biodiversity.
A portion of the day will be spent in the field looking at invasive plants, the results of management, and a calibration demonstration.
Register online at: https://extension.psu.edu/managing-invasive-plants
Cost: $75
Registration deadline: July 17, 2019
For more information, contact Julianne Schieffer at jxs51@psu.edu or 610-489-4315.
Training
Sustainable Design
Forestry Training and Tree Planting Grants in Pennsylvania PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
TreeVitalize state-wide 2017 grant applications available
The Pennsylvania Urban & Community Forestry Council has secured funding for tree planting grants and innovative projects grants throughout the state through our partnership with the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
Tree planting grants will be available to Pennsylvania municipalities and non-profit agencies throughout the state for projects related to tree plantings with a strong volunteer base. Applicants are required to have the assistance of their local service forester and/or Penn State extension forester in developing a planting plan. Interested applicants should begin by contacting their local DCNR service forester or Penn State Extension Forester and include them in any conversations concerning proposed tree plantings. Those foresters can provide necessary guidance pertaining to grant opportunities as well as native species and sustainable projects. Applications are due September 30, 2016. Notifications will be posted by November 1st with grant terms to include January 1, 2017 – December 31, 2017.
For more information, or for a copy of the grant application, please contact Jessica Cavey, Development and Grants Coordinator, at (717) 599-8650 or c-jcavey@pa.gov.
Tree Tenders on-site classes
Join thousands of other concerned citizens like yourself. Become a Tree Tender and help increase tree canopy cover in your community. Tree Tenders® is a training program that empowers concerned residents to make dramatic strides towards restoring and caring for the tree canopy in their communities. The course is designed for lay people and experts alike. Become one of the Tree Tenders restoring and tending your part of the forest. Instruction is provided by DCNR’s Bureau of Forestry, in partnership with Penn State Extension, PHS, and other local urban forestry experts.
Tree Tenders training includes: Tree Biology, Urban Stresses on Trees, Tree Identification,Tree Pruning and Root Care, Tree Planting Techniques, Community Organizing
Upcoming classes offered by Pennsylvania Horticultural Society:
September 21, 28, and October 5 – Philadelphia, PA – 5:45 PM to 9 PM
September 22, 29, and October 6 – New Hope, PA – 5:45 PM to 9 PM
September 28 and October 5 and 19 – Haverford, PA – 5:45 PM to 9 PM
Register online at http://phsonline.org/programs/tree-tenders
Stay tuned for next month’s email for dates and locations of other Tree Tenders classes around Pennsylvania this fall.
Managing Invasive Plants
August 19, 2016, 8:30 AM to 3 PM
Williamsport, PA
Invasive weeds and pests are a major threat to our natural and cultivated landscapes, spreading quickly and displacing or killing native plants. The Managing Invasive Plants program will provide participants with the knowledge and skills to properly identify invasive plants and develop strategies for treatment and control. Topics discussed will include invasive species identification, invasive plant control, and herbicide application methods, equipment, and safety. A morning classroom session will be followed by an afternoon field demonstration.
PDA pesticide applicators update credits will be offered: Category 05 (4 credits), Category 06 (4 credits), Category 10 (4 credits), Category 23 (4 credits), Core (4 Credits)
ost: $35
Online registration is available at http://extension.psu.edu/invasive-plants
For more information, contact Vincent Cotrone at (570) 825-1701 or vjc1@psu.edu.
2016 Tree Canopy Conference: Preserving Trees in Our Communities
October 13, 2016, 9 AM to 5 PM
Haverford College, Stokes Hall Auditorium
Why is Tree Canopy So Important? A healthy tree canopy provides important ecosystem services including air pollution removal, storm water runoff reduction, and energy conservation. Tree canopy provides habitat for wildlife, and also has a positive impact on human wellbeing, community cohesion, and economic stimuli. In this conference, we will look at tree canopy preservation and reduction, and consider some of the greatest threats communities are facing as they try to preserve canopy cover.
Featured Speakers:
- Joseph Townsend, University of Delaware – The important benefits of trees in the urban environment
- Jason Henning, USDA Forest Service – Computerized tools, like iTree, to measure canopy cover
- Scott Wade, Longwood Gardens – Pennsylvania Champion Trees
Cost: $125 (includes lunch and break refreshments)
Continuing Education Units: This conference carries CEUs for ISA certified arborists and PA landscape architects.
Register online at https://online.morrisarboretum.org/canopy
For more information or to register by phone, call the Morris Arboretum Education Department at (215) 247-5777.
This conference sponsored by Morris Arboretum School of Arboriculture and Haverford College Arboretum. Co- Sponsored by John E. Ward & Company Tree Experts.
| Brian Wolyniak
Extension Urban Forester Email: bjw229@psu.edu (412) 482-3455 The Penn State Center – Pittsburgh Extension and Outreach 1435 Bedford Avenue, Suite A Pittsburgh, PA 15219 |
Julianne Schieffer
Extension Urban Forester Email: jxs51@psu.edu (610) 489-4315 Penn State Ecosystem Science & Management 1015 Bridge Rd Collegeville PA 19426 |
More Training Courses in Water Resources and Ecology.