MailChimp Archives - Page 7 of 21 - CTPA (Connecticut Tree Protective Association)

The Fall 2021 Arboriculture 101 Class

August 11, 2021 by

Arboriculture 101 is CTPA’s well-regarded class series geared for those individuals who are seeking the CT Arborist License. The class series takes place over 13 weeks, for one night a week, with each class 3 hours in length. Further details regarding the course and what topics are covered are outlined on the Arboriculture 101 page on the CTPA website.

CTPA is announcing that it plans to hold the Fall 2021 session of Arboriculture 101 in-person, at the Jones Auditorium in New Haven. The Jones Auditorium is a part of the New Haven campus of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and is located at 123 Huntington Street.

This arrangement with CAES provides CTPA with a venue for holding the course that is larger than the classroom at CTPA’s facility in Wallingford. This is important, as it will allow for greater social distancing during the fall class session. CTPA is concerned about the ongoing situation regarding COVID and about the need to be careful when making decisions that might affect the health and safety of those individuals enrolled in Arboriculture 101 or who are the course instructors. CTPA is committed to following all applicable guidelines relating to the virus.

Among those guidelines is the mandate of the City of New Haven, effective as of August 10th, that masks are required in all public indoor facilities. As a result, CTPA will require that all fall Arboriculture 101 students wear masks while attending these classes. In addition to moving to a larger class space, class size will be limited to facilitate social distancing. CTPA will also provide hand sanitizer and otherwise do what it can to make the classroom a COVID safe place.

Because of this change in venue, adjustments may also have to be made to the class schedule. While CTPA aims to hold most classes on Wednesday evenings, it may have to move some classes to a Tuesday or a Thursday. A final class schedule will be made available before the start of class.

All of this planning is based on the current situation regarding COVID. However, the classes will run from September 1 to December 1. This means that the situation may change over the next few months. If the situation worsens, CTPA may have to switch from holding classes in-person to giving classes virtually, via Zoom. Students who sign up for the course should be aware that this is a possibility.

If a change to virtual presentations is required, students should feel assured that the same instructors will presenting the classes. The quality of each of the classes will remain as high as they have always been. While switching to on-line classes is not preferred, CTPA has gained considerable experience with teaching the classes via the internet and will always have as its goal maintaining the high standards now expected from this course.

There are a still few spaces currently available in this fall’s Arboriculture 101 course. To sign up, visit the Arboriculture 101 Registration page. or the view the current class flyer for further details. Please note that this post is intended as an update of the flyer, which was printed and distributed earlier this summer.

To sum up this message:
• Arboriculture 101 will be held this fall, at the CT Agricultural Experiment Station Jones Auditorium in New Haven. Classes will run from September 1 to December 1.
• Because of COVID, masks will be required of all students while in class. Social distancing must also be practiced during class. CTPA and CAES are committed to following the guidelines set by local and state authorities.
• If the situation with COVID worsen, we may be forced to switch from holding classes in-person to holding classes virtually.
• Full details, including as to how to register for the class, are on the CTPA website.

Happenings at the CT Agricultural Experiment Station – Two Upcoming Events

July 30, 2021 by

The CT Agricultural Experiment Station is hosting two events that could be of interest to CTPA members. This coming Wednesday, on August 4^th, the Experiment Station is hosting its 111^th Annual Plant Science Day. This all-day event will be taking place at Lockwood Farm in Hamden, near Sleeping Giant State Park. There is no charge to attend and individuals may receive 3.25 pesticide credits towards any category of their pesticide license.

Full details, including the Plant Science Day Program, are available on the Station web page. Among the several talks to be given are an update on beech leaf disease, a discussion of deer in your garden, a presentation on container and raised beds gardening and a talk on industrial hemp. One of the highlights of Plant Science Day, however, is the opportunity to visit individually with the Station Scientists. Station researchers are on hand to describe directly, often through field demonstrations, what they have been up in their research and to answer questions regarding topics of interest to attendees.

Plant Science Day runs from 10 am to 4 pm. To obtain ceu’s, attendees must arrive and register by 10 am, with credit sheets to handed out at 3:30 pm. Otherwise, there is no need to register in advance – just come on out and plan to spend a few hours while enjoying the day!

The second event, to take place on Thursday, September 2^nd, is the 100^th Anniversary Celebration of the Experiment Station’s Valley Lab in Windsor. During this event, there will talks on boxwood blight and armored scales by Rich Cowles, updates on the biological control of hemlock woolly adelgid by Carole Cheah and on forest management by Jeff Ward, and on beech leaf disease and also a tour of the Valley Lab hopyard, led by Jim Lamondia. The day will include catered food, an overview of the history of the Tobacco Station, as the Valley Lab was originally known as, and the symbolic groundbreaking on the renovation of the Valley Lab’s main building.

This event will occur on the Valley Lab’s property in Windsor. The Valley Lab Centennial Program has been posted. Pesticide credits will also be available. Again, there is no charge. Further details will be announced as they become available.

Here is the link for further information on the Valley Lab.

Beech Leaf Disease – 2021 Update

June 16, 2021 by

Please Note – this article updates an earlier post on Beech Leaf Disease, from June 22, 2020.

In a recent press release, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) reported that beech leaf disease has become much more widespread in the state, with an increasing number of findings coming in from a wider area. CAES is reporting that the range of symptoms associated with the disease are also increasing, perhaps due to the association with the dry weather from 2020.

Because of the current extent of beech leaf disease, CAES is not longer encouraging arborists or others to report citing of the disease to the Station.

For people who seek further information on beech leaf disease, CAES is referring people to the US Forest Service Pest Alert on Beech Leaf Disease. People might also review an article entitled An Overview of Beech Leaf Disease, written by Dr. Bob Marra and published in the October 2020 edition of the New England SAF newsletter.

The full CAES press release on Beech Leaf Disease, with pictures, may be downloaded. The text of the CAES press release is as follows:

Beech Leaf Disease Now Widespread in Connecticut

New Haven, CT – Scientists from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) have confirmed that Beech Leaf Disease (BLD), first detected in lower Fairfield County in 2019, is now widespread and prevalent on American beech (Fagus grandifolia) throughout Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London Counties. It also appears to be spreading into Litchfield, Tolland, and Windham Counties, albeit less severely; to date there are no confirmed observations of BLD in Hartford County. This disease, which can kill trees within several years of detection, was first discovered in 2012 in Ohio, followed in subsequent years by detections in Pennsylvania, New York, and Ontario, Canada.

The symptoms on beech foliage, best observed from below looking up into the canopy, are characterized by dark striping between leaf veins, as pictured below (left). However, this year the symptoms are severe, and can include: aborted leaf enlargement; cupping, browning, and yellowing of foliage; branch and tip dieback; and in some cases, premature leaf drop. CAES and DEEP Forestry believe that 2020’s hot and dry summer, exacerbated by this year’s dry spring, are playing a role in the observed symptoms.

Beech leaf disease is caused by the foliar nematode, Litylenchus crenatae subsp. mccannii. The nematode appears to cause disease on only American, European, and Oriental beech (F. grandifolia, F. sylvatica, and F. orientalis). Scientists at CAES have joined forces with researchers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Ontario (Canada), and at USDA-ARS to study disease development, transmission, and control.

Research on control options, conducted in Ohio, have not been promising. However, treatments are being promoted by several tree-care companies, for which they claim some success. Property owners may wish to contact their arborist or tree warden about these options.

Given the already well-documented widespread occurrence of BLD in 2021, reports of BLD in Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, and New London Counties to CAES and DEEP are no longer requested.
###
Media Contact:

Dr. Robert E. Marra
Associate Scientist / Forest Pathologist
Department of Plant Pathology & Ecology
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
123 Huntington Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Phone: 203-974-8508
E-mail: Robert.Marra@ct.gov

2021 Summer Meeting

May 28, 2021 by

The CTPA is excited to announce that the summer meeting will be held July 15, 2021 at the Farmington Club in Farmington, CT. Things are getting back to normal; although we are not completely there yet. For starters, all attendees will be asked to respect the COVID-19 guidelines set forth by the State of Connecticut and in place at the time of the summer meeting.

The board is working toward getting speakers and activities lined up and CEU’s in place. We ask for your continued patience in getting this information to you once it has been finalized.

The registration fee for this year’s meeting will be:

Members: $90.00 in advance and $115.00 walk-in registration.

Non-members: $100.00 in advance and $125.00 walk-in registration.

Those interested in a booth at the trade show should contact the CTPA office directly after June 7th by emailing cathy@cpta.org or calling (203)484-2512.

The board is conscientious of money and realizes that for some people the past couple of years have been difficult financially. While there has been no increase in membership dues for years, as a board we do need to make these increases in registration to help cover the costs of both the event and those of the association overall.

We look forward to rolling out the speaker and CEU information in the coming weeks and opening up registration very soon.

Wishing you a safe Memorial Day on Monday!

DEEP Licensing Exams and Business Registration Now on State E-Licensing System

May 25, 2021 by

During CTPA’s virtual Annual Meeting, Diane Jorsey, DEEP’s Program Lead for the Pesticide Management Program, indicated that DEEP was in the process converting their certification and business registration programs to the statewide government e-licensing program. That conversion is now well underway, with the examination processes for the Arborist Licensing exam, other Pesticide Supervisory certifications and the Operator’s certification all now on-line. This is along with the Pesticide and Arborist Business Registrations, both new registrations and renewals.

To get to the e-licensing system, go to the e-licensing web site. Before you do, however, you might want to look through this post to get a few pointers. To help you with your specific questions, this page is broken up into several sections, as follows:

For Those Who Already Hold a Certification or License in the State and Want to Log on For the First Time
For Those of You Who Wish to Renew or Create A Pesticide or Arborist Business Registration
For Individuals with an Existing Commercial Pesticide Supervisory License Who Want to Add an Additional Pesticide License Category
For Those Taking the Arborist Licensing Exam, any other Pesticide Supervisory Exam or Operators Certification, for the First Time
The Testing Process
Final Note

For Those Who Already Hold a Certification or License in the State and Want to Log on For the First Time

If you already have a pesticide supervisory certification, operator certification or arborist license, or if you have another state credential included in the e-licensing system, you should already be registered in the system. If so, even if you have not logged onto the system from the e-licensing page previously, do not set up a new account. Do not hit the “Register” button.

Instead, on the left-hand side of the page, where it gives you the opportunity to enter your User ID and Password – hit “Forgot User ID”. This will lead to a prompt for you to enter your email address. Once you do that , further information about how to log in will to be sent to that address.

If the email address associated with your DEEP records is one that you have stopped using, you will need to contact DEEP directly to get them to send you a temporary User ID and Password. Once you have logged in, you can make all of the necessary changes to your account, including updating your email account information.

This is all covered in this overview put together by the State.

For Those of You Who Wish to Renew or Create A Pesticide or Arborist Business Registration

The business registration account is separate from your personal account. You cannot use the same User ID or email address for both accounts.

For those people who have existing Arborist or Pesticide Business Registration accounts, your User ID and passwords will be sent out by DEEP within a couple of weeks (by mid-June).

If you have not previously registered your arborist or pesticide business with DEEP, go to the e-licensing page and click on the “Register” link. The first option after that is to choose whether you are registering as an individual or as a business. Click on “business” and proceed from there.

For Individuals with an Existing Commercial Pesticide Supervisory License Who Want to Add an Additional Pesticide License Category

The way things are set up in the system, adding a category to an existing Commercial Pesticide Certificate is very different from adding a new license, such as a Home Improvement License or a Pesticide Operator’s Certificate. We’ll take them one at a time.

If you have, say, an Arborist License and wish to add an additional category, say an Ornamental and Turf or a Right-of-Way Certification, according to the system, you are adding a new category to an existing Commercial Pesticide Supervisory License. The place where you need to go on-line to start the process is not all that obvious.

To start the process, first, be sure you are logged onto your account. Then, either at the bottom of the page, under “More Online Services” or at the top right hand corner of the page, under “Online Services”, find the link for “License Maintenance” – it is under “Activities”. Click on that link. It will bring you to a page that will ask you to select which credential you wish to work on. One choice (depending upon how many state licenses you hold) will be referenced under “Board” as “Pesticide Management Program”. To the left of that it will say “Start”. Click on “Start”. At this point, you then be given two choices – “Add an Additional Pesticide Category” or “Upload your Annual Pesticide Use Summary”. Make your choice and hit “Next” at the bottom of the page.

On the next screen, you will be asked to “Select and add the Pesticide Certification Category(s) being requested as part of this application”. Below that, you will see an “Add” button. After you hit that button you will be given a drop-down list of pesticide categories to choose from. Choose the one you want and then follow the subsequent instructions to register with DEEP for the exam in this category.

At the end of this process, you will be asked to pay a fee of $200 to DEEP. This fee must be paid electronically. Once that fee is paid, DEEP will begin the approval of your application. This may take a day or two. Once that has occurred, DEEP will send your name and email address to the company that does the actual testing. You will be getting an email from that company. Please see The Testing Process, below.

If you wish to take an exam that is not within the Commercial Pesticide Supervisory License, you must start the process in a completely different place. For instance, if you want to add a Home Improvement Contractor’s License or a Junior Pesticide Operator’s Certificate to your list of qualifications, on the Welcome Page (the first page you see when you log on) you must go the section on “APPLICATION FOR A NEW LICENSE, PERMIT OR REGISTRATION” and, in that section, click on the link for “Initial Application”. On the next page, you will be given a list of choices, including “Home Contractor” and “Pesticide Management Program (DEEP)”. Click on the area that seems most likely to be associated with the license or permit you are seeking and then pick up the process from there.

For Those Taking the Arborist Licensing Exam, any other Pesticide Supervisory Exam or Operators Certification, for the First Time

If you are not registered within the e-licensing system, then you must begin by creating an account. When you first arrive at the e-licensing web site, you will see a section on the page titled “INITIAL APPLICATION”, with a “Register” link listed under it. Start there.

After you indicate that you are seeking to register as an individual, you will be prompted to answer many questions, including your name, address and contact information, as well as additional personal information to be used as an identifier. You will be asked, at some point, what exam you would like to take. For the Arborist License, keep in mind that, under the Pesticide Management system, the Arborist License is a Commercial Pesticide Supervisory License under the DEEP Pesticide Management Program. You will have to progress through a couple of layers to get to the Arborist License listing.

Also, during the course of establishing your credentials, you will be asked for the name of your employer or of the company for whom you will be working once you have your license. If you are not working in the tree care field presently and/or, once licensed, do not anticipate working for the company with whom you are presently employed, feel free to indicate that you are to be self-employed.

Eventually, you will have given the system all of the required information that is needed. The last step of the exam registration process is approving a payment of $200 to the DEEP. This payment must be in the form of a credit card, debit card or e-check. Once this part of the process is completed, DEEP will take a couple of days to review your information and, once it has been approved, DEEP will send your name and email address to the company that does the actual testing. Please see The Testing Process, next.

The Testing Process

Once DEEP has confirmed your registration, the agency will send your name and email address to Everblue, the company with whom DEEP has contracted. While Everblue gives the exam, DEEP has drawn up the questions – it is their exam. Once Everblue is notified by DEEP, it then sends an email back to you, as the applicant. You then must completely fill out the application that Everblue has sent to you and pay a $21 fee for the online service. Once that is done, Everblue will send you two emails. One will be a receipt for the $21 and the other will provide you with a link to the exam.

Once you receive the link to the exam, they can take the test at any time of your choosing, whether day or night. Please note, however, that you must complete the exam within 60 days. After 60 days your registration with Everblue expires and you will have to re-apply and re-pay the Everblue fees.

When you go online to take the exam, you must be at a computer that has a camera and microphone. Before you will be allowed to proceed with the exam, you will be required to show a photo ID and then rotate your computer or its camera to do a 360 degree scan of the room you are in. It is important that you follow all of the rules and stay on camera the whole time while taking the exam. You will have 3 hours for the arborist’s written exam, with no breaks. Be sure to plan accordingly.

The good news is that, once you complete the test, you will learn how well you did almost immediately. If you do not pass (think positive!), you can re-take the exam after 30 days. One interesting feature of this testing process is that the questions from various previous DEEP exams can be scrambled, from test to test, so that no two exams are now likely to be the same.

If you are signed up to take the Arborist Licensing Exam, passing the written test is just the first part. You will then be invited to take the next available Tree ID and Oral Exam. These are given 4 times a year, in June, September, December and March. You will be notified of the date and location once you pass the written exam. There is no additional charge for this next part of the testing process.

Final Note

This is clearly a lot of information that will not all be of interest to everyone. If you have any questions regarding any of the DEEP licensing exams, feel free to contact the DEEP directly.

And – good luck!

An Update on COVID, the Summer Meeting and Arboriculture 101

May 16, 2021 by

In the wake of the CDC’s Guidance and the Governor’s lifting of COVID restrictions for vaccinated individuals, the CTPA has determined to go ahead with its annual Summer Meeting. This year’s Summer Meeting will be held on July 15th, at the Farmington Club in Farmington. This is our usual date (the 3rd Thursday in July). Details of the program are still being worked out.

The CTPA board is aware that there may be a mix of views surrounding this decision. We decided based primarily on the state regulations along with the input provided by the Farmington Club. As to how to hold the meeting, that discussion is still very active. We will likely try to schedule more outdoor activities to alleviate indoors crowding. We do plan to invite our vendors and have the trade show outdoors, as always. Stay tuned.

This goes somewhat without saying, but during the meeting we will request that people be aware of the current status of the pandemic and be respectful of the concerns of others. CTPA has always been a group of people who have appreciated and looked after one another. The return to the sharing and camaraderie is something that everyone is looking forward to. That opportunity to catch up with old friends and meet up with new ones will certainly be part of the Summer Meeting.

The Fall Session of Arboriculture 101, however, is in a different boat. As much as CTPA would like to hold those classes in person at the CTPA headquarters, the decision process is a bit more complicated. As of now, we are leaning towards holding the classes again via Zoom but are withholding a final decision until the situation with COVID clarifies.

Regardless, registration for the Fall Session is open. Part of the problem with Arboriculture 101 is the popularity of the class. This means that, when held in person with its standard complement of students, we have a classroom full of students, sitting right next to each other for 3 hours and that this goes on for 13 weeks. It just may be too soon for that.

We wish everyone all the best as the situation with the pandemic takes this positive turn. The Board of Directors of the CTPA is proud and pleased to take note of the patience, leadership and determination the membership has shown during this past year. Let’s see it through to the end!

2021 Legislative Update

March 1, 2021 by

Connecticut’s State Legislature is well into the 2021 session. There are a few bills in the current session that are likely of interest to CTPA members. Those relating to trees are listed below. Those relating to pesticides will be covered in a separate post.

In reviewing the list, note that there are a couple with Public Hearings coming up this week (the week of March 1st). Public Hearings are being held virtually. If you are interested in watching or participating, please visit the web page of the respective Legislative Committee for details. If you wish to submit comments, also visit the Committee web page for further information.

The bills can be tracked on their own web pages. The bill numbers are linked for easy access.

Please feel free to share your interests regarding these or any other legislative activities with the CTPA Board. Greg Foran, Kevin Wyatt and Pat Flynn are the best contacts for this on the Board. You should also feel free to contact Cathy Dvorsky at the CTPA office.

List of Tree Related Legislation:

HB 5598: AN ACT CONCERNING A PROPERTY OWNER’S LIABILITY FOR THE EXPENSES OF REMOVING A FALLEN TREE OR LIMB.
This is a new bill. It would define that responsibility of a property owner if his/her tree were to fall on a neighbor’s property. It would give a role in this to arborists.
Public Hearing date: March 3, 2021 – Judiciary Committee
Note – Bills 5059 and 5356 were basically identical bills that are now stalled.

SB 950: AN ACT CONCERNING THE REPLACEMENT OF PUBLIC UTILITY POLES AND REVISING VEGETATION MANAGEMENT IN UTILITY PROTECTION ZONES.
This is a revision of an existing statute. This bill would substantially increase the authority of utilities to do tree pruning and removals within the utility protection zone when there are 3 phase wires within that UPZ. This has direct reference to the authority of the tree wardens in these situations.
Public Hearing date: March 4, 2021 – Joint Committee on Energy and Technology

HB 5936: AN ACT CONCERNING DAMAGES INCURRED BY A PROPERTY OWNER DUE TO FALLING TREES OR TREE LIMBS FROM NEIGHBORING PROPERTY THAT IS OWNED BY THE STATE.
This is a new bill. It would create a statutory assumption of liability by the state in the case of a state-owned tree falling in whole or in part onto private property with such liability being limited to the actual costs of removal by a licensed arborist.
No Public Hearing date set as of yet. Joint Committee on the Judiciary

SB 266: AN ACT CONCERNING NEW HOME CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS AND HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTORS.
This bill is an update of the Home Improvement Contractors Law. It would state that “home improvement” does not include “tree cutting or the grinding of stumps of trees or shrubs”.
Public Hearing held on January 28, 2021. Passed out of the Joint Committee on General Law and is on its way to the Office of Legislative Research and the Office of Fiscal Analysis. (note – edited March 2, 2021)

HB466: AN ACT CONCERNING VEGETATION MANAGEMENT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.
This bill would require the Department of Transportation to manage vegetation along highways and railroad corridors to curtail unnecessary tree pruning and removal and to prohibit the use of clear cutting in lieu of vegetation management and conserve urban and edge forests through adherence to guidelines developed to accomplish such goals.
No Public Hearing date set as of yet. Joint Committee on the Environment

SB398: AN ACT CONCERNING DEAD AND DYING TREES ON MUNICIPAL ROADS AND PUBLIC LANDS.
This bill would establish a five-year 2 municipal grant program to address dying trees along municipal roads 3 and on public lands.
No Public Hearing as of yet. Committee on Appropriations.

HB6441: AN ACT CONCERNING CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION.
This bill would allow each town to create a buyer’s conveyance fee that could be used, among other purposes, for the funding of environmental projects, including, but not limited to, urban forestry and planting of trees.
No Public Hearing date as of yet. Governor’s Bill, Joint Committee on the Environment

HB6164: AN ACT REQUIRING THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY TO ADOPT REGULATIONS FOR NATURAL BARRIER PRESERVATION AND MAINTENANCE
A bill to require utility companies to maintain and preserve natural barriers, including trees or other vegetation, between such company’s facilities and any residential neighbors to such facility.
No Public Hearing as of yet. Joint Committee on Energy and Technology. HB6165 is identical.

CTPA’s Allied Members

February 8, 2021 by

CTPA Allied Member List – February 2021

In this time of COVID, as the pandemic drags on and we all do what we need to in order to keep each other safe, the CT Tree Protective Association encourages its member not to forget the Allied Members of the Association. The Allied Members of CTPA fulfill an important role in the industry. They are those firms and organizations that provide equipment, materials, supplies and services for those in tree care within the state. Their contributions are important to all who are members of CTPA.

In a normal year, we would look forward to catching up the representatives of these Allied Member organizations and businesses at our Annual Meeting. As that was not possible this year, we wanted to sure that we shared an up-to-date list of those members. Please take a look at this list, especially as you consider your needs for equipment and supplies for this upcoming year.

All the best for a successful 2021 season!

CTPA Annual Meeting to Be Presented On-Line on January 21, 2021

January 4, 2021 by

CTPA’s Annual Meeting

When: Thursday, January 21, 2021

Where: Online, via Zoom, from 8:45 am to 1:15 pm

CEUs available: 4.25 for Connecticut Arborists (Category 3D) and for Ornamental and Turf License Holders (Category 3A). CT Forest Practitioners are eligible to receive 1.5 credits, while TWAC members may receive 4.0. ISA Arborist CEUs are pending. The TCIA CTSP program is not offering credits. Details on the process to followed to receive CEUs are listed at the end of this announcement.

How to Register: Online, via the CTPA web site (registration form may not be available until after 1/6/2021)

Registration Fee: $45 members, $60 non-members. Members may register non-members at the member rate.

Recordings: This meeting will be recorded. Only people who have registered may access the recording. People will only need to register once. People who attend the meeting as it occurred may also access the recorded version after the meeting based on their pre-meeting registration. People who did not register before the meeting and did not attend it live may register after the meeting and view the recording. The registration process post-meeting is the same as it is pre-meeting, as are the registration fees.

Meeting Details

8:45 to 9:00 – Annual Business Meeting

During the Business Meeting, Officers and Board Members for 2021 will be elected. The Slate of Candidates has been announced. Also during the Business Meeting, the 2020 finances will be reviewed.

9:00 to 9:20 – Update from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station

Dr. Jason White, Director of the CT Agricultural Experiment Station, will present highlights from the Station’s activities during 2020. This is also CTPA’s opportunity to welcome Dr. White as Station Director. He succeeded Dr. Ted Andreadis in this role, after Dr. Andreadis stepped down earlier this past year.

9:20 to 10:20 – Drought and Urban Trees

This meeting is also our opportunity to welcome Dr. Susanna Kerio, who joined the Experiment Station staff during this past calendar year. Appointed as a researcher within the Department of Forestry and Horticulture, Dr. Kerio brings a background in forest pathology and tree physiology, with a specialty on urban trees.

Susanna’s describes her talk:

Connecticut has suffered from record droughts within the last decade, which has caused crop losses, tree deaths, and had negative effects on public health. Urban trees have critical importance for public health and habitability of urban areas. However, the water stress associated with the recent drought events has reduced urban tree growth and their capacity to provide shading, cooling, and other benefits. This talk will provide an outline of drought trends in Connecticut and how drought affects urban tree health. The talk presents the most recent knowledge on the factors that affect water availability in urban trees, how these effects can be quantified, and discusses how this knowledge can be used in tree health management.

10:20 to 10:30 – Break

10:30 to 11:45 – Here Comes Trouble: invasive insects, diseases, hurricanes and climate change have brought a new batch of pests to the area

Don Gabel, New York Botanical Garden’s Director of Plant Health, will provide an overview of the changes coming to our region in the face of weather events and environmental change. At NYBG, he monitors, diagnoses, and prescribes treatments for all the plants growing on the grounds, including in the gardens and glass houses. He also helps in educating and advising the staff and in teaching the public about the many aspects of horticulture.

In his talk, Dan will take a closer look at how environmental influences have impacted today’s landscape management. These include the invasive insects and pathogens associated with the beech bark disease complex, beech leaf disease and the spotted lanternfly. He will also discuss oak wilt and its connection with Tropical Storm Isaias, and climate change, with a closer look at the symptoms, biology, local occurrences and controls associated with the southern pine beetle.

11:45 to 11:55 – Break and Announcement of the 2021 CTPA Arborist Scholarship

During the break, this year’s recipient of the CTPA Arborist Scholarship will be announced.

11:55 to 12:15 – Update from the DEEP Pesticide Program

Diane Jorsey, Program Lead for the DEEP Pesticide Management Program, will update attendees as to the status of the Arborist Licensing and other Pesticide Supervisory Programs within DEEP. Among the topics to be discussed will be the elicensing program now being implemented within DEEP.

12:15 to 1:15 – Restoration Pruning: After the Storm, Head for Better Form

Guy Meilleur is well-known in arboricultural circles as a highly accomplished and innovative arborist, tree expert, consultant and author. He is the principal arborist with Historic Tree Care in the Durham, NC area. Guy has previously spoken at a CTPA Annual Meeting.

One of Guy’s areas of expertise is working with trees following storm damage, with a particular focus on the techniques to used and the steps to be taken in order to help the tree restore itself, as to form and health. During this talk, he will outline the approach that he recommends and the timing involved in restorative pruning. Guy’s experience with storm damage and restorative pruning is extensive.

A Note on CEUs

DEEP Supervisory Licenses (3A and 3D)

Only individuals who have registered either for the meeting or to view its recordings may receive CEUs. Registration may be before the meeting or, for those who just want to view the recordings, after the meeting. Those who register to attend the meeting will not need to re-register. The registration fee will be the same, whether registration occurs before or after the meeting. If you wish to receive CEUs, be sure to register under your own name and have provided your DEEP license number.

In order to receive CEUs, attendees and recording viewers must pass a quiz for each section of the meeting. There will be 3 quizzes total. Quizzes will be made available through a link that will provided on the last slide of each of the three educational sessions. The quiz link provided after Dr. Kerio’s session will cover her talk and Dr. White’s update. The quiz link provided after Don Gable’s session will cover his talk. The quiz link provided after Guy Meilleur’s talk will cover his session as well as Diane Jorsey’s update. Each quiz will consist of 10 questions. The passing score for each quiz is 80%. Individual may re-take quizzes that they did not pass. Quizzes may be taken at any time and must be submitted to CTPA for scoring. Attendees will only receive CEUs for the quizzes they take and pass. Attendees do not need to take all 3 quizzes.

The CEUs available from each of the three quizzes are:

Quiz 1, covering Dr. Kerio’s and Dr. White’s talks – 1.25 DEEP credits (3A or 3D)

Quiz 2, covering Don Gabel’s talk – 1.75 DEEP credits (3A or 3D)

Quiz 3, covering Guy Meilleur’s and Diane Jorsey’s talks – 1.25 DEEP credits (3A or 3D)

ISA CEUs, DEEP Forest Practitioner CEUs and TCIA CTSP CEUs are pending at this time.

Non-Pesticide Certifications

For CT Forest Practitioner and ISA Arborist, be sure to include your certification in the form when you register. The registration list will be sent to the appropriate organization. Proof of attendance slips for CT Forest Practitioner will be sent out following the meeting.

If there are any questions, please contact the CTPA office.

Looking for Nominations for the 2021 Annual Meeting Awards

October 1, 2020 by

The family, friends and co-workers, of Fred Grimshaw gather as the Award of Merit Plaque for 2020 is presented in his honor.

The Connecticut Tree Protective Association regularly honors individuals who have made significant contributions to arboriculture and to the care and protection of Connecticut’s trees. These awards are given annually and presented at the Annual Meeting. The CTPA Board of Directors is requesting nominees for awards for the upcoming Annual Meeting oin January 2021 and encourages you to nominate someone whom you feel deserves special recognition.

Award Categories:

Award of Merit– This award is presented to a CTPA member who has shown exemplary professionalism and dedication and made outstanding contributions to the care and protection of Connecticut’s trees.
Arborist Citation– This award is presented to a non-member who has shown exemplary dedication to the care and protection of Connecticut’s trees.

If you know of someone that is deserving of either of these awards, please print out the nomination form and email (info@ctpa.org) or fax (203)793-7924 to the CTPA office.

The deadline for nominations is Monday, December 7, 2020.

« Previous Page
1
…
5
6
7
8
9
…
22
Next Page »