ISA Southern Chapter - Fall2021 issue

FA L L 2 0 2 1 I S S U E

S O U T H E R N C H A P T E R O F T H E I N T E R N AT I O N A L S O C I E T Y O F A R B O R I C U LT U R E

ISA

S UTHERN

All eyes are on ISA Southern Chapter 2021 TCC SEE SEE PAGE PAGE 15 15

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GROWTH

ARBORMETRICS — 15 years of dedication to vegetation management programs

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SOUTHERN CHAPTER ISA • FALL 2021

Message from the President

by Kasey Krouse

The hot days of summer are starting to pass by and in comes my favorite time of the year. As a native Hoosier (I prefer the term Boilermaker), fall has always left me with a great appreciation for the work I get to do everyday. I couldn’t imagine living in Tennessee if there was no October.

However, for much of us living in the southeastern U.S., fall is also the closing days of Hurricane Season. As yet another year of catastrophic storms has hit and devastated our region of the country, many of our members played a critical role in the recovery efforts of Claudette, Elsa, and Ida. Our industry will continue to play an instrumental front-line role in the ever-changing climate in our part of the country.

2021 has been the year of the ISA TRAQ course. Our members have spoken and the Southern Chapter has made a tremendous effort to offer TRAQ courses across our entire chapter including our first TRAQ course in Puerto Rico.

Classes have filled up quickly as folks continue to see the demand for Tree Risk Assessment Qualifications. I know that in my area of practice, it is becoming ever more difficult to become a municipal arborist or forester without the TRAQ qualification.

When I took over as the Chapter President (officially in July), I told members who attended the annual meeting that I wanted to focus my short tenure of president on three areas: strengthening our Membership and Education committees to increase the value of what is means to be an ISA Southern member; expand collaboration with partner organizations to open up more opportunities for our members; and, finally, provide an opportunity for our members to get back in touch with each other continued on page 14

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Southern Chapter Report Can you feel the cooler days yet? My opinion is that they can’t come soon enough! Firewood that I cut and split last year is now neatly stacked and waiting for that first frost. The cooler weather will mean a lot to our profession. Our work outdoors will become more comfortable, and the changing colors adds a spark to what we do. Enjoy these days of change. But as human nature drives our thoughts, we will soon be anxious for the burst of foliage in the spring. We can be a demanding bunch, can’t we?

Speaking of changing colors, I thoroughly enjoyed my days in North Carolina recently as I attended a recent meeting of our Southern Chapter Board of Directors. The drive through Appalachia and the Smokies was fantastic! It was great to get the board together for our first face-to-face meeting in quite some time. New board members were a welcome sight and reflects the change we see within our organization. New people, new ideas, and renewed energy were a hallmark of the meeting.

This board meeting gave us the chance to tour the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, NC, that will be the site of our next annual conference planned for March 27-29, 2022.

Mark your calendars now for this event and let’s plan on getting the band back together! Details will be announced as they come together and can always be found on our website.

Our 2021 Tree Climbing Championship (TCC) was recently held in Knoxville. Congratulations to men’s champion, Cormac Nagan, and women’s champion, Avalon Collier. The 2022 Southern Chapter TCC will be held just prior to the conference in WinstonSalem, and will crown winners who will earn the right to attend the International Tree Climbing Championships in Denmark in 2022.

The ISA Tree Risk Assessment Qualification (TRAQ) continues to be in demand. We recently held courses in Puerto Rico; Charlotte, NC; and Baton Rouge, LA. And we have another one planned for Brevard, NC, this fall. It’s already sold out, but stay tuned for announcements of new dates coming up.

The Chapter website has current information about the TRAQ credential and includes pre-requisites to attend a course. If you need to renew your TRAQ qualification, the Chapter will be offering the virtual renewal classes early next year which will greatly reduce your need to travel. Stay tuned for more details.

I want to remind everyone about the upcoming change in Chapter boundaries that will take place on January 1, 2022. The change will affect our current members who live in Georgia as that state begins to be represented by a different organization.

Members who reside in Georgia will have the option of joining the new Chapter, can remain Southern Chapter members, or

Join the Online Conversation Facebook Instagram LinkedIn PAGE 4

SOUTHERN CHAPTER ISA • FALL 2021

by Skip Kincaid, Southern Chapter Executive Director

can maintain membership in both. You’ll find that including the Southern Chapter in your membership to be very reasonable.

As in the past, you can continue to pay your Chapter dues when you renew your ISA membership. Members can join multiple Chapters to stay on top of news and connections in a wider geographic area. Remember to check your Chapter affiliation when you renew to be sure you are retaining membership or joining the Chapter of your choice. If you have any questions about your membership options, please let me know.

You can also join the Southern Chapter at any time by visiting the Southern Chapter website. Chapter membership will keep you informed of events and news in the southern region and will let you take advantage of reduced registration fees for Chapter events. Those savings alone pay for your membership. You can always have the latest information about current events where you can earn ISA CEUs by checking out the upcoming events section of the Chapter website. Hope to see you all soon!

Do you know someone who stands out in our industry?

Check out the Southern Chapter’s online awards page.

You’ll find an impressive list of honorees, award criteria descriptions, and a link to the nomination form.

Award of Merit Award of Achievement Honorary Life Membership Award for Excellence in Arboriculture Education President’s Award John G. Martin Award Award of Arboricultural Research Award for Excellence in Arboriculture

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Invasive plants and native alternatives submitted by Patti Erwin, Arkansas Director

The Fayetteville City Council adopted ordinance #5820 on November 3, 2015; this ordinance established a list of 18 invasive plants that are restricted from being installed in new developments that require a landscape plan review by the urban forester. The list of invasive plants was determined through an open participation process that involved a team of 13 stakeholders including nursery owners/managers, landscape architects, academic experts, landscape installers, hobby gardeners, botanists, naturalists, conservationists, City Park Managers, and local citizens. The team met to evaluate the economic and environmental harm caused by invasive plants. After recognizing the need for an invasive plant policy, the stakeholder group reviewed other communities’ invasive plant species policies and made recommendations to City staff.

This educational packet identifies each of the 18 invasive plants and recommends appropriate alternative plant species for trees, shrubs, and ground cover. The City of Fayetteville encourages all property owners to identify, remove, and replace invasive plants from the landscapes around their homes and businesses.

Taking the ordinance one step further, the Urban Forestry Department implemented the Invasive Plant Bounty Program that promotes invasive plant replacement. To date, three invasives, Bradford pear, privet, and bush honeysuckle, qualify for replacement

with natives provided by the City. Citizens can email John Scott, city urban forester, with a picture of the plant they want to replace and he will work with them to select a native tree or large shrub for the site. During the first couple of years, there were just under 20 residents each year who participated. This past year, the number grew to 50. If you are interested in implementing a similar program, please contact John at jscott@fayetteville-ar.gov.

2021 Mississippi Saluting Branches Biloxi National Cemetery September 22, 2021

Through united efforts, the treecare and landscape industry can show support for our troops by helping make their final resting places a safe and beautiful environment for all who visit.

Photo by Misty Booth

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SOUTHERN CHAPTER ISA • FALL 2021

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South Carolina Update

by Sara Hollar, South Carolina Director

18 green-industry professionals took part in the Southern Chapter’s Certified Arborist Exam Review in Columbia on October 5-6, 2021. The two-day course summarized all 16 chapters of the Certified Arborist Study Guide.

Past President Jimmy Walters instructed, assisted by Past President Lois Edwards and Dena Whitesides, both Urban Foresters with the SC Forestry Commission.

We had a full class, and followed all COVID precautions.

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SOUTHERN CHAPTER ISA • FALL 2021

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Imagine creating a tiny habitat along America’s roadsides.

Over time, natural habitats will begin to reclaim small victories in urbanized areas.

We hope to slowly regrow the defragmented grasslands of the southeast and boost the local native grasses, wildflowers, and pollinators populations.

Pollinators and d power lines

by

by Emily Emily Yeend Yeend and and Madeline Madeline Miles Miles

Pollinators and power lines are two things that affect our everyday lives, but ones we most take for granted. Thanks to this power duo, we have food on our tables and the means to grill it, zap it, freeze it, or blend it. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 150 food crops depend on pollinators, and each year pollination helps produce more than $10 billion worth of crops.

The bad news is pollinator species have been steadily declining for years. Rapid urbanization of forests and grasslands is a main cause of decreasing pollinator population.

Above: Photo by Madeline Miles. Below: The University of Vermont. (2015). Wild Bee Abundance Across the U.S. [map].

Pollinators in Trouble Grassland loss has become one of the largest conservation issues facing the eastern U.S. today, with an estimated 90% of historical ranges lost since the colonization of North America, as described by the Southeastern Grasslands Initiative. This reducation in habitat has brought many pollinator species to threatened or endangered status, which will not only impact local rare vegetative species but also have a significant impact on the commercial agriculture industry.

This map (right) displays the level of wild bee abundance across the contiguous United States. The yellow regions represent areas with a low bee population mainly due to an unsuitable climate for bees. Notice how the yellow regions also correlate to highly urbanized areas such as the East coast.

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SOUTHERN CHAPTER ISA • FALL 2021

Common Space So, if urbanized areas cannot provide suitable homes for pollinators, then where are they to go? Given that utility companies possess wide swaths of protected land, they have the unique opportunity to become environmental stewards by reclaiming rights-of-way (ROW) for native grasses and pollinators. CN Utility Consulting and North Georgia EMC have combined efforts to establish pollinator habitats within the ROW while simultaneously increasing the safety and reliability of their services.

Right of Way Management Safety and reliability of electrical lines are the two largest areas of concern for utility companies.

To achieve this standard, it is critical to monitor vegetation below and near overhead electrical facilities to provide optimal accessibility for management and emergency service crews.

According to CNUC’s Benchmarking Survey, trees cause 22% of non-major event day outages and nearly half of all major event day outages across the U.S. distribution grid.

Vegetation management crews combat the risk of tree-related power outages by mowing the ROW every 3-5 years. Crews mow the entire right-of-way to prevent any new tree growth from affecting the lines. Unfortunately by mowing the whole ROW, native grasses and wildflowers are cut which further diminishes the variety of floral resources for pollinators.

Not only can mowing have negative effects for the environment, but can it be potentially dangerous for utility workers. NGEMC is in the Northwestern corner of Georgia, with a significant portion of its members located in mountainous, rural terrain that provides difficult and poor access to utility ROWs. These steep areas often prevent access for the mowing machinery so the maintenance must be done by hand.

CNUC and NGEMC are testing a potentially less risky option in vegetation management which involves using herbicide to remove the tall woody tree species that cause power outages.

This method is known as integrated vegetation management (IVM). IVM involves combining multiple treatments including chemical, mechanical, biological, cultural, or manual to maintain the ROW. By removing the tree species, the low-lying grasses and wildflowers have less competition and more room to flourish within the ROW. Concurrent Interventions The transformation of ROWs into pollinator habitats has been gaining momentum among scientific researchers, and there are already studies proving the positive compatibility. The studies include a range of IVM interventions to promote the growth of desirable species such as native grasses and wildflowers. A study done in Maryland used a combination of selective herbicide, spot mowing, and shrub trimming to maintain the ROWs. Their results were an increase of flowering shrubs and bee species richness. Another study done in Connecticut and New Hampshire found a greater diversity of plant species within the ROWs than in the surrounding areas. Both studies indicate desirable species increase with the removal of tall woody tree species.

Other studies include seed planting in their ROW management to provide a head start for desirable plant species. By combining planting, mowing, trimming, herbicide treatments, and any other IVM methods, researchers are seeing great results for pollinators very quickly. The problem with using multiple interventions at a time is discerning which factors are actually working and measuring how well they are working.

Isolating Herbicide and Our Methodology For our study, the sole focus remains on the efficacy of the herbicide treatment. We are specifically measuring how well the herbicide treatment works without another added intervention. Our hypothesis is with proper herbicide treatment, over time ROWs will increase in native grasses and wildflowers until spot mowing or no mowing is required for maintenance. ... to read the entire article, click here.

SOUTHERN CHAPTER ISA • FALL 2021

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Tree happenings in NC

A lot has been going on in NC since the last newsletter. We are slowly easing back into in-person meetings and events, tree protection policy has been making its way through state legislature, the arboriculture certificate program is poised to launch, the NC Community Tree Advocacy Network is in force, and we hosted our annual Great NC Tree Conference. That’s a lot of happenings in these strange times!

by Leslie Moorman, North Carolina Director

Keep an eye on the events calendar if you are looking for ways to get back to in-person events. I am starting to see more organizations offering workshops and meetings in NC. Definitely go at your own pace and comfort level, but know that all hope is not gone when it comes to in-person training opportunities. The NC Urban Forest Council is offering a 2-day Certified Arborist Prep Course in Greensboro in December if you have anyone on your staff who wants to become a certified arborist. Alamance Community College is still accepting applications for participants in their first-ever Arborist Certification Program.

The program is an affordable, excellent opportunity for folks new to the industry or those who want to take the next step in their arboriculture career but aren’t quite ready for the certified arborist exam.

Starting back in April 2021, the NC Legislature started trying to pass House Bill 496, the Property Owners’ Rights and Tree Ordinances Bill, which would restrict local governments’ ability to pass and enforce any ordinances with tree protection and tree replacement requirements. HB 496 didn’t get the support needed in the Senate to pass and everyone in the municipal and urban forestry world breathed a sigh of relief. However, in August HB 496 found its way into SB 105, the State Appropriations Bill otherwise known as the state budget bill. The budget bill is now in committee conference with the House and Senate working out the differences so NC can pass the state budget. The hold-up seems to be the addition of several policy bills to the budget bill. Our hope is that they remove the policy bill language and pass a true budget bill. If you are concerned about this issue and want to reach out to your representatives, now is the time.

A group called the NC Community Tree Advocacy Network has developed over the last few months out of a growing occurrence of community tree groups across NC. Groups like Trees Charlotte, Asheville Greenworks, Keep Durham Beautiful, etc. are seeing a lot of success and interest. The NC Community Tree Advocacy Network developed out of an effort to communicate between these groups to learn from each other’s successes, develop best management practices that may help future groups, and to have a stronger voice as a continued on page 14

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SOUTHERN CHAPTER ISA • FALL 2021

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Message from the President

continued from page 3

through a live, in-person annual conference. I am excited to say that we have a full roster of speakers and activities planned during our annual conference live in Winston-Salem, NC, March 28-29, 2022.

We will also be hosting the 2022 Southern Chapter Tree Climbing Championship in Winston-Salem on March 26-27.

Speaking of TCC, I want to thank all of our volunteers and competitors who came out to our 2020 TCC in Knoxville, TN, this past September. With about two-dozen competitors and just as many volunteers, it felt great to host our third TCC event in the last couple few years. ISA Southern is always welcome to Knoxville. Many of the climbers and volunteers are busy with their tasks at hand, but the community has taken notice and

the event has brought much-needed awareness of the field of arboriculture to our community.

Finally, let me challenge you as a member to get involved with the Chapter. We recently revamped our Membership Committee for ISA; instead of putting board members alone on the committee, we reached out to members looking to do more for the Chapter and got them involved on the Membership committee.

The ideas and input from these members has been outstanding.

If you are looking to get involved in our Membership, Education, Tree Climbing, or Scholarship committees, please contact the Chapter Administration (skincaid@isasouthern.org) and we will find you a place to participate.

Message to new At-Large Members

by Perry Odom, At-Large Director

As you may know, the Georgia Arborist Association has been granted the opportunity to form a new ISA chapter separate from the Southern Chapter. Georgia residents who choose to remain members of the Southern Chapter will be considered “At-Large” members. What does that mean for you? You will maintain all of the benefits of regular membership, it just means that you are a member outside of the geographical boundaries of the Southern Chapter. As such, you will be represented on the Southern Chapter Board of Directors by the At-Large Director.

I am your At-Large Director and am glad to represent you as well as all of the other At-Large members. Find out more about Southern Chapter membership on page 4. You can contact me at TNBound52@Outlook.com with any questions or concerns.

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Tree happenings in NC

continued from page 12

unified network. The group is still new, but their motivation and energy is strong. If you are in NC and are interested in learning more, let me know.

And finally, the 2021 Great NC Tree Conference themed “Healthy Trees, Healthy Lives,” took place in Durham this past September. After 18+ months of virtual meetings, I think people were excited to be back in-person and get a chance to get outside.

The conference had Dr. Vivek Shandas as a keynote speaker, talking about the link between urban trees and human health, as well as creating an equitable urban forest. Other speakers such as Dr. John Ball, Dr. Kevin Chase from Bartlett Research Lab, Logan Donahoo from Arbor Day Foundation, and Dr. Barbara Fair from NC State University engaged attendees with their expert knowledge on proper tree care and the connection between human health and urban trees. One of the highlights of the conference was the second day “Field Day” at Durham Central Park where attendees got to see process put into practice with live demonstrations on SRT/DRT climbing by Mike Skillen, soil remediation technique by Dr. Barbara Fair, corrective pruning

by Dr. John Ball, and a tour of downtown Durham tree-planting projects using various soil management practices (structural soil, silva cell, etc.). It was a great two days and if you missed it, maybe we will see you next year.

North Carolina has been busy!

Congratulations to Cormac Nagan, Avalon Collier, and all of our competitors!

ISA Southern Chapter 2021 TCC September 17-19, 2021 | Knoxville, TN

SOUTHERN CHAPTER ISA • FALL 2021

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Don’t miss out on continuing education opportunities and ISA CEUs!

Upcoming Events & CEU Opportunities in the Southern Chapter Region

Check out all the new CEU opportunities listed below. This list is kept current on the Southern Chapter website as well. Save the site to your “favorites” as an easy access portal for events and registration information. If you know of opportunities we haven’t listed, please share! Email skincaid@isasouthern.org and I’ll get it posted.

While many of the face-to-face workshops and conferences have been canceled, we have worked hard to partner with organizations to be sure you get a wide range of opportunities to stay sharp. This list contains upcoming events that we are aware of. All the courses and conferences listed provide opportunities to earn ISA CEUs that help you maintain your ISA certifications.

ISA is also offering no cost quizzes for articles to give you more opportunities to earn CEUs.

Webinar Developers and Hosts TREE Fund https://treefund.org/webinars TREE Fund and ISA Southern Chapter are partnering to provide webinars that feature some of the speakers from the ISA Southern Chapter Conference that was canceled. Check out the link to these and other great webinars offered by TREE Fund and its partners.

Urban Forestry Today http://www.urbanforestrytoday.org/ Forestry Webinars http://www.forestrywebinars.net/ Urban Forest Connections USDA Forest Service https://www.fs.fed.us/research/urban-webinars/ Utility Arborist Association https://www.gotouaa.org/project/webinars/ UAA posts several webinars on their website.

North Carolina Urban Forest Council https://www.ncufc.org/events.php NCUFC posts several webinars on their website.

Georgia Arborist Association https://georgiaarborist.org/All-Events A wide range of excellent topics and presenters are planned.

Arborjet Webinars https://arborjet.com/training/webinars/ Aborjet provides a series of educational events covering a wide range of plant health care topics provided by experts. You can register for live broadcasts or watch recorded content as well.

Professional Arborists Association of Mississippi (PAAM) http://paam-ms.com/ Join PAAM for a series of webinars through this fall that will cover a variety of arboriculture topics. Each session provides 1 ISA CEU. Alabama Extension https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/ landscaping/raising-trees-webinar-series/ A series of webinars covers a wide range of topics for arborists.

Check out the series HERE and see each session described in the list below.

Alabama Extension and University of Georgia Extension and The Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at University of Georgia These fine organizations have partnered to provide a series of webinars that will take place once a month and cover arboriculture topics en Español.

Rainbow Treecare Scientific Advancements Webinars https://www. treecarescience.com/ articles/events/2021webinars Check out this extensive list of webinars on a variety of tree care topics.

If you know of opportunities we haven’t listed, please share.

Email skincaid@isasouthern.org to get it posted.

Educational Events

Most events are approved for ISA CEUs. Check each registration site for details.

October 28, 2021 Jefferson The Beautiful Tree School Jefferson Performing Arts Center. Metairie, LA. Join the Friends of Jefferson the Beautiful for the 21st Annual Tree School. Recognized by the National Arbor Day Foundation, this is a free, comprehensive, one day seminar covering arboriculture topics. Lunch provided. More information and registration HERE. PAGE 16

SOUTHERN CHAPTER ISA • FALL 2021

October 28, 2021 1:00pm Eastern Facilitating urban trees species selection under a changing climate: web software development. Facilitando la selección de especies de árboles urbanos en un clima cambiante: desarrollo de una aplicación web This webinar is part of a continuing series presented by the ISA Hispanic Committee. Presentamos una aplicación de desarrollo web para facilitar la selección de especies arbóreas para proyectos urbanos. continued on page 18

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Educational Events

continued from page 16

Consideramos una decisión multicriterio que incluye las condiciones de la infraestructura, las condiciones del sitio, la estética y el clima. También consideramos no sólo la adecuación a la condición climática actual, sino también la adecuación a la condición climática futura. Las variables que intervienen en la aplicación fueron validadas por múltiples partes interesadas, incluidos los agentes públicos y privados que trabajan con la vegetación urbana. Esperamos que esta herramienta mejore el desempeño de los árboles en las zonas urbanas, dado que también puede informar a los no expertos de una mejor toma de decisiones sobre los árboles urbanos.

More information and registration HERE. November 3-4, 2021 9:00am-noon Eastern each day Annual Georgia Tree Conference, “Innovations in Community Forestry” – Virtual event Join the Georgia Tree Council for the 2021 Annual Georgia Tree Conference. Presenters include Dr. Kim Coder, David Dechant, and Dr. David Coyle among others. More information and registration available HERE. November 6, 2021 9:30am-12:30pm Eastern Hemlock Restoration Initiative: Hemlock Treatment Demonstration Flat Rock Playhouse. Flat Rock, NC. The folks at HRI will present this half-day demonstration of treatment protocols to save hemlocks. More information and registration available HERE. November 8, 2021 9:00am-2:00pm Eastern Carolina Canopy Workshop – Urban Soils: Supporting Trees from the Start Reedy Creek Park; Shelter #3. Charlotte, NC. Join North Carolina Urban Forestry Council for this half day of great information about urban soils. More information and registration HERE. November 11, 2021 3:00pm Eastern Pest Management Webinar Willie Chance will cover winter issues dealing with insect pests.

More information and registration HERE. November 15-17, 2021 TRAQ Full Course (registration is closed) November 19, 2021 TRAQ renewal Course (registration is closed) Transylvania County Parks and Recreation Center. Brevard, NC.

November 16 and November 18, 2021 (and other dates) The BASIC Guide for Responsible Pesticide Use – Webinar Presenter: Dean Bennett Hort Life has developed a number of dates in November and December 2021 for you to earn pesticide credits in many southern states. These two half-day workshops will provide needed credits and 6 ISA CEUs. Multiple dates in addition to those shown above.

More details and registration information HERE.

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November 16-17, 2021 ISA Certified Arborist Prep Course Lauderdale County Extension Office. Meridian, MS. Join Mississippi State Extension, Professional Arborist Association of Mississippi, the Mississippi Forestry Commission, and Vermeer for this two-day preparatory course to help prepare for the ISA Certified Arborist exam. The Certified Arborist exam is not being offered as part of this course. More information and registration for the prep class HERE. November 16-17, 2021 2021 Commercial Horticulture Expo. Memphis, TN. University of Tennessee Extension is holding its 2021 Commercial Horticulture Expo which includes many classes on tree topics and pesticide use. Contact bleigh1@utk.edu for more information.

November 17, 2021 (and other dates) CALIBRATE for IPM – Webinar Presenter: Dean Bennett Hort Life has developed a number of dates in November and December 2021 for you to earn pesticide credits in many southern states. These half-day workshops will provide needed credits and 2.75 ISA CEUs. Multiple dates in addition to those shown above.

More information and registration HERE. December 9, 2021 Tree Campaigns: Make your town greener, cleaner, and healthier Webinar Join the Green Infrastructure Center for an informative webinar covering the benefits of community trees. More information and registration HERE December 15-16, 2021 ISA Certified Arborist Prep Course Guilford County Cooperative Extension Office. Greensboro, NC. Join North Carolina Urban Forestry Council for this two-day preparatory course to help prepare for the ISA Certified Arborist exam that will take place on December 17. Registration for the exam is NOT included in registration for the prep course. See info below to register for the exam. More information and registration for the prep class is found HERE. December 17, 2021 ISA Certified Arborist, Utility Arborist, and Municipal Specialist EXAM Guilford County Cooperative Extension Office. Greensboro, NC. ISA Certified Arborist, Utility Arborist, and Municipal Specialist Exams are scheduled for December 17, 2021. Applicants for the exam must register by November 30, 2021, at the ISA website.

Registering for an exam includes creating or logging in to your ISA account at https://www.isa-arbor.com/ and then clicking to find the test date and location.

January 11-12, 2022 Middle Tennessee Landscape & Grounds Shortcourse Williamson County Ag Expo Park. Murfreesboro, TN. University of Tennessee Extension is holding its 2022 Middle TN Landscape & Grounds Shortcourse that includes classes on tree topics and pesticide use. More information and registration HERE.

Educational Events January 28, 2022 (Registration available soon) ISA Certified Arborist, Utility Arborist, and Municipal Specialist EXAM Hilton Garden Inn. Hattiesburg, MS. ISA Certified Arborist, Utility Arborist, and Municipal Specialist Exams are scheduled for January 28, 2022. Applicants for the exam must register by January 9, 2022 at the ISA website.

Registering for an exam includes creating or logging in to your ISA account at https://www.isa-arbor.com/ and then clicking to find the test date and location.

February 9, 2022 (Registration available soon) ISA Certified Arborist, Utility Arborist, and Municipal Specialist EXAM Harbison State Forest Environmental Education Center Columbia, SC. ISA Certified Arborist, Utility Arborist, and Municipal Specialist Exams are scheduled for February 9, 2022. Applicants for the exam must register by January 24, 2022 at the ISA website.

Registering for an exam includes creating or logging in to your ISA account at https://www.isa-arbor.com/ and then clicking to find the test date and location.

March 26-29, 2022 ISA Southern Chapter Annual Conference and Trade Show & Tree Climbing Championships. Winston-Salem, NC. Mark your calendars now for this reunion event! Preconference workshops, the golf tournament and the Tree Climbing Championships will take place on Saturday and Sunday. Conference educational sessions will take place on Monday and Tuesday. And plans are underway for the Shady Ladies to offer up some tours for spouses and partners of arborists that attend the conference. So much to do in Winston-Salem. See the video on the Chapter website.

March 30-April 1, 2022 TRAQ Full Course Forsyth County Cooperative Extension. Winston-Salem, NC. Please read the “ISA TRAQ Application Guide” to be very clear about the full course prerequisites and renewal requirements and details about the credential and the courses. Applicants for the either course must register 30 days prior to the session they plan to attend. Additional information can be found on the ISA Southern Chapter website. To find the full course registration, click here.

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PAGE 19

News from Louisiana

by Hallie Dozier, Louisiana Director

Ah, Fall! Finally, after a long, hot, stormy summer we are moving into cooler and drier conditions here in Louisiana. Tree care professionals are still very, very busy, though. Clean up from Hurricane Ida is still ongoing, and there are still remnant signs in affected communities: blue tarps on roofs; piles of debris stacked and awaiting pick up; and stumps of recently cut trees everywhere. While many shelters have closed, a great deal of people displaced by the storm still do not have homes ready for their return. Some days it can be tough to see how to make our way forward, but resilience seems to be a big part of what makes us Louisianans.

Following the departure of Hurricane Ida, volunteers from all walks of life pitched in to help. This included members of the LSU Student Chapter of the Society of American Foresters. Trained in chainsaw use and felling, these young men and women pitched in to help people in the community dig their way out of the mess. Working side-by-side with faculty, the group helped numerous individuals clean up private and public properties, like the LSU Agriculture Center’s Hammond Research Station. Ida’s path ran straight across this 150-acre property where horticulture scientists focus on landscape horticulture, plant selection, fertility, weed control, and plant growth regulators.

In a normal year, scientists at Hammond Research Station evaluate more than 500 ornamental plants and conduct a spring and fall release of Super Plants that grow well across Louisiana. All of this work has been severely disrupted because of the extensive damage Ida left in the beds and woodlots on the site. The assistance from the LSU SAF Student Chapter went a long way toward allowing the station personnel to evaluate and assess the damage and begin the process of recovery.

Educational efforts have continued, despite storm-related obstacles. We completed a 12-week, 36-hour, online exam review course in August. We also hosted a TRAQ course in September.

And our normal educational program for Louisiana licensed arborists started up again in early September with a mix of face-to-face events and live-streamed virtual events. Several more educational opportunities are upcoming to round out 2021, and planning for 2022 educational programs is nearly complete.

COVID-19 continues to affect all aspects of life here as it is elsewhere in the country and around the globe. That said, the state is still under a statewide indoor mask mandate, vaccine numbers are creeping up, and caseloads are dropping.

Please visit www.lsuagcenter.com/arborist for schedule updates.

TOP: LSU Student SAF Member, Csayni Matusicky, bucks a small pine limb during a clean-up day following Hurricane Ida. MIDDLE: (Left to right) LSU School of Renewable Natural Resources cleanup crew, Csayni Matusicky, student; Dr. Ashley Long, faculty, and Little Ada; Chloe Crawford, student; Dr. Hallie Dozier, faculty; Zachary Sides, student; and Dekka Ducote, student.

BOTTOM: LSU Student SAF Members, Dekka Ducote (l) and Zachary Sides (r) work on removing a small pine blocking a drainage channel on the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station following Hurricane Ida. Photos by Jason Stagg PAGE 20

SOUTHERN CHAPTER ISA • FALL 2021

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Aaron Campbell State: South Carolina

Position: Grounds Supervisor for the City of Aiken

Why did you join ISA Southern Chapter? To become better connected

with other southeastern communities who are involved in the ISA.

How has the Chapter impacted your career? Membership has helped me

stay current with up-to-date arboricultural practices, studies, and techniques.

What is unique about your job? Being responsible for maintaining a

unique municipal layout with approximately 174 parkways located between the roadways downtown which creates more than 100 acres of greenspace.

This greenspace allows us to plant a wide variety of specialty shrubs and trees throughout the city. These plantings are part of the reason Aiken has been consecutively awarded Tree City USA since 1985. Aiken also has an accredited citywide arboretum that can be viewed along our arboretum trail running from Hopeland Gardens/Rye Patch down through Colleton Avenue.

What advice would you like to share with other arborists?

Continuing education is key to staying on top of current issues regarding plant and tree care. Taking advantage of conferences, workshops, and literature, such as the ISA Arborist News, will keep you informed on the latest advancements in the tree care industry.

What hobbies do you enjoy? Currently, my favorite hobby is coaching

both of my sons’ soccer teams.

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SOUTHERN CHAPTER ISA • FALL 2021

PAGE 21

2021-2022 State Directors Alabama: Gary Ickes Ickes Tree Service, Inc. Arkansas: Patti Erwin Natural Resource Planning Georgia: Gregory Dorch Georgia Power Company Louisiana: Hallie Dozier LSU AgCenter Mississippi: Steve Dicke Shady Arbor PLLC North Carolina: Leslie Moorman NC Urban Forest Council Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands: Christian W. Torres Santana

2021-2022 Southern Chapter Officers

South Carolina: Sara Hollar City of Columbia

President: Kasey Krouse City of Knoxville

Tennessee: Sam Adams University of Tennessee, Knoxville At-Large: Perry Odom Consulting Arborist Southern Chapter ISA Website: www.isasouthern.org Phone: (888) 339-8733 Skip Kincaid, Exec. Director 1609 Missouri Avenue St Louis, MO 63104

Executive Director: Skip Kincaid President Elect: Jeffrey Morgan Georgia Power Company Vice President/Treasurer: Matt Searels CN Utility Chapter CoR Representative: David Vandergriff Griff Arbor|Hort Tree Climbing Championship: Scott Winningham TREE Fund Liaison: (open)

To contact your State Director, a member of the Executive Board, or Skip Kincaid at the Southern Chapter office, please email isasouthern@isasouthern.org.

Past President: Jason Gordon UGA Warnell School of Forestry & Natural Resources Media Director and Editor: Sarah Mitchell Conference Planner: Connie Hilson

PAGE 22

SOUTHERN CHAPTER ISA • FALL 2021