Vegetation management professionals will be gathering together in Minneapolis, Minnesota, from Oct. 26 to 28 for the 2021 Trees & Utilities conference. Field Editor Amy Fischbach and Steve Lach, director of business development, will be attending the conference and providing live updates.
Also, look for a photo gallery in the Nov. 9 Vegetation Management Insights enewsletter. We will also be featuring an article from the Arbor Day Foundation about 10 takeaways from the 2021 conference.
In the meantime, here is the agenda for three days of networking and education. For more information, view the event Web site.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2021
- 11:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.: Registration Open
- 3:00 p.m.: Asplundh/TREE Fund Golf Outing
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2021
- 7:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.: Registration Open at the Minneapolis Convention Center
- 8:00–11:30 a.m.: Women in Vegetation Management Workshop *additional registration required
- 11:30 a.m.: Exhibit Hall Opens
- 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m.: Boxed Lunch with Exhibitors included with conference registration
- 1:00–2:00 p.m.: Opening CeremonyDan Lambe, Arbor Day Foundation President | Paul Hurysz, Utility Arborist Association President
- 2:00–3:00 p.m.: Rock Your LifeMelanie Spring
- 3:00–3:45 p.m.Break with Exhibitors
- 3:45–4:45 p.m.: New Management Tools to Protect, Enhance and Propagate Compatible VegetationPhil Chen, CN Utility Consulting | Jack McCabe, Davey | Derek Vannice, CN Utility Consulting | Stan Vera-Art, Grow with Trees Company
- 5:30 p.m.: Exhibit Hall Closes
- 5:30–7:30 p.m.: Networking Reception at Hilton Minneapolis included with conference registration
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2021
- 7:00 a.m.: Exhibit Hall Opens
- 7:00–8:00 a.m.: Early Bird Break with Exhibitors included with conference registration
- 8:00–8:35 a.m.: Qualified Worker Training Program (Room M100 CDE)Larry Abernathy, UAA/Butte College | Annie Rafferty, Butte College Biodiversity Assessment in IVM Managed ROWs (Room M100 FGH)Dr. Anand Persad, ACRT
- 8:40–9:10 a.m.Pathway to UVM Advancement (Room M100 CDE)Jessica Tomaszewski, University of Wisconsin Stevens PointWhy Don’t You Use Goats? (Room M100 FGH)Rick Johnstone, IVM Partners
- 9:15–9:45 a.m.: Human Performance for Vegetation Management Professionals (Room M100 CDE)Edgar Carpenter, North American Training Co.Panel: Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Reporting (Room M100 FGH)Jason Grossman, Liberty Utilities | John Steelman, Grow with Trees
- 9:45–10:30 a.m.: Breakfast with Exhibitors included with conference registration
- 10:30–11:10 a.m.: The New IVM BMP (Room M100 CDE)Randy Miller, CNUCSpotted Lanternfly: Notes from the Quarantined Zone (Room M100 FGH)Kieran Hunt, Asplundh Tree Experts
- 11:15 a.m.–12:00 p.m.: Aerial Vegetation Management (Room M100 CDE)Steven Davis Rotor Blade LLCAssessing the Structure and Value of Utility Forests in Massachusetts (Room M100 FGH)Ryan Suttle, Orion Managed Services, LLC
- 12:00–12:40 p.m.IVM: Making the Case for Industry Best PracticesTravis Rogers, CortevaMigratory Bird Treaty Act and Songbird Nesting Locations and Plant Choice in Utility Corridors Managed by IVMJessica Miller; Ecology Consultant Technology
- 12:45–2:00 p.m.Utility Arborist Association Lunch included with conference registration
- 2:05–2:45 p.m.Tulane University’s Utility Vegetation Management Initiative- UVM Regulations (Room M100 CDE)Lawrence Kahn, Tulane University- AERIEnhancing Reliability, Community & Results: Satellite Technology & Digital Optimization (Room M100 FGH)Jordan Jozak & Toren O’Leary, AI Dash
- 2:50–3:30 p.m.: Using Satellite Imagery to Identify Species and Vegetation and Reduce Risk (Room M100 CDE)Indra den Bakker, OverstoryOpportunities for Community Engagement in UVM (Room M100 FGH)Brooks Smith, Clearion
- 3:30–4:00 p.m.: Break with Exhibitors included with conference registration
- 4:00–4:30 p.m.: Clear-Cut Detection and Cutback Auditing with Satellite Analytics (Room M100 CDE)Sven Przywarra, LiveEO & TensioRecruiting Safely in Utility Arboriculture (Room M100 FGH)Kyle Finke, Davey Resource Group
- 4:30–5:00 p.m.: Combine Vegetation Management with Outage Prediction Solutions for Superior Outage Prediction Accuracy (Room M100 CDE)Rob Berglund, IBMHow to Effectively Use Behavior Observation Data (Room M100 FGH)Trevin Anderson, Asplundh
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2021
- 7:00–8:00 a.m.: Early Bird Break with Exhibitors included with conference registration
- 8:00–9:00 a.m.: Growing Together: Working with Community Tree GroupsMatt Spitsen, Alliance for Community Trees
- 9:00–9:45 a.m.:Tree Line, ROW Steward, UAA & UAA UVM Certificates
- 9:45–10:15 a.m.: Breakfast with Exhibitors included with conference registration
- 10:15–10:45 a.m.: When is a “Plan” Actually a Plan?Phillip Kelly, Wright Tree
- 10:45–11:15 a.m.Implementing Safety DifferentlyElizabeth Lay, Lewis Tree
- 11:15 a.m.–12:00 p.m.: Electrical Hazard and Risk: The Difference Among the Public, Tree Workers, and Line-Clearance Tree WorkerJohn Ball, Professor, SDSU Extension Forestry Specialist & South Dakota Department of Agriculture Forest Health Specialist
- 12:00–12:15 p.m.: Closing CeremonyDan Lambe, Arbor Day Foundation | Geoff Kempter, Incoming UAA President
