Communities with healthy, viable trees are impacted through improved air quality and reduced stress.
Join this session set to empower tree people to advocate for the protection and expansion of community trees. Attendees will learn how to engage local stakeholders, promote tree-planting initiatives, and influence policies that prioritize green spaces. By emphasizing the ecological, social, and economic benefits of urban forests, the program inspires communities to invest in a healthier, more sustainable environment. Finally, explore the importance of choosing healthy nursery stock and what to look for when purchasing.
Presenters: Emily Swihart and Ryan Pankau, Extension horticulture educators
About the Community Tree Care Series
The hybrid tree care series is a training opportunity for individuals performing tree care work and looking to build on their knowledge. Topics range from tree basics to identification, health assessment, and pruning techniques.
Participants include certified arborists as well as public and private tree care professionals, municipal or county groundskeeping staff, community volunteers, and anyone interested in expanding their tree care knowledge. This training provides information and resources for communities to ensure proper tree care, minimize the risk of hazardous trees, and promote healthy community forests.
The hybrid model provides two forms of training, which offer online webinars and in-person workshops. First are six winter webinar sessions from 9 to 10:30 a.m., spanning two Wednesdays a month from January through March. Each webinar covers two main topics per date. The cost is $10 for general access to all sessions and $50 for those seeking Continued Education Units for access to all sessions. Registration is required, and individuals can attend one, some, or all sessions.
One hour of CEUs is available per session to Illinois Arborist Association certified arborists who qualify. During registration, please specify attendance as a certified professional seeking CEUs.
New this year — each webinar session will conclude with a discussion of tree health issues based on attendee-submitted photos. The activity will allow time for skill building, discussion, and learning from each other using relevant examples of things happening to trees throughout the state. See registration links for information on submitting photos.
Additional Series Sessions
- Site and Species Selection and Construction Damage | Jan. 15
- Planting and Improper Practices | Jan. 29
- Tree Identification and Health Assessment | Feb. 12
- Abiotic and Biotic Stressors | Feb. 26
- Pruning Methods and Benefits of Trees | March 12
Workshop Sessions
The second training opportunity includes in-person tree care workshops in the fall of 2025. The exact dates, locations, and registration will be available to participants following the webinar sessions.
