Community Tree Care Series

Proper care techniques contribute to a longer, healthier life for trees throughout our communities.

Trees are a beautiful and vital part of our communities, providing many long-term benefits to the public. Routine maintenance and proper care techniques contribute to a longer, healthier life.

Many who care for trees are not certified arborists but carry out similar work as the profession. Community Tree Care is a hybrid series of training opportunities for individuals performing tree care work looking to build on their knowledge.

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 hybrid training provides webinars and workshop opportunities providing information and resources for communities to ensure proper tree care, minimize the risk of hazardous trees, and promote healthy community forests.

Participants can attend one or all sessions of the series. Webinars are $10 each, and in-person workshops are $20 with registration required. Illinois Arborist Association continued education units are available to those who qualify.

Register

Workshops

Up close view at point of pruning shears cutting tree branch.

Tree Care Workshops | 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Sessions are the same and repeated in multiple locations.

  • Jan. 22
    Demars Center at Peterson Park
    500 Broadway Ave.,
    Mattoon, IL 61938
  • Feb. 5
    Macon County Extension Office
    3351 N. President Howard Brown Blvd.,
    Decatur, IL 62551
  • Feb. 26
    Rock Island County Extension Office
    321 W. 2nd Ave.,
    Milan, IL 61264

Each location session includes hands-on training during the time of year when tree care is applicable to apply learned skills, discuss local issues, identify needs in individual communities, and provide opportunities to learn more. Workshops are subject to change due to winter weather instances.

Past Webinars

View of walking down the sidewalk with houses and green, lush trees on each side.

Tree Basics | Nov. 13, 9 to 11 AM

Many who care for trees are not certified arborists but carry out similar work as the profession. Learning what makes a tree thrive is essential to better care and the overall longevity of trees. Participants will discuss the benefits of trees, basic tree identification and tree parts, and the importance of diversity in the urban forest. 

Person pruning a tree reaching up at the branch.

Individual Tree Care | Nov. 27, 9 to 11 a.m.

There are many factors that affect the overall longevity and lifespan of trees as a whole, but each tree should be assessed individually. Participants will learn site and species selection, planting and establishment, pruning, and additional tree care methods.

View from below a tree looking up at green leaves on branches.

Collective Tree Care | Dec. 11, 9 to 11 a.m.

Trees are a beautiful and vital part of our communities, providing many long-term benefits to the public. Trees impact the local environment, economy, and overall quality of life. Participants will learn to identify tree stressors in community environments, hazardous tree defects, and assess and mitigate risk.

University of Illinois Extension Horticulture Educators Sarah Vogel, Emily Swihart, Ryan Pankau, and Program Coordinator Jenny Lee teach the series. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program, contact Sarah Vogel at sarahv@illinois.edu, 217-877-6042. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.