| Aloha! Planning on joining us in Hawaii for the 2019 Annual WCISA Conference and Trade Show? If so, reserve your room today to lock in the group room rate of $269 per night.
The Sheraton Waikiki Hotel offers travelers a picturesque retreat in the center of it all. Soak in the breathtaking ocean views from 80% of our guest room, suites, and restaurants. |
Our conference theme, ‘We’re in this Boat Together‘, reminds us that, no matter where we live on planet Earth, we face similar issues. For this conference we will focus on the influx of devastating pests and diseases attacking our urban forests. With far more arborists working in our urban forests than government entomologists and plant pathologists, we should embrace this great opportunity to train our ranks to recognize and detect potential new pests and diseases that could become a problem in their areas. Trained arborists can participate in an early detection network, reporting new infestations to our local authorities while eradication is still possible. Additional important discussions will include invasive pests transported via infested nursery stock and the long-term damage caused to people, pets, and native coastal and riparian habitats, as these pests compete, establish, and disrupt the balance of our ecosystems.
CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS CLOSES ON 9/30/18
Shortly after being elected to the WCISA Board in 2013, I discovered that whoever is president when our Annual Conference is held gets to plan and host his or her dream conference that year. With that, I started jotted down ideas for my dream conference. As time went on, I started thinking about how the land on our planet is like a boat among the oceans of the world. In Polynesian culture, the oceans connect us, not divide us. Hawaii is the most remote landform on Earth, but it’s also connected to Asia, Africa, North America, and the Pacific Islands as the crossroads of the Pacific. Hawaii has the most severe invasive species problem in the United States, many of which are pests and diseases that attack our urban forest. But we’re not alone in facing this problem. As our climate changes, pests, and diseases become more invasive, with ranges expanding as areas warm. We’re all in this boat together! And that boat is our Mother Earth.
Please join us in Hawaii and become part of an early detection alert system to protect our planet and our urban forests. Hope to see you soon!
Carol Kwan, WCISA President
