Join us on Zoom at 1:00pm Thursday, June 3rd, 2021

Join us for some great After Hours Events!

A message from conference chair, Kelaine Ravdin

           We hope you’ll join us for a “far out” arboricultural experience at this year’s Annual Meeting. Although we can’t bring you to the great redwoods of Humboldt County as we had planned, we’ll strive to bring the wonder of that far out environment to you. Expect great videos from up in big trees, gripping stories from tree climbers, lightning rounds with wild topics, cutting edge talk about things that happen to trees after they die, tours of unusual forests, and, of course, a lot of practical information on how to succeed in the field of arboriculture. The schedule is being updated daily – check back for the latest on the speakers and activities.

KEYNOTE by Obi Kaufmann “The Mind of the Redwood Forest; from Mycelia to Murrelets”

June 7, 2021. 1:30pm

Delivering this year’s keynote address to attendees at the 87^th WCISA annual conference is the best-selling author of The Forests of California, Obi Kaufmann (Heyday, 2021).

In this wide ranging and comprehensive overview, Obi explores the dynamic biodiversity and the conditions that exist to sustain the world’s tallest forests — the forests of Sequoia sempervirens, the Coast redwood. In his artful and analytic style, this tour of California’s iconic redwoods includes a survey of evolutionary theory about how the redwood forest came to be, what the state of the forest is now, and how it might react and evolve to the future in light of development and climate disruption. From hydrology to habitat, Obi’s impassioned and intimate introduction to this endemic ecosystem prescribes intersectional solutions of resiliency and restoration that collectively work to secure the health of the majestic redwood forest for millennia to come.

About Obi…

Obi Kaufmann is the best-selling author and illustrator of many best-selling books including the California Field Atlas, The State of Water; understanding California’s most precious resource, and most recently The Forests of California, a comprehensive work that blends science and art to illuminate the unique character of California’s vast and threatened arboreal world. Through the literary invention of the Field Atlas, it is Obi’s work to popularize the concept of geographic literacy as a collective tool, instrumental in understanding the complex conservation challenges and opportunities of this century. An avid conservationist, Obi is on the Board of Directors at the California Wilderness Coalition and regularly travels around the state, presenting his work and vision of ecological restoration and preservation to such groups as the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildland center, the Mojave Desert Land Trust, the Anza Borrego Foundation, the Mono Lake Committee, the Peninsula Open Space Trust, the Sempervirens Fund, Friends of the River, the California Native Plant Society, the Wilderness Society and the Audubon Society.

Find out more about Obi – The Forests of California by Obi Kaufmann (heydaybooks.com)

Thank you for considering a presentation proposal for the 2021 WCISA Annual Conference. The conference will be held June 7-10, 2021 using our virtual platform.

Our conference theme is “Far Out Arboriculture.” We were looking forward to being “far out” on California’s Lost Coast this June but will be “far out” virtually instead.

After a uniquely challenging year that forced many of us to adapt the ways we work “far out” beyond what we might have thought possible, our focus for the 2021 conference is on innovative approaches (aka, “far out”).

We welcome proposals for presentations that

• Use innovative approaches to deliver information – e.g., a presentation that includes a video segment from the field, or a presentation recorded entirely -in- the field
• Describe an innovative approach in the use of existing technology (video, webcasts, drones, maps, podcasts, web-based instruction) to train arborists
• Demonstrate an innovative approach to our work in arboriculture – it could be new technology, new science, or even a new means of managing our work or communicating with our clients
• Illustrate an innovative approach to connecting with others in the world of arboriculture and urban forestry, e.g., new outreach methods, unique partnerships, educational frameworks or workforce development systems, or other connections that led to “far out” positive outcomes
• Demonstrate innovative approaches to forest management, especially redwood forests and the unique approaches that are taken to work with such large and stately trees
• Represent far out arboricultural practices specific to the Lost Coast – what can the rest of the Chapter learn from our membership in the Northern California coast?

In a nutshell (or, “in an acorn” if you prefer): what have you learned / tried /started-up / experienced / developed / collaborated-on / accomplished during the pandemic era that is so far-out that you want to share it with others because it will help us all get better at what we do?

The conference committee invites you to share your experience, expertise, and professional knowledge by submitting a presentation proposal. More information about the proposal process and the format for submitting presentation proposals is at this link.

Deadline for submitting proposals is 5pm, February 26, 2021.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS:

• The preferred proposal format is online using this link
• Proposals may also be emailed to Rose Epperson (repperson@wcisa.net)
• If necessary, proposals may be mailed to 31910 Country Club Dr. Porterville, CA 93257 Attention: Rose Epperson.

If you have any questions, please contact: Program Chair, Igor Lacan (ilacan@ucanr.edu) or Rose Epperson (repperson@wcisa.net)

Thank you to our sponsors, speakers, and exhibitors for making our 2020 Virtual Annual Conference so much fun! We truly appreciate your contribution. On demand videos will be available for 90 days to registrants. CEUs were captured by the platform and will be sent to ISA. Enjoy the recordings. Thank you for attending and making this event so much fun to produce!

Comments from Attendees:

“It was the perfect virtual experience. Only thing better than that would be no COVID-19 so we could have shared the experience in person!”

“I miss meeting and interacting with people. However, I was able to focus in on the content and was able to easily go back and rewatch sections of presentations.”

Here are your “aha” moments:

Please support our 2020 Conference Sponsors:

After much consideration, the Western Chapter has made the decision to move our 86th Annual Conference online. We will return to the beautiful Olympic Valley in May of 2023. We will still be offering over 15 hours of continuing education this fall with interactive networking and marketplace opportunities. Stay tuned for all the details. If you are already registered for the event, look for an email from our team in the coming weeks with pricing and refund details. We appreciate your patience and support as we work to bring our members the best educational opportunity possible while safeguarding their health and well-being.

It’s official – in response to the COVID19 pandemic – we have moved the Conference and events to the Fall – please bear with us as we update the system over the next few days.