Technology is transforming our industry, so let’s make some time to talk about it. This summit is an opportunity to engage experts and practitioners in a discussion of technology, data, trees, and the future of urban forestry decision-making. This full-day event is packed with presentations on the software, hardware, and data changing the way we work with trees, along with case studies and actionable steps to put these ideas to work in your own company or community.
Join us for this full-day event of presentations and collaborative discussions to take part in building the future of urban forestry together. Cost for the event is $150.
Agenda
9:00 AM – 9:50 AM – Doors open, Breakfast, Networking
9:50 AM – 10:00 AM – Welcome Address: Elizabeth Schulte, PlantIT Geo.
10:00 AM – 10:20 AM – GIS and Tree Care 101
Nathan Schuettpelz – Wachtell Tree Science
Implementing GIS into your commercial tree care operations is critical to evolving and maintaining your competitive edge in a technologically advanced market. Paper maps get lost, and squirrels destroy metal tags (weird, right?). This discussion will provide a basic understanding of geographic information systems (GIS) and how to implement them into your company right now!
10:20 AM – 10:40 AM – Tree Data Decision Making
Peter Aldag and Maggie DeLauter – PlanIT
Geo Tree inventories and canopy assessments are powerful tools, but having a sudden motherload of tree data, where there used to be zilch, presents a challenge. How best to charting a new, informed course forward? Peter and Abel will overview methods of collecting tree data and demonstrate the value it can bring tree care business, including distilling info for clients and multi-year proactive maintenance operations.
10:40 AM – 11:00 AM – Improving Management Plans and Promoting Community Engagement Through Interactive Inventories
Paul Hahn – Ahlum and Arbor Tree Preservation
Management plans are an important tool aiding in the preservation and care of trees. However, they can be difficult for clients to understand and share with the public. Learn how the use of interactive maps can make inventories and management plans more accessible and valuable to your clients.
11:00 AM – 11:30 AM – Q&A
11:30 AM – 11:40 AM – Break
11:40 AM – 12:00 AM – Differentiating Your Company with Tech
Curtis Fosnaugh – Signature Tree Solutions
In this presentation, Curtis will explore the innovative use of technology to enhance the project engineering and proposal process for bidding on tree and forestry management projects. He will discuss how leveraging software, the latest in equipment, and digital cinema can enhance the efficiency and precision of proposals, leading to more successful bids. Additionally, he will delve into the role of machinery in these operations, highlighting how cutting-edge technology can not only enhance efficiency and safety but also create new standards in the industry. By embracing technology and leveraging state-of-the-art machinery, he will showcase how these advancements are revolutionizing the tree industry, ultimately leading to better outcomes for both professionals and the environment.
12:00 PM – 12:20 PM – From Tree to Board: Leveraging Asset Data Across the Tree Lifecycle
Aaron LeClair – Cambium Carbon
This session will explore bridging the gap between digital and physical asset management across the tree care and lumber industries. This talk will discuss the challenges and opportunities in enabling wood salvage from urban forest management activities. Cambium Carbon will present its Traece™ software, which facilitates full lifecycle asset management from tree to log to board, using a “bottom-up” data approach to establish a transparent chain of custody and showcase two case studies of Traece™ platform utilization by arborists and sawyers.
12:20 PM – 12:40 PM – Q&A
12:40 PM – 1:20 PM – Lunch Break
1:20 PM – 1:40 PM – Non-Invasive Tree Risk Assessment Technologies
Andres Vernengo – ProArbol
Andres Verengo will share his experiences using non-invasive risk assessment technologies to improve municipal risk assessment programs and discuss the value of integrating ground penetrating radar into tree care businesses.
1:40 PM – 2:00 PM – Tree Root Quality Assessment with GPR Insight™
Marie Ambusk – Trees ROI
What if we could image the trees’ root structure to identify potential problems? WHAT IF we could develop a system to help increase the life span of urban trees? This presentation will introduce GPR INSIGHT™, a novel method of using ground penetrating radar to inspect and assess the quality of tree root systems above ground, before planting. The societal impact of this innovation enables critical quality metric measurements during nursery production that result in higher quality planted tree stock growing roots as nature intended.
2:00 PM – 2:20 PM – Q&A
2:20 PM – 2:30 PM – Break
2:30 PM – 2:50 PM – Monitoring for Survival
Roman Franzia – ePlant
There are challenges in maintaining and growing an urban forest. Irrigation, vandalism, and climate species selection, among others. Can technology be better applied to improve the outcomes? We introduce IoT (Internet of Things) solutions that are a cost-effective way to provide critical care data and community engagement systems to help deliver that care.
2:50 PM – 3:10 PM – Advancing the Tree Care Industry Through Battery Technology
Keith Coultrap – Husqvarna
Since 2019, HUGSI (Husqvarna Urban Green Space Index) has annually quantified the greenness of a growing number of cities around the world through AI-powered analysis of satellite images. This data is shared with cities along with an annual report showcasing the top-performing cities on a range of metrics. This presentation will showcase the platform and how its outputs are being used to encourage cities to safeguard and grow urban green areas.
3:10 PM – 3:30 PM – Q&A
3:30 PM – 3:40 PM – Closing Remarks
Elizabeth Schulte – PlanIT Geo
Member and Non-Member Fee: $150 (Includes lunch)