Everyone knows that TCI EXPO is the world’s largest tree care show and conference. This year, TCI EXPO ’23, to be held November 16-18 in St. Louis, Missouri, is offering 39 top-notch educational sessions. But did you know that attendees also can register for Pre-Conference sessions in half- and full-day formats that offer in-depth training and education?
TCI EXPO ’23 Pre-Conference features five events on Wednesday, November 15, 2023. These sessions will entice you to make the most of traveling to St. Louis by extending TCI EXPO’s amazing education opportunities. Take a deep dive into various topics including diversity in the workforce, urban-planning technology and life-saving training.
Women in Tree Care
Building on the success of and enthusiasm from attendees at previous Women in Tree Care events at TCI EXPOs, the Women in Tree Care Pre-Conference event is emerging as a must-attend event for any owner or employee who wants to learn how to foster an inclusive environment at their company. This year the focus is on allyship, networking and mentorship. The event will include a discussion on how to support, amplify and advocate for underrepresented groups in the tree care industry.
“We’ve been meeting all year to discern how we can best come together to help cultivate more diversity in our industry,” says Erin K. Aaron, TCIA’s manager of workforce recruitment & retention. “We want to help all tree care companies build inclusive work environments, because it’s good for the whole industry and promotes recruitment and workforce development, and because as the industry grows, we need to grow.”
An interactive panel will feature women leading the way, including Ash Connelly, Charleston Tree Experts; Jess Jimoh, Rainbow Companies; and Cindy Schwab, The Davey Tree Expert Company.
This event is open to all who want to be part of this conversation. It is sponsored by Rainbow Ecoscience, Bartlett Tree Experts and The Davey Tree Expert Company.
Stop the Bleed to Save a Life
The number-one cause of preventable death after injury is bleeding, but with three quick actions, you can become trained to save a life. A new Pre-Conference event, brought to you and sponsored by North American Rescue, and using the Stop the Bleed program, will teach and empower tree care workers to safely intervene while waiting for help to arrive in situations where there is a severe bleeding injury.
The tree care profession is one of the most dangerous professions there is. Attendees will learn important skills that could one day help them save someone on their team.
Participants at this two-hour event will learn which treatments should be used based on the type and location of the injury and how to use each component of the North American Rescue Public Access Bleeding Control (PABC) kits. Each participant will receive a fully stocked PABC kit.
Trees and Tech Summit: The Future of Urban Forestry
Get a look into the future and the pioneering technology currently shaping and influencing the tree care industry, including tree-health sensors, radar technology to measure root decay and cutting-edge GIS mapping tools.
Seven presenters will showcase their modern approaches to urban-forestry challenges and look at how software, hardware and data are changing how we work with trees. They’ll share real-world case studies highlighting how companies use these technologies in their regions.
This workshop will be a collaborative discussion with time for questions and answers. Participants can then put these ideas to work in their communities, so everyone can take part in building the future of urban forestry.
This session is brought to you and sponsored by PlanIt Geo.
CTSP Recertification Workshop: Advanced Safety Program Development Strategies for Continuous Improvement and Innovation
This is the first workshop created exclusively for active CTSPs seeking to help them advance their programs and earn CEUs to maintain their status. In this full-day, hands-on event, participants will develop an implementation plan for a new or improved safety initiative. They will schedule a calendar of safety trainings for the year, outline a safety onboarding process and learn new ways to engage stakeholders to support the implementation of their new safety initiatives.
“We’ve been listening to the CTSP community,” says Irina Kochurov, director of TCIA’s credentialing programs. “This past year, we’ve simplified the renewal process and updated several requirements. We’re excited to offer this recertification workshop to support CTSPs and ensure they get all the support and strategies they need to streamline safety measures.”
This workshop will be led by Bryan Dalton, vice president of training and credentialing at TCIA, and Virginia Gregoire, director, curriculum and course design at TCIA. CTSPs can earn 8 ISA CEUs and 7.5 CTSP CEUs.
A300 Workshop: Standards, Strategies & Specifications
The A300 provides definitions and tree care standards for all aspects of tree management, including proper pruning, fertilization and preservation of trees. This half-day workshop is an excellent opportunity to learn everything you need to know about the A300 standards and how they can help your business.
Go straight to the source and meet members of the A300 Tree Care Standards Committee as they teach you how to craft accurate work proposals, specifications and work orders to help you get your jobs and streamline your operations.
“This workshop is a great way to jump-start the process. Participants will get a quick introduction to the A300 standards and then practice writing specifications on their own under the guidance of the committee members,” says Bob Rouse, senior vice president of business support and manager of industry standards and internal compliance at TCIA. “It’s one of the easiest ways a tree care company can streamline their sales and service-delivery process.”
Speakers include Sam Hill, president of Sam Hill Tree Care and ASC A300 committee chair; Geoff Kempter, technical services manager, Asplundh Tree Experts; Wayne Dubin, CTSP, vice president and division manager, Bartlett Tree Experts; Dr. Richard Hauer, director of urban forestry, CN Utility Consulting (CNUC); and Dr. Tom Smiley, plant physiologist and soil scientist, Bartlett Tree Research Lab. Participants earn 4.0 ISA CEUs.
The TCI EXPO All-Access Pass does not include these workshops, so you must register for each of these events separately. Pre-Conference events sell out quickly, so register early at www.expo.tcia.org to reserve your spot.
Tracey Miller is TCIA’s marketing content manager based at TCIA’s headquarters in Manchester, New Hampshire.
