City Trees is a premier publication focused on urban + community forestry. In each issue, you’ll learn how to best manage the trees in your community and more!
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/171276
President's Message Executive Director's Message Nick Kuhn Jerri J. LaHaie The Society of Municipal Arborists has been an impor- tant group in my professional life, connecting me with other city foresters who care about their work. From the start, all the members I met were welcoming, friendly, and open to talk and teach or learn. It was wonderful and led to my taking part in the first-ever Municipal Forestry Institute (MFI) in 2006 ... YEAH, MFI 2006! MFI and other SMA programs add to the improvement and achievements of each of us. I found my early involvement rewarding not only from all I learned at MFI but in connecting with others who cared as much as I did. I could see in those MFI graduates and participating SMA members the rewards, the new motivations, and the encouraging attitudes in their professional careers and networks. Over the years, SMA has made efforts to provide these programs to all members. City Trees has come a long way. Recent updates to the SMA Municipal Accreditation program will help many city forestry programs get more recognition locally. The Arborist Exchange program continues to expand SMA's member network worldwide. Our conference (in whatever location, timing, or partner we work with) continues to be a great learning and networking event with those we call family. SMA Interns is the newest program and has all indication of being the best way any of us have seen to nurture future urban foresters. These and other SMA programs are here to help you, including the EAB toolbox, website, and listserv. They are all driven by you, the members, and more specifically, the active members. SMA is always looking for those who want to give something back, to learn a new skill, to help out in their city, state, region, or internationally in this family of professionals. I realize times are tight for many and some can only participate a little but please remember to give back as you can. Take time to thank those who do or have served as board members, committee members, or conference hosts. The list is too long to include here, but know that SMA members are what make everything work. Ask yourself, how am I going to help make it work? 4 I know you would love to attend the SMA Conference in Pittsburgh and stay for the Partners in Community Forestry Conference (PCF) immediately following, and I hope to see you all there. But we all know that budgets are tight, meetings are many, and sometimes it's just hard to get away for several days. By the time you pay registration fees and travel costs, it can be a little pricey. SMA to the rescue! We have a way for you to attend the SMA conference and/or the first day of the PCF, get your CEU's, and never leave the comfort of your own computer. It's called a virtual conference and, building on the success of last year, we will once again be offering you the chance to virtually connect with your colleagues from around the world. Don't want to sit at your computer by yourself for two days? Why not organize a group to watch it together, get some discussion going, have your own mini-conference? Either way, you can look over the agenda and choose which topics/speakers you would like to see in real time, giving you the opportunity to ask questions of the speaker. You can also interact with the other virtual attendees. If something comes up, you get tired, or there are sessions you wish you skip, no problem! You will have online access to the archived conferences for an entire year and can view them or any part of them as many times as you wish. You can use them as a refresher or for training your staff or local groups. You will also be able to view slides from the exhibitors and sponsors, which is almost as good as being on the trade show floor. Like in City Trees, you can click on the links in their ads and go directly to their website or click on an email address and be in instant contact for more information. Did I mention that during the first day of the PCF, SMA will be conducting one of our famous EAB Workshops? If you attend virtually, you will have that three-hour workshop at your fingertips for an entire year. What a great training aid for those of you in the path of EAB destruction as you plan your attack and work to educate the public and city officials! Don't let your reasons for not going to Pittsburgh keep you from attending the conference this year; you have lots of great education and networking opportunities awaiting you in the virtual SMA world. City Trees