City Trees

November/December 2016

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/744699

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 21 of 39

22 City Trees Last February, I had the privilege of attending the Municipal Forestry Institute (MFI) in Shepherdstown, West Virginia at the National Conservation Training Center (NCTC). For those of you that may not be familiar with MFI, it is the prod - uct of a handful of incredibly talented and knowl- edgeable urban forestry professionals. It is five days (starting on Sunday) of intense lead- ership training, focused specifically on urban for- estry and designed to provide very specific tools to advance urban forestry programs. I was thrilled to receive assistance from the KY Division of Forestry (KDF) to cover registration and excited at the oppor- tunity to learn from highly successful urban forest- ers. At MFI I was immersed in a safe environment where we could share challenges and successes and actively participate in potentially life-changing education, without the intrusions of daily life. The teaching cadre worked tirelessly to provide entertaining and timely delivery of the informa- tion. Some of the real and relevant topics includ- ed "Lead by Managing Change," "Practicing Tree Politics," "Working Effectively with Volunteers & Reflections on MFI from 2016 Grad Lorri Grueber Arborist for the City of Frankfort, Kentucky Lorri Grueber • Photo courtesy of Lorri Grueber Par tner ship s," and "Moving Your Urban Fo re s t r y P ro g r am Forward." Many of us in urban forestry are tree people first and people people second (if at all). Through MFI, I was able to identify personal strengths and opportunities and I look forward to my contin - ued growth as a leader. If you get the oppor- tunity to attend MFI, I would highly recom- mend taking full advan- tage, especially if you are early in your career and/or newer to the industry. I wish I could have attended MFI twenty years ago when I was just beginning my career! You will have long days, be invited out of your comfort zone, and be rewarded in multiple ways for accepting the challenge. I'd like to thank KDF, the City of Frankfort, NCTC, the teaching cadre, and my fellow students for a week I'll not forget. The 2016 graduating class of MFI. Photo by Paul Ries

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of City Trees - November/December 2016