McAllen Hosts 4th Annual Urban Forestry Conference

The City of McAllen is hosting the 4th Annual RGV Urban Forestry Conference Thursday, January 21, at the new McAllen Convention Center.

Among the featured speakers are Dr. Bernard Parresol, Dr. Ed Barnard and world renowned forest researcher Dr. Ariel Lugo.

"The 4th Annual RGV Urban Forestry Conference promises to be an educational and exciting day of presentations and exhibitions," organizers said.

"Our slate of local, state and international speakers will address topics that range from tree trimming, keeping your trees healthy from insects and disease, to selecting the appropriate species for the landscape. The exhibitors room will offer products and ideas to help solve these issues you might have."

Schedule of Events

• 8:00 to 8:30 Registration
• 8:30 to 8:45 Welcome by McAllen Mayor Richard Cortez and Public Works Director Carlos Sanchez
• 8:45 to 9:00 Conference Overview/Session Moderator, Chris Lash, Keep McAllen Beautiful
• 9:00 to 10:00 Palm Tree and Broadleaf Trimming, Matt Weaver, Texas Forest Service and Brad Bentsen, Superintendent of Parks, City of McAllen
• 10:00 to 11:00 Tree Diseases in the Urban Forest, Dr. Ed Barnard, Pathologist, Florida Division of Forestry
• 11:00 to 12:00 Bugs in the Urban Forest, Dr. Raul Villanueva, Asst. Professor, Texas A&M Agrilife
• 12:00 to 1:00 Urban Forestry in the 21st Century, Keynote Speaker, Dr. Ariel Lugo, International Institute of Tropical Forestry (Session Moderator: Mark Kroeze, Forester, City of McAllen)
• 1:00 to 2:00 Tree Selection for the Urban Forest, Dr. Carlos Ricart, Asst. Professor, University of Puerto Rico
• 2:00 to 3:00 Urban Tree Inventory Biometrics Statistical Perspectives, Dr. Bernard Parresol, USDA Forest Service
• 3:00 to 4:00 Constraints and Opportunities for Urban Forestry in Sarasota Florida, Ms. Demitra McBride, Forestry Manager, Sarasota County Florida
• 4:00 to 4:30 Economy and Urban Forestry, Mr. Salomon Torres, District Director, Office of Ruben Hinojosa, US Congressman; Closing Remarks, Mike Perez, McAllen City Manager

For more information contact:

• Salvador, Alemany, Regional Urban Forester, Texas Forest Service, (956) 969-5654
• Mark Kroeze, City Forester, City of McAllen, (956) 681-4050
• Ed Krupel, City Forester, City of Edinburg, (956) 388-8202
• Roy Reyes, City Forester, City of Brownsville, (956) 548-6137

Comments

[Ismael Melendez]

Interesting, is there an entrance fee??? Student discount? I look forward to this exhibition:) Thanks for sharing.