Davey Tree Flipbooks

22 THE DAVEY BULLETIN | March/April 2026 EXPERTISE Plant Health Care workshops and a Safety Bonanza helped keep best practices, safety tips and community top-of-mind for Davey employees at the start of the new year. At the Plant Health Care Workshop in Auburn Hills, Michigan, North Central Residential/Commercial (R/C) crews learned more about active ingredients in plant care, insects that are challenging to manage, beech bark disease, and oak wilt and decline and the methods used to diagnose and treat those problems, among many other topics. Lucas Garber said this training emphasized that most issues plant health care employees handle start within soil sites and the plant species that are present. "Knowing exactly how the compounds in the products I'm using treat for the issues we're seeing is much more helpful than just knowing the names of the products we use, and the tech advisors going into detail about how insects or pathogens work helps me to understand what I'm doing rather than just how to do it," Garber, plant health care technician, Toledo office, said. "Also, knowing how to identify and address the causes of those problems like soil health, site and tree species saves me from having to use pesticides when it isn't warranted." A technical advisor staff of Chrissy Balk, David Olson and Roz Remsen kept the training very engaging, Garber said. "Any Davey employee, not just plant health care technicians, with an opportunity to attend one of these workshops should take it without thinking," Garber said. "Chrissy's energy kept me awake and alert, David dropping the scientific names of insects was super interesting and Roz made a conversation about dirt exciting." PHC WORKSHOP AND SAFETY BONANZA START OFF YEAR RIGHT KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE EMPHASIZED AT SAFETY BONANZA R/C's Western Operating Group employees from offices located in areas from Las Vegas to Seattle reviewed dispatch efficiency, gear inspection, psychological safety, job briefings and more at the Western Operating Group's bi-annual "Safety Bonanza" Feb. 10 and 11. This was Western Operating Group's second Safety Bonanza, and the event happens every two years to highlight what's new in safety. Over 30 tree care coordinators, sales arborists, assistant district managers, district managers and management-level safety leaders attended the training in Scotts Valley, California. "The best thing about the safety bonanza is being able to get together to learn from each other," Matt Morgan, district manager, Sacramento office, said. "Most of our offices work independently, and when we are able to get together like this, we are able to make adjustments to our office to incorporate the techniques that others use." Morgan said he enjoyed the presentations from safety trainers on the progress of implementing new devices to help the climbers, and on the miniature model climbing system David Vega, arborist skills trainer, built for his Factors and Forces demonstration especially beneficial. These types of trainings set Davey apart from other companies, he said. "I look at this training as a bridge from the safety and training teams to the offices," Morgan said. "This is a place where we can all get together, understand the importance of a safe culture and take action to increase the moral and safety culture within our own office. Our actions and what we bring back from this type of training is what is going to make the difference. We are all embracing a learning environment that improves us personally and professionally." Over 30 employees from various departments gathered during the Western Operating Group's "Safety Bonanza." Plant Health Care Workshop Scotts Valley, California – Northwest and southwest R/C offices Kent, Ohio (SEED Campus) – Northeast R/C offices Factors & Forces Edmonton, Alberta, Canada – Canadian Operations ADDITIONAL DAVEY TRAININGS: Arborist skills trainers David Vega (left) and Clayton Lempp discuss climbing-related topics at the "Safety Bonanza" in February.

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