Davey Tree Flipbooks

March/April 2014 | 17 A l Zelaya wants the arborists, municipal foresters, landscape architects, contractors, students and others working to make a difference in their communities to learn something new about the benefits of trees. Zelaya, a research urban forester for the Davey Institute, presented during Morton Arboretum's Urban Tree Conference in mid- November last fall. Although the theme was "Selecting and Planting Trees," Zelaya took a less mechanical approach by introducing i-Tree Design to determine the current and future benefits of new trees. For example, the online tool can effectively justify budget spending on tree planting and care. "It's important to consider all of the benefits of planting and caring for trees," Zelaya explains. "People don't always understand the benefits tree planting provides, such as reducing air pollution, sequestering carbon, intercepting storm water, saving on home energy costs and more." Zelaya adds his listeners often learn about benefits they didn't realize before, whether he's presenting to people who perform tree maintenance or who work with clients. Nearly 200 people attended the conference to learn more about tree planting, but Zelaya noticed not all attendees realized i-Tree Tools are so easily available to help justify budget spending on trees. "We want to promote the reasons to plant trees," Zelaya explains. "That makes investing in tree care so much more compelling." The conference was well-received, as many attendees provided positive feedback. Because Morton Arboretum hosted the conference on its property, many examples of tree species existed on site for attendees to observe and study as well. Davey, a conference supporting sponsor, works closely with Morton Arboretum throughout the year and helped plan the event. And for good reason—Zelaya explains it best: "We want to build a strong working relationship with Morton Arboretum because they and Davey both have a big footprint and common goals in the Chicago area." The Davey Institute's Al Zelaya (pictured third from left) stands among other presenters and panelists during Morton Arboretum's Urban Tree Conference. Setup for Success Devin Terris, regional safety specialist for Eastern Canada; Rick Mercer, Canadian comedian and political satirist; and Ian Laidlaw, sales arborist for Davey's Ottawa R/C office (pictured left to right) attending the Ontario Tree Climbing Championship in September 2013. Terris and Laidlaw were instrumental in the setup and coordination of the event, which required the presence of a Davey bucket truck, as well as aerial rescue event assistance. "We enjoy giving back to the community and promoting proper work habits, but it's also special for Davey to provide financial support to the competition on a local and international level," Terris explains. Mercer featured the OTCC event on his show, "The Rick Mercer Report," on Oct. 22, 2013. Why Tree Planting Makes $ense Photo: Morton Arboretum

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