Virginia Association of Forest Health Professionals

The Virginia Association of Forest Health Professionals

34th Annual Conference

February 12-13, 2026
The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center

Blacksburg, Virginia

 

 

Thursday, February 12, 2026

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8:00-9:00          Registration

9:00-9:15          Welcome and Introductions – VAFHP Committee

9:15-9:30          Welcome and Opening Remarks – Saskia van de Gevel, Ph.D, Dean of the College of Natural Resources, Virginia Tech

9:30-10:00        Collaborative Research on Eastern White Pine Dieback– Bud Mayfield, Ph.D., USDA Forest Service

10:00-10:30      Prescribed Fire 2.0: Thinking Beyond First-Entry Burns in the Appalachian Mountains – Adam Coates, Ph.D., Virginia Tech

 

10:30-10:45      Break

 

10:45-11:15       Protecting Your Power, One Tree at a Time– Aaron Humphries and Joshua Hale, Appalachian Power Company

11:15-11:45       Drone Applications in Virginia State Parks – Al Cire and Reed Stanley, Virginia State Parks

11:45-12:15      Hurricane Helene Response – Jim Whipp, Virginia Department of Forestry (waiting for talk title)

 

12:15-1:05        LUNCH provided by VAFHP

 

1:05-1:15          Recertification Credit Form Process – Joan Allen, Fairfax County Urban Forest Management

1:15-1:45          Update on Campus Projects – Jamie King, Virginia Tech (Place Holder)    

1:45-2:25         Invasive Species Collaborative (ISC) at Virginia Tech: Initiatives & Invitations – Hallie Harriman, ISC Program Coordinator   

Flash Research updates:

• Detection of Resistance in Fraser Fir to the Balsam Woolly Adelgid - William Parrot, VT Dept of Forest Resources & Environmental Conservation Graduate Student

• Two Specialist Predators of Hemlock Wooly Adelgid– Olivia Andrews, VT Dept of Entomology Graduate Student

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2:25-2:55           Ecosystem Services Markets as an Opportunity to Increase Forestland Value– Stella Schons, Ph.D., Virginia Tech

 

2:55-3:10          Break

 

3:10-3:55           Aquatic Pest Control – Steve Owens, Justin Heflin, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources

3:55–4:25         Soil remediation through Profile Rebuilding – Vincent Verweij, Arlington County, Virginia

4:25–4:55         Forest Development Sixteen Years After Mine Land Reclamation in Virginia – Chris Fields-Johnson, Ph.D., Davey Institute

4:55–5:10          Announcements and Adjourn

 

Friday, February 13, 2026

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8:00-8:30          Registration

8:30-9:00          Beating the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB): Intelligent Optimization to Protect Urban Ash Trees from Infestation – Esra Buyuktahtakin Toy, Ph.D, Virginia Tech

9:00-9:30          Pesticide Applicator & Environmental Safety - Meredith Hoggatt, Virginia Cooperative Extension

9:30-10:00        Identifying and Dealing with Off-target Herbicide Effects – Michael Flessner, Ph.D, Virginia Tech

10:00-10:15      You Suspect Herbicide Injury, Now What? – Kate Hrezo, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

 

10:15-10:30      Break

 

10:30-11:00       Box Tree Moth - New Insect Invader to Virginia – David Gianino, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

11:00-11:45       2025-2026 Pesticide Regulatory Legal Update – Kate Hrezo, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

11:45-12:15      A Tale of Two Fungi: An Update on Biological Control Options for Tree-of-Heaven and Autumn Olive – Carrie Fearer, Ph.D., Virginia Tech

12:15 – 12:45    Inoculated Pine Carbon Credit Program – Andrew Stewart, Funga

 

12:45-1:00        Wrap-up and adjourn / Lunch on your own

 

The VAFHP Conference Planning Committee is thankful... for you.

Not only for participating in this educational and networking event, but for doing what you do.

Together we improve the lives of all Virginians, even those who don’t know they depend on the tees and forests we tend to.