Agenda

The Virginia Association of Forest Health Professionals

33rd Annual Conference

February 20 – 21, 2025
Hotel 24 South
Staunton, Virginia

Thursday, February 20th, 2025

8:00-9:00 Registration

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

9:15-9:45 When Should We Tolerate Scale Insect Infestations in Urban Trees – Caleb Wilson, Ph.D., University of Kentucky

9:45-10:15 Emerging Uses of Drones in Forestry – Zoe Bergman, Virginia Department of Forestry

10:15-10:45 Coexist with Beavers, A Dam Worthy Challenge– Alison Zak, Human-Beaver Coexist Fund

10:45-11:00 Break

11:00-11:30 How Effective Are Emerald Ash Borer Parasitoids, and Can We Integrate Them with Insecticide Treatments – Caleb Wilson, Ph.D., University of Kentucky

11:30-12:00 Using Pesticides Safely in Forestry – Jason Cooper, Virginia Cooperative Extension

12:00-12:30 Certified Urban and Community Forester Credential Aims to Elevate the Profession and Grow SAF – Eric Wiseman, Ph.D., Virginia Tech

12:30-1:20 LUNCH provided by VAFHP

1:20-1:30 Recertification Credit Form Process – Joan Allen, Fairfax County Urban Forest Management

1:30-1:45 An Expanding Threat to the Potomac (and Rappahanock and James and …) Watershed; Trapa bispinosa – Kevin Heffernan, Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation

1:45-2:30 Don’t Let it Sink In: Halting the Spread of Trapa bispinosa– Anna Pasternak, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

2:30-3:00 Tree Caused Power Outages and Utility Vegetation Management – Cindy Devlin Musick Ph.D., Rappahannock Electric Cooperative

3:00-3:15 Break

3:15- 3:45 Invisible Biting Bugs: Practical Advice for Difficult Situations – Theresa Dellinger Ph.D., Virginia Tech

3:45- 4:15 Deer Impact on Forest Health – William McShea, Ph.D., Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute

4:15 – 4:45 Spongy Moth Update – Charles Faires, US Forest Service

4:45- 5:00 Announcements and Adjourn

Friday, February 21st, 2025

8:00-8:30 Registration

8:30-9:00 Hornets, Wasps and Ants, Invasive Hymenopteran Update – Eric Day, Virginia Tech

9:00-9:30 Emerging Needle Blight on Pines – Zachary Bragg, Ph.D., University of Georgia

9:30-10:15 2024-25 Pesticide Regulatory Update – Dwayne Crips, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

10:15-10:30 Break

10:30-11:00 Decoding the Biology of Beech Leaf Disease– Paulo Vieira, Ph.D. US Department of Agriculture

11:00-11:30 Beech Leaf Disease Management Strategies – Christopher Riley, Ph.D., Bartlett Tree Experts

11:30- 12:00 The Potential for RNAi as a Forest Biopesticide – Zachary Bragg, Ph.D., University of Georgia

12:00 – 12:30 Branching Out: Enhancing Green Infrastructure Through Community Collaboration – Jeremy Harold, City of Harrisonburg

12:30-12:45 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 trees and forests we tend to.