Event date/time:
Tuesday, March 25, 2025 - 8:45am to 3:30pm
Event Type:
In-person
Event location:
Sturbridge Host Hotel & Conference Center
366 Main St, Sturbridge, MA, 01566
Price:
For the ENTIRE DAY: $95/pp; $86/pp when registering 3 or more from the same company.
MORNING SESSION ONLY (Woody Ornamental Topics): $75/pp; $68/pp when registering 3 or more from the same company.
AFTERNOON SESSION ONLY (Turf Topics): $55/pp; $50/pp when registering 3 or more from the same company.
This in-person education program will help equip you with knowledge and skills you can use in your management program for the upcoming season. Come and enjoy this in-person opportunity to ask questions of our Extension Specialists and to network with other green industry professionals!
Attend either the morning or afternoon sessions, or the entire day, with a different set of topics in each session.
- MORNING: Woody Ornamental Topics
- AFTERNOON: Turf Topics
Pesticide & Professional Credits
Pesticide credit:
- For the MORNING session - 2 pesticide contact hours for categories 29, 36, Dealer, and Applicators License.
- For the AFTERNOON session - 2 pesticide contact hours for categories 37, Dealer, and Applicators License.
- NOTE: For those attending BOTH the morning and afternoon sessions, this means a total of 4 pesticide contact hours for Applicators License.
Association credits:
- Morning Session: 1 MCH, 1 MCA, and 1 MCLP available; ISA credits requested.
- Afternoon Session: 1 MCH and 1 MCLP available.
Agenda
MORNING SESSION - WOODY ORNAMENTALS TOPICS |
|
| 8:45 AM | Woody Plant Diseases: Existing and Emerging Trends in 2025 Dr. Nick Brazee, UMass Extension Plant Pathologist Each year presents new and surprising challenges in woody plant health care. Currently there are several emerging diseases and insect pests that demand our attention. This talk will focus on prominent diseases detected from samples submitted to the UMass Plant Diagnostic Laboratory. Examples will include beech leaf disease, needle blight pathogens of white pine, hemlock and arborvitae, lilac leaf blotch, among others. Management activities targeted at reducing disease incidence and severity will be discussed. |
| 10:05 AM | Managing Pollinator Friendly Landscapes Nicole Bell, Pollinator Specialist Vegetation is often considered first when considering how welcoming a given site is to pollinators, but management is a significant factor too. This presentation will address common questions including potential irrigation impacts on pollinators (drip vs. overhead vs. flood, etc), as well as ground-level disturbances like digging, mowing, tilling, and other related soil movements. |
| 11:15 AM | 2025 Updates - Tree and Shrub Insects Tawny Simisky, UMass Extension Entomologist 2025 will be an exciting year for insect activity in parts of Massachusetts! Today's presentation will provide a reminder about the Brood XIV periodical cicada emergence expected in eastern MA. Notable species submitted to the UMass Plant Diagnostic Laboratory, invasive insect updates and insect resources from UMass Extension will be reviewed, time permitting. |
| 12:15 PM | Lunch (on your own) |
|
AFTERNOON SESSION - TURF TOPICS |
|
| 1:15 PM | Turf Weed Management: A Planning Checklist for the 2025 Season Randy Prostak, UMass Extension Weed Specialist As the 2025 growing season approaches, it’s time to seriously consider your turf weed management program. What worked or didn't work last season should be on the front burner. This presentation will explore some of the of the key areas of weed management programs that, with some adjustment, can improve overall performance. |
| 2:25 PM | Now in Turf Insect Management: Looking Back to Look Ahead Dr. Olga Kostromytska – Entomologist & Extension Assistant Professor – Stockbridge School of Agriculture This presentation will be a focused overview of the turf insect topics currently on the minds of many. Highlights will be surface feeding insects such as chinch bugs and billbugs – populations are increasing in many areas and management options are not well tested or well known. Many granular applications for white grubs had low efficacy in 2024, very likely due to dry conditions. Also, results from the latest trials for management materials, including biologicals. |
| 3:30 PM | Credits and Adjourn |
Registration Deadline:
Tuesday, March 25, 2025 - 8:00am
Contact's name:
Harmonie O'Loughlin
Contact's email:
Contact's phone on day of event:
(413) 545-2685
This event will be recorded:
No
366 Main St Sturbridge MA