This year, I had the privilege of speaking on behalf of LEAF at the International Society of Arboriculture Ontario Chapter (ISAO) Conference. When my co-worker Robyn first asked me to represent LEAF at the ISAO, I was flattered and very willing to accept her offer! What an excellent opportunity for someone just starting a career in arboriculture! The conference would be a great chance to network and meet other professionals in the field as well as hear others speak about all of the amazing things we do in arboriculture. Not to mention, the chance to speak in front of fellow arborists about three of my passions: trees, LEAF and urban forestry!
The ISAO conference is unique because, although its focus is arboriculture, it caters to people from a variety of backgrounds – municipal staff, certified arborists, non-profit employees, consultants and many more. The awesome thing about trees is that they connect with so many aspects of everyday life and in turn, so many different career fields. I was able to network and meet people from all across Ontario who all shared the same passion for trees and protecting and improving our forests.
This year’s conference theme was “Weathering the Storms” and was three days long with a variety of different sessions including keynote speakers, discussion panels and smaller breakout sessions. My presentation was one of the smaller breakout sessions where attendees have the choice to attend 1 of 4 different streams: tree worker, plant health care, leadership or policy. My presentation fell under the plant health care stream and I was preparing myself to speak in front of 30 to 50 people, give or take a few. When I walked up on stage, I realized that my estimation of “give or take a few people” was off - it was more like give or take a couple hundred!
Once the realization hit me that half the conference attendees had chosen to learn about LEAF, I was even more excited to talk about our amazing programs, the urban forest and how we connect with arborists. Attendees were very interested to learn more, and had questions about our Tree Tenders Volunteer Training Program and Tree Tours. The presentation went well and I then had the rest of the day to indulge in other’s passions and expertise.
Following the speaker portion of the day was the evening banquet and dinner – another great chance to network, but this time, in fancy clothes! We all chatted, ate a wonderful meal and enjoyed the hilarious comments of Dennis Hull - the evening’s comedian and entertainer. When the night wrapped up, I left to make the long trek back to Toronto. While driving, I had a chance to reflect on what a wonderful day I just had - one full of amazing experiences and great people. If you are in the arboriculture field, I highly recommend attending the conference next year! I learned so much and now feel a part of one of the greatest families out there – the ISAO family.
Brenna is LEAF’s Field Operations Coordinator.