2021 MTGF MASTER CLASS

AGENDA 

9:30 AM –  MTGF Introductions 

| Matt Cavanaugh- Ex-Officio of the MTGF

9:30 AM – 10:30 AM:  Technology for Enhanced Tree Decay Detection and Risk Assessment 

| Chad Giblin, Director of Operations for City Forester, LLC

Large, mature, and damaged trees create uniquely difficult management considerations for arborists. The knowledge and training that could be used to extend the lives of these trees is not widely known or even agreed upon. This inability to manage the perceived and actual risk associated with these trees may lead to the premature condemnation and removal of high-value, and perhaps irreplaceable, trees. New and emerging technology that utilizes impulse tomography and resistance drilling offers arborists the ability to look inside trees to complement external visual analyses using traditional methods. This data can further inform digital modeling of mechanical wind loading and enhanced tree risk assessment. This session will introduce this technology and how it can be applied in practical, arboricultural situations using actual data collected from local job sites and using real time demonstrations.

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM:  Implementing Soil Moisture Sensors to Conserve Irrigation in Turfgrass Systems 

| Maggie Reiter, University of Minnesota-Extension Educator in Turfgrass

Water conservation often takes a backseat to water quality protection in Minnesota. Both go hand and hand, and efficient irrigation technologies are a rising priority in turfgrass landscapes. Soil moisture sensors have been shown to generate water savings equal to or greater than evapotranspiration (ET) estimates, while maintaining turf quality and function. This presentation will discuss adapting soil moisture sensor technologies for turfgrass management. Background information on irrigation scheduling and auditing be reviewed, followed by discussion on how soil moisture sensing devices work, what a workflow of implementing sensors looks like, and how to evaluate performance with meaningful metrics.

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM: Break for Lunch

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM:  Landscape Damage to Trees, Severe Storms, and Tree Failure 

| Eric North, Assistant Professor, Urban & Community Forestry, Department of Forest Resources, University of Minnesota

Understanding how and why trees fail can help us improve how we design our urban forests and better manage the risks involved. Eric will draw on storm research to describe the impact of construction damaged tree roots on growth, stability, and recovery. The talk will include published research and case studies looking at the growth of trees after landscapes changes and their value on the landscape

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM:  Precision Turfgrass Management - Current Trends and Future Applications 

| Chase Straw, Texas A&M Turfgrass Management in the Department of Soil and Crop Science

The turfgrass management industry is under increasing public pressure to improve environmental impacts by reducing management inputs. The concept of precision turfgrass management (PTM) is a viable strategy to achieve reductions by making management input applications only where, when, and in the amount needed. PTM currently relies heavily on new management approaches and technologies for identifying variability and implementing variable-rate or site-specific applications. This presentation will introduce the concept of PTM and provide an overview of current trends and technologies that can be used for PTM at your facility. Future applications of PTM will also be discussed.

Here is a link to information and registration: https://northerngreen.org/master-classes