85th WCISA Annual Conference

Feb 24, 2019 Posted by Garrett Webb In Best Practices Comments 0

Our 2019 Western Chapter International Society of Arboriculture (WCISA) Annual Conference is fast approaching. It will be held at the Sheraton Waikiki, April 29 – May 2, 2019. We have an exciting program, with world class speakers, including Cecil Konijnendijk van den Bosch, professor of Urban Forestry at the University of British Columbia and an ISA Board member, as our keynote speaker, talking about A Sinking Ship or Cruising Towards Bright Horizons: The Bigger Picture of Pests and Diseases in Urban Forestry. We also have speakers who are pest and disease experts from each of our Chapter States, including John Richardson and Ursula Schuch from Arizona, Igor Lacan and John Kabashima from California, Darcy Oishi and Zhiqiang Cheng from Hawaii, and Molly Sinnott and Dennis Swartzell from Nevada. Our Utility Foresters will have the opportunity to learn about controlling invasive vegetation in utility corridors with Vince Mikulanis, Don Akau and Michael Daleo, Utility TRA Best Management Practices with Kevin Eckert, updated ANSI A300 standards for Integrated Vegetation Management with Geoff... ...

IDENTIFYING AND RESTRICTING THE NEXT MICONIA

Nov 28, 2018 Posted by Garrett Webb In Invasive Species Comments 0

by Chelsea Arnott, CGAPS Planner What if we knew about Miconia’s invasive impacts elsewhere and had been able to restrict it from importation and sale in Hawai`i? Today, we have the knowledge and tools to assess a plant’s potential to be invasive before it arrives, but we lack a regulatory mechanism to keep them out. Stemming in part from past LICH President Boyd Ready’s request to have a single list for prevention, the Coordinating Group on Alien Plant Species (CGAPS) has been working to develop a proposed State Restricted Plant List and set of rules that would reduce the risk of some future invasive plant introductions for Hawai`i. Historically, Hawaii’s geographic isolation limited the number of plants that were able to arrive and establish. Since Western contact 240 years ago, more than 8,000 species of plants have been introduced to the islands. The majority of these have been either beneficial or at least benign. However, of those plants that became invasive to Hawaii’s natural areas, the majority (>80%) were intentionally introduced.... ...

ASLA Elevates Chris Dacus to the Council of Fellows

Nov 28, 2018 Posted by Garrett Webb In People in the News Comments 0

Fellowship is among the highest honors the ASLA bestows on members and recognizes the contributions of these individuals to their profession and society at large based on their works, leadership and management, knowledge, and service. The designation of Fellow is conferred on individuals in recognition of exceptional accomplishments over a sustained period of time. Individuals considered for this distinction must be full members of ASLA in good standing for at least ten years and must be recommended to the Council of Fellows by the Executive Committee of their local chapter, the Executive Committee of the ASLA, or the Executive Committee of the Council of Fellows. Christopher Dacus, ASLA City and County of Honolulu (Retired) Honolulu Christopher Dacus received his nomination, in Service, from the Hawaii Chapter. Now retired, Dacus worked for the Hawaii Department of Transportation and Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation for 18 years, contributing immeasurably to the improvement of the state’s open spaces and the preservation of its natural beauty. Devoted to his community and his profession,... ...

2018 Oahu LICT Exam Final Report

Sep 26, 2018 Posted by Garrett Webb In Business Tips Comments 0

This year’s Landscape Industry Certified Technician (LICT) program for Oahu was in limbo as earlier in the year, word got out that the LICT program was to come to an end in April of 2019. However, many thought that the training and exam for 2018 was cancelled even though registration for training and the exam was posted on the Landscape Industry Council of Hawaii’s (LICH) website. With less than two weeks before the start of the classes, it was not clear if this year’s program was a go and registration for training was filling up. So, the committee needed to decide if the training should continue as the presenters needed to be confirmed, volunteers and sponsors recruited, and promotion for more participants conducted. Three weeks later, the classes started. Overall, there were 25 participants and the classes were held at the Pearl City Urban Garden Center, Pacific Pipe Company, and the University of Hawaii Waimanalo Research Station. On the week of the exam, the candidates, judges, volunteers, and sponsors... ...

2018 LICH Conference and Tradeshow Wrap-Up

Sep 25, 2018 Posted by Garrett Webb In Best Practices Comments 0

Over 175 landscapers attended this year’s 2018 LICH Green Industry Conference and Tradeshow. The day started with an inspired look to our future as the Dean of the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, Nicholas Comerford, explored the potential collaboration between the College and the landscape industry. Speakers Frank Sekiya and Dr. Joseph DeFrank broke new ground by providing talks with a strong hands-on component. Video feed (by Chris Dacus) allowed those attending their talks to see up close and personal the grafting techniques being taught in both these classes. J.B. Friday and Dr. Zhiqiang Cheng brought us up to date in Rapid O’hi’a Death and Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle. We also were able to vertually travel to Wake Atol with Heidi Bornhorst; investigate control of incipient invasive plants on Oahu with Erin Bishop; and ponder the conversion of prolific seed producing ornamental trees to seedless varieties with Ken Leonhardt. It was a day of fellowship and learning that challenged us to look differently at the work we perform for... ...