Growing Gold – Best Practices for Early Tree Care Benefiting the Britton Fund
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Non Member
$240.00
WCISA Non Member
Join us for the debut of Growing Gold, a suite of educational materials about growing, selecting and caring for high quality urban-compatible trees. The Britton Fund and The Urban Forest Institute will host this two-day event at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo with presentations from Ed Gilman, Brian Kempf, Matt Ritter and Jenn Yost. We will cover root management in the nursery, species selection, planting best practices, structural pruning, and early tree care, among other topics, via presentations and outdoor field demonstrations. Attendees will gain practical, research-backed knowledge designed to help growers, arborists, landscape designers, and field crews cultivate healthier, more resilient urban forests. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from top experts and be among the first to access these essential new resources.
Ed Gilman, Ph.D.
Dr. Ed Gilman is Professor Emeritus of Environmental Horticulture at the University of Florida and a nationally recognized leader in arboriculture education and research. His work has helped shape modern practices in tree planting, pruning, structural development, and urban tree management. He is the author of An Illustrated Guide to Pruning and numerous research publications and educational resources used widely by arborists, landscape professionals, and urban foresters.
Brian Kempf
Brian Kempf is Director of the Urban Tree Foundation, based in Visalia, California. He has been a key contributor to open-source planting, pruning, and tree-quality specifications used by municipalities, designers, contractors, arborists, and urban foresters. Through his leadership, the Urban Tree Foundation has helped advance practical, field-tested standards that support healthier, longer-lived trees in the built environment.
Matt Ritter, Ph.D.
Dr. Matt Ritter is a professor in the Biological Sciences Department at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and Director of the Cal Poly Plant Conservatory. He specializes in cultivated trees, plant diversity, ecology, and Eucalyptus biology and taxonomy. A respected teacher, botanist, and author has written several books celebrating California’s plants and urban forest, including A Californian’s Guide to the Trees Among Us and California Plants: A Guide to Our Iconic Flora.
Jenn Yost, Ph.D.
Dr. Jenn Yost is a professor in Cal Poly’s Biological Sciences Department and Director of the Robert F. Hoover Herbarium. Her research focuses on botany, plant systematics, plant speciation, evolution, adaptation, and the sunflower family, Asteraceae. She is also involved in statewide biodiversity data efforts and student-centered herbarium curation, helping connect plant science, conservation, and education.
Registration Fee: Early Rate Ends August 1, 2026
$200.00 Members
$240.00 Non members
$100.00 Seniors/Students (register by phone only)
Registration Fee: On August 2, 2026 and on site
$225.00 Members
$265.00 Non members
$100.00 Seniors/Students (register by phone only)
CEUs
12.5 CTUF
4.5- BP
4.0- BS
4.0- BM
Proceeds from this educational day benefits The Britton Fund, Inc.
Location
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo - E & J Gallo Winery Family Building
1 Grand Ave Bldg 156 on Mt. Bishop Road
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407