Hillsborough County Extension Service is stepping up to offer a one-day educational program aimed at local professional landscapers and arborists, with a focus on hurricane preparedness, sharing vital knowledge to aid in combating the consequences of extreme weather, an initiative that comes in the wake of a particularly brutal 2024 hurricane season. The event is scheduled for February 5 at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in Wimauma, as reported by the Hillsborough County website.
Attendees of the Tree and Landscape Short Course will receive updates from research scientists and professionals on subjects pertinent to their trade, involving urban insect populations, strategies for mitigating bark beetle infestations that hurricanes exacerbate, and best practices for tree root inspections, which is notably critical for the integrity of urban landscapes and public safety, a need underscored by the devastation of recent storms.
The course is designed to encompass expansive topics with four general session presentations that will address complexities such as the behavior of soils in urban settings, among others, with special sessions aimed at targeted learning for professionals, delving into issues like equipment calibration; pesticide use is also on the agenda, an area rife with environmental and regulatory implications.
With a registration fee of $75, the day-long program will run from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and details on how to sign up can be found by visiting 2025TreeAndLandscapeShortCourse.eventbrite.com; these sessions offer landscaping experts an informed start to the year, equipping them to not only better understand but also to effectively navigate the evolving challenges nature and the climate hurl in their direction, the information from the sessions are aimed to fortify their skills and readiness for the unexpected.
