Inspiring Connections

My brain is overflowing with information from all of the events I attended in October. The PNW ISA conference in Portland was informative and a chance for me to connect with new people and the NAJGA International conference was one of the best ones yet. I topped off the month with a presentation to the Hoffman Center for the Arts but my workshop will be rescheduled for a day without an atmospheric river.

For the next two newsletters I thought it would be nice to share a few of the resources I’ve gathered over the last month. I will start with the PNW ISA conference and the following newsletter will be about the NAJGA conference. When the next gnarly weather system hits and you find yourself inside looking to be distracted you will have something to check out!

From the 2025 PNW ISA Conference

Portland Ice and Wind Storm 2024

In 2024 there was an intense ice and then wind storm that blew over an unprecedented number of large healthy trees in the Portland metro area. Most were Douglas Firs (some up to 150 ft tall!) but also mature Oak trees and other tall trees. Entire root plates were lifted!

The PNW ISA conference had a panel of arborists who shared their experiences from different perspectives. I learned that rain on a plant with foliage increases the original weight of a branch by 25 to 50%, Snow load is 1-3x the original weight and ice 20x the original weight! The strength of trees is amazing. Yes, some branches fail and break off but so many more do not. Its simply amazing.

There was a lot of fear about the trees that didn’t fall over. Arborist had many difficult conversations trying to convince people to keep the healthy trees that survived such unusual weather conditions. To put it into perspective, one arborist said their were 17 fatalities that week from the storm and 2 were from trees. During the Portland heat dome in 2021 there were 69 fatalities from the heat. Lots of food for thought.

For a more in-depth article on this storm check out this treesforlifeoregon.org article.

Select-A-Tree

This database created by Cal Poly is an amazing resource for finding trees suitable to different conditions and growing requirements. The feature I am looking forward to exploring more is their Tree List.

Under their resource tab is the Tree List data base. If you make an account you can make you own list! Plus you can see other lists people have made public. For example, Jennifer Killian and Kat Bethea posted a list for a presentation they gave and called it 13 Weird Trees for the PNW. Most of the lists are heavily focused on the west but I think that will expand as the list gets more use. I can see it being great for designers to make lists of their favorite trees or people who just want keep track of the trees around them.

Alex Shigo publications

Alex Shigo’s book A New Tree Biology was one of the first books I purchased that had more to do with trees than architecture. At that time I think I found my used copy at Powell's Bookstore. Early internet searches (Im talking 2005ish) did not give me lots of options for finding other Shigo publications. I must admit its been awhile since I searched again but at the PNW ISA conference Shigo and Trees, Associates had a table with available publications. I was able to find the book Modern Arboriculture as well as some wonderful graphically illustrated pamphlets that can be handed out to clients or at other tree events. They have a website where you can purchase pamphlets in bulk and other Shigo publications. Check it out! 

Books

A New Tree Biology, Facts, Photos, and Philosophies on Trees and their Problems and Proper Care by Alex Shigo.

Modern Arboriculture, by Alex Shigo.

Podcast

August 11th, 2025 Hello Monday with Jessi Hempel. Why People Don’t Hear You - And How to Fix it. This podcast was one of many I listened to with Charles Duhigg talking about his book Supercommunicators. It inspired me to think about the ways we talk about pruning.

Going ons

In Person Workshop in Manzanita Oregon

To be Rescheduled! Due to an atmospheric river my pruning workshop for the Hoffman Center for the Arts in Manzanita Oregon will be rescheduled in the spring of 2026. Date TBD but I will let you know when I know!

The workshop is all day and takes place in two location. Make a weekend of it and stay a few days on the coast! More details to follow on the Hoffman Center for the Arts website. Check their calendar of updates. 

In The Classroom - Save the Date!

Aesthetic Pruning Philosophy and Fundamentals

On January 31st from 10:00am to 11:00 I will be teaching a 1 hour class at Garden Fever in Portland, Oregon. They have an indoor classroom where we can stay warm and dry while learning all about aesthetic pruning. I will be posting registration on my website in December. What a great way to start the new year!

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