Rocky View County (RVC) residents will get the chance to learn all about arbor care from experts in the field during a free workshop called “All About Trees” held at RVC Hall on March 21.
According to Delaney McNaughton, an agricultural services officer for RVC, though the workshop has been hosted in various formats over the years, each session or iteration has offered something unique to the participant.
And even if one has attended a County-led workshop on tree care in the past, they may still benefit from attending the newest iteration to refresh and supplement their knowledge of tree and foliage care on their properties, she said.
“From my experience, you always learn something new at these sessions as there is so much information to learn,” McNaughton said.
She added that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the municipality hosted a series of tree care workshops in three one-hour sessions over Zoom to abide with public health restrictions at the time. The March 21 workshop will be the County’s first time offering an in-person tree care workshop in over three years.
“But this year, we are excited to be back in person to host a longer session that covers a wide range of topics,” she exclaimed.
The workshop is slated to take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at County Hall and will cover a variety of topics, from planting to basic care and maintenance.
Participants will also learn how to avoid or deal with damage to trees on their property, whether it is from a pest, disease, or human impact, explained McNaughton.
Tree care expert and CEO of ATTS Group Inc. (a leading tree, forestry, and agro-forestry consulting company), Toso Bozic will be hosting the workshop. He is a member of the Alberta Institute of Agrologists (AIA), and is an ISA-certified arborist, according to McNaughton.
“[Bozic] comes with 25 years of experience, which has given him vast knowledge and passion for trees, forestry, and agro-forestry,” she said. “[He] will give information on choosing tree and shrub species, site preparation, proper planting techniques, tree care after planting, as well as pruning.”
The agricultural services officer said the workshop is a good one for RVC residents to attend, as landowners can learn for themselves how to take care of the trees on their property. It will also help them to prepare to replace dying trees or to add trees to other areas of their land if desired.
“It can be very difficult to establish and keep trees alive in this area of the province so lots of the information covered will give landowners the tools to give their trees the best possible chance of survival,” she said.
RVC residents who are interested in enrolling for the upcoming tree care workshop are encouraged to visit the event page on eventbrite.ca or alternatively, visit rockyview.ca/events
