ReLeaf Workshops

Past Workshops:

May 26, 2026 – Community of Practice Virtual Meeting
Forest Expansion Network (FEN)
10 AM – Noon

Do you want to increase the success of your next tree planting project? Or partner with another organization to secure funding for your next big project?
Join us for this first virtual community of practice meeting. You will hear a brief overview of FEN’s vision and goals, and how it aim’s to address current reforestation barriers in New York.
The meeting will feature:

• Lightning Talks: Short conversation starters highlighting example projects, lessons learned and opportunities for collaborative funding.
• Breakout Discussions: We will be asking you to help us identify near-term actions and initiatives that FEN can facilitate to best support your work.

Whether you are a seasoned tree-planting veteran or just starting, this session is for you!

May 7, 2026 – R8 Electrical Hazard Training

Check in at 8am, program begins at 8:30am and ends at 3pm
Lunch is provided

This day-long training will cover a range of safety-related topics essential for arborists working near energized overhead power lines. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance that counts towards partial fulfillment of the OSHA and Z133 training requirements for arborists working 10 feet or closer to energized conductors. This workshop will NOT satisfy EHAP certification.
Cost:
General Public: $95
Member Rate: $80
Italian American Community Center
150 Frank DiMino Way
Rochester, NY 14624

April 25, 2026, 10am – 2pm: Olmstead Parks Arbor Day Celebration

10am – 2pm
Free to attendees
Meet with professional urban arborists and foresters
Live tree climbing

“This free, family-friendly event includes a tree planting and other demonstrations, along with tours of current tree care in the park. Learn about different aspects of tree care—planting, pruning, and climbing— and about the equipment used for tree care; meet with local tree care specialists; and even explore potential careers in urban forestry and arboriculture.” – Olmsted Parks Conservancy

April 2, 2026 – R9 Western NY ReLeaf Tree Care Safety Workshop

Check in at 8am, program begins at 8:30am.
Registration includes parking, coffee, and lunch.
Registration closes March 25, or when full.
Cost to attend:
Council and ReLeaf Members: $40
Non-members: $60
Buffalo Zoo
300 Parkside Ave.
Buffalo, NY 14214

March 9, 2026 – R5 Eastern Adirondacks Tree Pruning Workshop

PLEASE NOTE: As of 2/17, this event is currently at capacity.
Check in at 8:30am, program begins at 9am.
Free to attend, space is very limited.
Registration closes March 2, 2026 or when full.
SUNY Adirondack
Adirondack Hall Room 135
640 Bay Rd.
Queensbury, NY 12804

March 4, 2026 – R4 Capital Regional ReLeaf Tree Pruning Workshop

PLEASE NOTE: As of 2/2, this event is currently at capacity.
Check in at 8:30am, program begins at 9am.
Free to attend, space is very limited.
Registration closes February 25, 2026 or when full.
Education Center at the Sustainable Living Center – Central Park
180 PTL Arthur Chaires Ln.
Schenectady, NY 12309

October 23, 2025, 9am: Tree Planting Workshop.

Join the Western Adirondack and Leatherstocking Region ReLeaf Committee for a tree planting workshop! This half-day workshop will cover:
Choosing the right tree for the right place
Planting techniques
A tree planting demonstration
This workshop is free and will be held from 9 a.m. to 12 noon at the Village of Boonville offices, 13149 NY-12, Boonville, NY 13309. Registration in advance is required.

May 7, 2025, 9am: Aspects of Tree Inventory. Join NYC ReLeaf for a half day workshop on the different aspects of tree inventory. This will include learning about:

• The 2025 NYC Street Tree Census: how NYC Parks plans to inventory the city’s street trees for the fourth time
• The NYC Urban Forest Plan: how City Parks Foundation is organizing public input for the first ever NYC Urban Forest Plan
• LIDAR for tree canopy: how The Nature Conservancy is analyzing LIDAR data to evaluate NYC’s tree canopy
• Reinventorying natural areas: the latest results from Natural Areas Conservancy’s ecological assessment
• The NYC Housing authority’s efforts to inventory trees on their properties.

May 1, 2025, 9am: Electrical Hazard Awareness Training. This day-long training will cover a range of safety-related topics essential for arborists working near energized overhead power lines. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance that counts towards partial fulfillment of the OSHA and Z133 training requirements for arborists working 10 feet or closer to energized conductors. This workshop will NOT satisfy EHAP certification.

The workshop will cover:

• How electricity works and basic terminology,
• Recent incidents involving tree workers and electrical conductors,
• Current standards and regulations,
• Electrical hardware identification,
• Estimating nominal voltage and the importance of doing so, and
• Work practices to reduce exposure

April 11, 2025, 9am: Successful Tree Installation. Planting trees correctly is critical to their long-term health and survival. Join the Eastern Adirondack ReLeaf Committee for a full-day, hands-on tree planting workshop that will teach attendees best practices to help ensure their next tree planting project is a success.

The workshop will include:

• A presentation on the dig-safe practices outlined in the UDigNY Program;
• Information on how to select quality nursery stock;
• A demonstration showing best practices for planting three different types (bare root, ball and burlap, and container) of 1.5-inch caliper trees; and
• A tour of nearby village trees to discuss common issues caused by poor planning and planting practices.

January 22, 2025, 9am: Preparing for Planting. Join the Eastern Adirondack ReLeaf Committee for a half day workshop on planning to plant! Get ready for spring and Arbor Day by learning how to choose the right tree for the right place, how to find funding for planting trees, how to engage communities in tree plantings, and why tree inventories are an important part of preparing for planting.

December 11, 2024, 9am: Preserving Urban Trees. Throughout the urban forestry world, there is a great emphasis on tree planting to increase urban tree canopy. However preserving the trees that are already in the community is equally important for maintaining and growing our canopy. Mature trees provide the maximum benefits and are worth working to protect and save. Join us to learn about the Great Trees of NYC, how trees are protected in construction sites and in formal landscapes across the City and hear from volunteers who lead a local park conservancy and tend community gardens. We will also discuss New York’s new 25 Million Tree initiative and how it connects to forestry efforts across New York.

October 3, 2024, 8:30am to 2:30pm: Western NY (R9) Workshop. Described as “One part acrobat, one part expert rope climber, one part tree physiologist, and several parts competitor and thrill seeker” Mark Chisholm is well known in the climbing world. Mark has won the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) New Jersey Chapter Tree Climbing Championship 21 of the last 22 years and won the ISA International Tree Climbing Championship in 1997, 2001, and again in 2010. In this workshop, Mark will discuss and demonstrate climbing, rigging, and ropework. He’ll also cover tree physiology and the physics of working in trees. We’ll discuss basic chain saw maintenance and care. Join us for this climbing workshop you don’t want to miss!

June 13, 2024: Storm Response (R8) ReLeaf Workshop. Storm response is a challenge for communities across New York. In the first storm response workshop in 2023, we covered the broad overview of before, during, and after storms. In this second workshop, attendees will dive deeper into important aspects of storm response: physical and mental safety, the physics of damage trees, and a live demo of a hazard tree take down.

May 1-2, 2024: Electrical Hazard Awareness and First Aid (R8) Releaf Workshop. This day-and-a-half training will cover a range of safety-related topics essential for arborists working near energized overhead power lines. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance that counts towards partial fulfillment of the OSHA and Z133 training requirements for arborists working 10 feet or closer to energized conductors. This workshop will NOT satisfy EHAP certification.

May 10, 2024, 8:30am to noon: Changing Climate, Changing Forests (R2) Releaf Workshop. Join us for a stewardship-focused workshop to learn about a variety of topics, including beech leaf disease, urban trees and carbon, NYC Housing Authority tree projects, youth involvement in green careers, and the Woodlawn Arboretum. FREE.

May 14, 2024, 8:30am to 2pm: Tree Planting (R7) Releaf Workshop. This workshop will cover proper tree handling and planting techniques for bareroot, balled and burlapped, and containerized trees, as well as the tips, tricks, and pitfalls of each. Attendees will also learn about post-planting maintenance, including structural pruning, which helps ensure the best foundation for the long-term health and longevity of your community trees. $25 members, $30 general public.

April 2, 2024, 8:30am to after lunch: Responsibly Rooted (R5) Releaf Workshop. This workshop is for municipal leaders, community planners, and conservation-minded groups. Come learn about the resources available to your municipality or non-profit organization for optimizing community tree benefits and how taking action decreases hazards associated with passive urban forest management. FREE.

Trees of the Future (R2) ReLeaf Workshop November 17, 2023 8:30 am to noon. Join us to learn about up-and-coming news and research in urban forestry. Speakers include Green-Wood Cemetary, NYC Parks, New York Restoration Project, and The American Chestnut Foundation. FREE.

Storm Response: Before, During and After Western NY (R8/R9) ReLeaf Workshop November 2, 2023 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. Join NYS ReLeaf’s Western and Finger Lakes chapters for a workshop on Storm response: before, during, and after, the first of a two-part series on urban forestry storm response. The second part will be held in the spring on more in depth topics of storm response.

Tree Biology and ID Walk (R7) ReLeaf Workshop June 21, 2023 10am to noon. In this guided walk, Dr. Don Leopold will discuss basic tree biology and tree identification as he leads attendees around the 160-acre Oakwood Cemetery.

Day of Safety NY ReLeaf Workshop May 31 (Syracuse) OR June 1, 2023 (Capital District) 8am to 3:30pm. This workshop includes 3 stations attendees will rotate through to cover aerial lift safety, roadside work safety, and chainsaw safety.

Invasive Species in Urban Forestry (R8/R9) ReLeaf Workshop May 8, 2023 8:30am to 3pm. Speakers will discuss invasive species regulations, species that have invasive tendencies, and the important of diversity in urban forests from a nonprofit, industry, and statewide perspectives.