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2024 North Jersey Ornamental Horticulture Symposium

January 9-11, 2024
A man operating a Cady Traffic Simulator. A tree in bloom. A suburban house with a front lawn.

For the 63rd year, a team of Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) Cooperative Extension County Agriculture and Natural Resources Agents will be sponsoring the North Jersey Ornamental Horticulture Symposium. We are pleased to be returning to the County College of Morris for day long in-person sessions for 2024!

These educational programs are aimed at professionals in the green industry and feature speakers who are leading experts from Cooperative Extension, state government, and private industry.

The Symposium has three sessions: Turf Day, Tree Day, and Landscape Day. Please register for each session you would like to attend. NJ Pesticide Applicator recertification credits will be offered for each session of the program.

ISA, NJLTE, and NJUCF credits have been requested for the Tree Day program. Two ProFact Fertilizer Applicator recertification units will be offered for the Turf Day program.

Schedule

Turf Day | Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Time Event
9 a.m. Threshold-based Weed Control Strategies for School and Municipal Grounds
Brad Park
Laboratory Researcher, Sport Turf Research and Education
Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension
10 a.m. Soil Health and Fertilization of Turf
Dr. James Murphy
Extension Specialist in Turfgrass Management
Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension
11 a.m.

Cool-Season Turfgrass Diseases and Control Strategies
Dr. Ming-Yi Chou
Assistant Extension Specialist in Turfgrass Pathology
Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension

12 Noon Lunch Break
1:15 p.m.

The Nuts and Bolts about Effective and Safe Use of Turf Insecticides
Dr. Albrecht Koppenhöffer
Extension Specialist in Turfgrass Entomology
Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension

2:15 p.m. Pesticide CORE Training: Could you Pass this Fitness Test?

Madeline Flahive DiNardo
Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent
Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension of Union County

3:15 p.m.

Program Evaluation and NJDEP Pesticide Credits
You must be present for the entire program to be eligible for NJDEP Pesticide Credits and NJ Pro-FACT credits.
NJ Pro-FACT Credits: 2 units.
NJDEP credits awarded: CORE – 2 units, Category 1A – 4 units, Category 3B – 6 units, Category 10 – 6 units, Category 13 – 2 units, PP2 – Private Applicator Category: 4 units

Tree Day | Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Time Event
9 a.m. Key Steps for Long-Term Management of Beech Leaf Disease (BLD) & Spotted Lanternfly (SLF)
Jean Epiphan
Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent
Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension of Morris County
10 a.m. Foundations in Tree Risk Assessment - Fundamentals You Should Know

Wayne Cahilly
Owner/Operator
Cahilly’s Horticultural Services

11 a.m. 2023 Dead Tree Update: The View from The Plant Diagnostic Lab

Rich Buckley
Director, Rutgers Plant Diagnostic Laboratory
Rutgers NJAES

12 Noon

Lunch Break

1:15 p.m.

Pesticide Storage and Spills: Best Management Practices for Minimizing Risk
Patricia Hastings
Pesticide Safety Education Program Coordinator for NJ
Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension

2:15 p.m. Protection of Tree Root Zones and Construction Damage: How many roots would be too much?
Dr. Jason Grabosky
Extension Specialist in Urban Forestry
Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension
3:15 p.m.

Program Evaluation and NJDEP Pesticide Credits

You must be present for the entire program to be eligible for NJDEP Pesticide Credits

NJDEP Credits Awarded: CORE-2 units, Category 2-4 units, Category 3A-6 units, Category 6B-4 units, Category 8C-4 units, Category 9-2 units, Category 10-4 units, PP2-4 units.
LTE/LTCO: 5 CEUs
NJUCF: 5 credits
ISA: Certified Arborist-5 units, Municipal Specialist-5 units

BCMA-Science: 2 units
BCMA-Practice: 2 units
BCMA-Management: 1 unit
Landscape Day | Thursday, January 11, 2024
Time Event
9 a.m. Foundational Steps to Woody Plant IPM: Proper Planting, Mulching, and Maintenance to Reduce Plant Stress and Disease
Jean Epiphan
Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent
Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension of Morris County
10 a.m.

Exotic Invasive Insect Pests and Recommendations for Controlling Them
Steve Rettke
Field Coordinator of the Rutgers Greenhouse/ Nursery IPM Programs
Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension

11 a.m. Key Pests to Watch for in 2024
Rich Buckley, Director
Plant Diagnostic Lab
Rutgers NJAES Coopeatrive Extension
12 Noon Lunch Break
1:15 p.m. Regulations That Affect Landscape Contractors
Steve Bross
Environmental Specialist
NJ Department of Environmental Protection  
2:15 p.m. Using Native Plants in Low Maintenance Landscapes
Bill Errickson
Agriculture and Natural Resource Agent for Monmouth County
Rutgers NJAES Cooperative Extension
3:15 p.m. Program Evaluation and NJDEP Pesticide Credits
You must be present for the entire program to be eligible for DEP Pesticide Credits.
NJDEP Credits Awarded: CORE-2 units, Category 3A-8 units, Category 8C-8 units, Category 9-2 units, Category 10-6 units, PP2-8 units.

Rutgers Cooperative Extension is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. For information regarding special needs or accommodations please contact your local county extension office. Contact the State Extension Director's Office if you have concerns related to discrimination, 848-932-3584.