Mark your Calendars! The 2012 Ohio Tree Care Conference & Trade Show returns to the Hyatt Regency in downtown Columbus February 26-28. This year’s theme is "Our Trees ... Our Future.”

Keynote speaker Dr. Ed Gilman, from the University of Florida, will present his talk entitled Moving Forward with Science-Based Arboriculture: New Developments in Tree Care. Arboriculture is rapidly changing as experience and research develop new approaches. There is more information than ever to sift through. Ed will cut to the chase so you can bring home the latest practices from around the world.

Ed will present a second talk, Using Tree Biomechanics to Provide the Very Best to Your Customers, Really!, on Monday, February 27. You will leave this session with the ability to explain biomechanics to your customers without using big, long words and without equations.

Featured on Sunday, February 26, is the half-day workshop conducted by Ed, Transforming Our Urban Forest by Making the Cuts that Count. Do you sometimes wonder how to prioritize your pruning? What should you prune? What can you ignore? You will leave this workshop with an understanding of what, why and how to prune for structure and how to get it all done. There will be lots of case studies spanning 10 to 20 years and the research to back it up. Come watch tree structure change for the better so you can provide the very latest to your customers.

Returning this year center stage in the trade show area is the Climbers’ Corner. Watch three-time international climbing champion Mark Chisholm, of STIHL, and Todd Kramer, of Kramer Tree Specialists, scale the 15-ft demo tree as they provide valuable tips no climber should miss.

Other speakers in this year’s lineup include recognizable names such as Jason Grabosky (Rutgers University), Alex Satel (UFI, Inc.), Vic Merullo (Merullo, Reister & Swinford) and many others.

Browse the many vendor booths at the "Lunch with Exhibitors” event on Monday, February 27, 12:00 noon – 1:30 pm. Don’t miss the hearty lunch buffet and a chance to get those great vendor deals.

Also returning in 2012 is the TREE Fund Silent Auction. What better way to take home some incredible auction items while supporting a great cause – research and education in arboriculture and urban forestry. The silent auction begins Monday morning and closes at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, February 28. Winners will be announced Tuesday afternoon. All proceeds benefit the TREE Fund.

This year the Annual Meeting is moving to a breakfast on Tuesday morning beginning at 8:00 am. Don’t miss the breakfast buffet and a chance to learn what’s new in the Chapter and who will take home a Chapter award.