This ISA Prep Course is a program that provides training to prospective arborists, landscape professionals, municipal workers and members of the public who are interested in receiving the International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist credential. Weekly lectures will be taught by guest speakers and will cover the items on the ISA Certification Exam. The cost of the course also includes a copy of the Arborist Certification Guide.

Registration Deadline - Friday, February 20th at 10AM

Program Design

The ISA Prep Course will be a 5-part program and will be available both in person at CCE Onondaga (6505 Collamer Rd, East Syracuse NY 13057) or virtually via zoom.

The interactive lecture schedule is below:

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Session 1: Soil Science, Tree Biology and Tree ID

February 25th, 2026 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Tree ID

Time: 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Speaker: Vincent Drzewucki

Credentials: Vincent Drzewucki brings a wealth of experience to the field of horticulture and urban forestry. Now working part-time in retirement, he previously served as a dedicated Horticulture and Urban Forestry Educator with the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County.

Topics to be discussed:

• Taxonomy and nomenclature
• Characteristics and how they can be used to identify trees
• Leaf arrangement, leaf shape and leaf margins

Tree Biology

Time: 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Speaker: Dr. Rebecca Hargrave

Credentials: ISA Certified Arborist and TRAQ, Professor of Dendrology at SUNY Morrisville, MS in Urban Forestry

Topics to be discussed:

• Structure and function of buds, leaves, trunk and roots
• Basic composition of a tree’s vascular system
• Roots and mycorrhizae
• Processes of photosynthesis and respiration
• CODIT

Soil Science

Time: 4:00 pm -5:00 pm

Speaker: Jen Gilbert Jenkins

Credentials: Dr Gilbert Jenkins earned a B.S. degree in Environmental Studies from SUNY Buffalo in 1999. She then taught as an environmental educator at the Mohonk Preserve in New Paltz, NY for two years. In 2003 Dr Gilbert Jenkins completed a M.S. degree in Natural Resource Management and Engineering: Water at UConn in Storrs, CT. She then earned her PhD in Environmental Soil Chemistry from the University of Delaware in 2008. Before coming to SUNY Morrisville in 2015, Dr Gilbert Jenkins taught at Villanova University and the Westtown School. Current Morrisville students note that Dr Gilbert Jenkins’ door is always open and she always has chocolate to share. Dr Gilbert Jenkins diverse research interests include soil health and agricultural sustainability, urban food production, and fertility requirements for grain and fiber hemp production as well as hemp for phytoremediation. Dr Gilbert Jenkins includes components of her research interests in all of her courses, as well as supporting many student led research projects.

Topics to be discussed:

• Soil texture and structure, and how it affects water movement
• Relationship of soil moisture, absorption and root growth
• pH, CEC and buffering capacity

Session 2: Water, Nutrition, Installation & Establishment

March 4th, 2026 from 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Installation & Establishment - VIRTUAL ONLY

Time: 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

Speaker: Laura Grant

Credentials: Laura Grant is an ISA Certified Arborist, credentialed since 2018, with extensive experience in arboriculture, urban forestry, and tree health assessment. She currently serves as a Professor of Plant Science at SUNY Morrisville, where she teaches courses in botany, integrated pest management, and applied plant sciences. Laura’s professional background includes consulting arboriculture, native and invasive species management, and research on urban forest resilience. In this arboricultural preparation course, she will focus on the principles and practices of successful tree establishment, with an emphasis on science-based decision-making and real-world field application.

Topics to be discussed:

• Techniques/procedures used to plant trees
• Various types of planting stock and how to properly plant each type
• Requirements of newly transplanted trees

Nutrition – VIRTUAL ONLY

Time: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Speaker: Kelly Hennigan

Credentials: Associate Professor of Animal & Plant Sciences at SUNY Morrisville

Topics to be discussed:

• Essential tree nutrients and how they are absorbed
• Reasons for fertilizing urban trees and types of fertilizer to be used
• Problems associated with excessive fertilization

Session 3: Safety, Climbing, Cabling & Lightning Protection

March 11th, 2026 from 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Safety, Climbing, Cabling & Lightning Protection

Time: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Speaker: Mark Keating

Credentials: With over 6 years experience in the tree care industry, being a forester for NYS DEC, and a SUNY Morrisville Alum–BT Environmental & Natural Resource Management, Mark has truly committed to his love of nature and preservation of the environment. He is an ISA Certified Arborist and Certified Tree Care Safety Professional currently utilizing this skill set as Safety & Production Manager at Walker Tree Care, Inc. He is also an avid reader and enjoys hiking, attending hockey games at Colgate University, and traveling with his family in his spare time.

Topics to be discussed:

• Appropriate safety standards for tree care operations
• Personal protective equipment and proper work zone procedures
• Potential hazards associated with working close to electric conductors
• Proper chainsaw procedures
• Safety equipment for climbing and working in trees
• Tree climbing techniques
• Principles of rigging and equipment needed

Session 4: Pruning, Diagnosis and Plant Healthcare

March 18th, 2026 from 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Diagnosis and Plant Health Care

Time: 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm

Speaker: Michael Mahanna

Credentials: Mahanna has been an ISA Certified Arborist for over 30 years. He is a retired professor at Hamilton College who now teaches courses at Hamilton Arboretum.

Topics to be discussed:

• Causes of plant disorders
• Steps in diagnosis
• Diagnostic tools
• Insects and diseases
• Abiotic problems
• Treatment

Pruning

Time: 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Speaker: Jeanne Grace

Credentials: ISA Certified Arborist and TRAQ, Forester for City of Ithaca

Topics to be discussed:

• Pruning objectives
• How trees respond to pruning
• Defining branch collar, branch size and branch protection zone
• Procedures and techniques used in pruning

Session 5: Tree Risk Assessment, Construction & Urban Forestry

March 23rd, 2026 from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Tree Risk Assessment

Time: 11:00 am – 12:00 pm

Speaker: Leanna Nugent

Credentials: ISA Certified Arborist and TRAQ, MS in Urban Forestry

Topics to be discussed:

• Tree risk assessment procedures (conditions associated with tree failure)
• How decay contributes to tree failure
• How tree risk can be mitigated
• Duty of an arborist when assessing tree condition

Construction

Time: 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Speaker: Jeffrey Romano

Credentials: ISA Certified Arborist, Forestry Technician for Syracuse Parks

Topics to be discussed:

• How trees can be injured or killed by construction
• Arborist role in planning and preventing tree damage
• Techniques used to preserve trees
• Treatment of trees damaged by construction

Urban Forestry

Time: 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

Speaker: Deborah Hilbert

Credentials: Professor of Urban Forestry, SUNY-ESF

Topics to be discussed:

• Environmental, economic, aesthetic and social benefits of trees
• The role of an urban forester
• How to plan and conduct a tree inventory
• Components of an urban forestry management plan

**ISA Credits have been approved. CNLP Credits are pending.

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Cost of Program:

Sessions 1, 3, and 5 cost $139 and sessions 2 and 4 cost $99. The cost to register for all 5 sessions is $629 and includes a copy of the Arborist Certification Guide ($100 value).

The minimum age to participate is 18 years old.

If you have any questions, please contact Leanna at lwn5@cornell.edu

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