3rd Annual Regional Urban Forestry Conference
Talking Trees: Understanding Our Urban Forests
Regional Urban Forestry Conference
Join us for the 3rd Annual Regional Urban Forestry Conference, where experts, community leaders, and industry professionals come together to explore the latest science, real-world applications, and emerging trends in urban forestry across Texas.
This year’s conference will provide a comprehensive look at the state of our tree canopy—from the soil to the sky—highlighting its role in public health, climate resilience, and military mission readiness. Attendees will gain insights from research and case studies while diving into local data and real-world conservation efforts happening right here in the San Antonio region. From community-driven initiatives to large-scale climate mitigation at a local military base, this conference offers a critical look at the challenges and solutions shaping our urban forest.
8:30- 9 am: Registration/ Breakfast/Welcome
9:00 – 9:50 am: Bacterial Leaf Scorch: Lessons learned from the grape vineyard can inform us about BLS in trees (Dr. David Appel, Texas A&M Emeritus)
Break
10:00 – 10:50 am: Emerging Threats to the Urban Forest (Demian Gomez – Texas A&M Forest Service Regional Forest Health Coordinator)
Break
11:00-11:50 am (Rachel Sarlls – Woodland Ecologist I, Texas Forest Service)
12:00-1:00 pm: Lunch (Provided)
12:15 -12:45 pm Tour of Phil Hardberger Park
1:00 – 1:45 pm: A Hotter and Drier Texas: Implications for Health and Well-Being (Dr. Vanessa Parks – Sociologist; Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School)
Break
2:00 – 2:30 pm: Hill Country Alliance, Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape Partnership (Daniel Oppenheimer – Land Program Director Hill Country Alliance)
2:30 – 3:00 pm (Travis Jez, Natural Resources Specialist, Texas Department of Transportation)
Break
3:15- 4:00 pm: Panel Discussion
