Growing Gold. Education Days at Cal Poly
San Luis Obispo 2026
Thank you to everyone who joined us for two days of engaging classroom and outdoor learning focused on the latest advances in young tree care. Developed by the Urban Forest Institute (UFI) and leading urban forestry experts, a new collection of bilingual – English and Spanish language – educational resources and videos is now available, covering best practices from nursery production through early landscape establishment.
These free resources are designed to extend the impact of the conference well beyond those two days helping arborists apply current research and best practices in their own communities. To access this information and instructional videos, visit the Urban Forest Institute’s website – Growing Gold.
Hosted by WCISA, proceeds from this event will support future research and education through The Britton Fund.
Learning directly from Ed Gilman, Brian Kempf, Matt Ritter, and Jenn Yost was an invaluable experience for our team. We are walking away with a deeper understanding of early tree care and are eager to apply these practices to cultivate healthier, more resilient urban forests in our own communities. Thank you again for this wonderful opportunity and for your ongoing investment in arboriculture education.
Cristina Basurto, Urban Forestry Project Manager, North East Trees
Educational Materials & Video Series for Young Tree Care
High-quality, accessible training materials are vital to cultivating healthy, resilient trees in our communities. To support this need, The Britton Fund has partnered with the Urban Forest Institute (UFI) and a team of leading urban forestry experts to develop a new suite of bilingual (English and Spanish) educational tools focused on young tree care — from nursery production to early establishment in the landscape.
Program Overview
Urban forestry professionals consistently benefit from clear, practical resources that distill decades of research into easy-to-use formats. This funded project supports the creation of two major educational products:
- Updated Tree Care Cue Cards
- Originally developed in 2010 by Brian Kempf and Dr. Ed Gilman, the cue cards are pocket-sized, quick-reference guides designed for growers, arborists, landscape designers, and field crews.
- The cards cover essential topics such as root management, species selection, planting, structural pruning, and early tree care.
- UFI is updating the text, illustrations, and design to reflect current best practices and reprinting them in both English and Spanish.
- Additional topics may be added as the project progresses.
- Short Instructional Videos
- A companion series of five 10-minute videos will visually demonstrate best practices that are often easiest to learn through live demonstration.
- Hosted on YouTube to ensure free, wide access, these videos will feature respected voices in nursery production and arboriculture, including Ed Gilman, Brian Kempf, Dave Teuschler, Andy Trotter, and other invited experts.
- Topics include developing high-quality nursery stock, selecting the right tree for the right place, early pruning and establishment, and collecting data for effective urban forest management.
Project Partners
The effort is led by UFI’s Brian Kempf, and Drs. Ed Gilman, Matt Ritter, Jenn Yost, working in collaboration with an advisory group of urban forestry and nursery specialists including CAL FIRE’s Urban and Community Forestry Program. Tasks include content development, expert coordination, graphic design, videography, filming logistics, printing, and distribution.
Timeline
- Planning and content review: 2024–2025
- Filming: September 2025 through Spring 2026
- Post-production and completion: Summer 2026
- A regional event in San Luis Obispo: Held on August 11-12, 2026.
Funding
With your donation, this project is supported by The Britton Fund alongside funding from the U.S. Forest Service and CAL FIRE. Your contribution is an investment in our profession and will bring these essential resources to life – benefiting arborist, tree-care professionals, and communities across the west and beyond.
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