EVENTS PROVIDING ISA CEUS

This list contains upcoming events that we are aware of and also includes courses that we know have been canceled as well. Nearly all of them provide opportunities to earn ISA CEUs that help you maintain your ISA certifications. While we may not have links for each event that direct you to specific registration information, we do try to provide contact information so you can learn more about the event. NOTE: Not all events listed are sponsored or co-sponsored by ISA Southern Chapter and the Chapter is not responsible for those events.

WEBINAR/EVENT OPPORTUNITIES Many of the event organizers and hosts listed below provide clear instruction for obtaining a CEU credit for attending a webinar. ISA policy currently provides that you must watch the content as a live webinar to earn a CEU through the pre-approval process established by the webinar developer and host. This typically means that you must pre-register for the webinar event, just like attending a workshop. Each webinar developer and host will have a different registration process. Read the instructions on their website carefully to insure that understand how to receive CEU credit.

If you know of opportunities we haven’t listed, you can email us and we’ll get it posted!

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS

August 12-14, 2025                 REGISTRATION IS CLOSED TRAQ 3-DAY COURSE FOR NEW APPLICANTS    City of Charlotte- General Services 701 Tuckaseegee Road Charlotte, NC 28208 Please read the “ISA TRAQ Application Guide” to be very clear about the full course prerequisites and renewal requirements and details about the credential and the courses. Applicants for the course must register 30 days prior to the session they plan to attend. Registration will close when class capacity is reached. Register early!! Additional information can be found on the ISA Southern Chapter website at https://www.isasouthern.org/traq-events  

August 21, 2025 Noon Eastern HOW NASA DEVELOP IS HELPING CLARKSVILLE RESPOND TO URBAN CANOPY LOSS WEBINAR Presenter: Katherine Killebrew Tennessee Urban Forestry Council (TUFC) is hosting this webinar. Clarksville, TN is experiencing rapid urban tree canopy loss due to development pressure, putting the city at greater risk of flooding, rising temperatures, and declining environmental quality. This webinar will highlight two NASA DEVELOP projects that used satellite-based Earth observations to assess the impact of canopy loss on stormwater management and urban heat island intensity. Fellows from the DEVELOP team will present their methods and findings, and Clarksville’s City Forester will share how the data is being used to inform public outreach, strengthen advocacy efforts, and guide local urban forestry planning and policy. Join us to explore how science and local action can work together to build a more resilient urban forest. Info and Registration HERE

August 26, 2025       3:30am-7:30pm Central ISA CERTIFIED ARBORIST, UTILITY SPECIALIST, MUNICIPAL SPECIALIST EXAM Faulkner County Extension Office
844 Faulkner Street
Conway, AR 72034

ISA Certified Arborist, Utility Arborist, and Municipal Specialist written exams are scheduled for Tuesday, August 26, 2025. Applicants for each exam must register by August 8, 2025 at the ISA website. If you’re new to ISA, you’ll need to create an ISA profile at creating or logging in to your ISA account. Registering for an exam includes 2 steps. First, you must complete an application for your selected credential. On your ISA profile, find the link “Apply for an ISA Certification” Complete the application for your selected credential. Second, once the application is submitted and approved by ISA, you can register for an exam. Be sure to submit your application well in advance of registering for an exam as it can take several weeks to get a submitted application approved.

September 10, 2025 8:30AM - 3:00pm (Eastern) PREPAREDNESS FOR THE NEXT NATURAL DISASTER STARTS NOW River Center at Saluda Shoals Park 5605 Bush River Roada Columbia, SC 29212 Trees SC has developed a great agenda for this one-day workshop. Topics include storm related planning, planting, and assessing trees pre and post storm. Info and Registration HERE

September 18, 2025 Noon Eastern COMMON TREE PESTS IN THE SOUTHEAST WEBINAR Presenter: Lee Rumble Tennessee Urban Forestry Council (TUFC) is hosting this webinar. This session will begin with an introduction to Plant Health Care (PHC) principles and then focus on identifying key insect and disease pests impacting trees in Tennessee and the surrounding region. While not diving deeply into entomological life cycles, Lee will highlight when these pests typically appear and share practical guidance on monitoring and management strategies. Whether you're a tree care professional or a curious land steward, this presentation will provide useful tools to support tree health through informed decision-making. Info and Registration HERE

September 26-27, 2025 (Fri-Sat) 8:00AM - 4:00pm (Central) TREE BIOMECHANICS WORKSHOP The Waterfront at Greenwood Community Park 13350 LA-19 Baton Rouge, LA 70714 Presenter: Frank Rinn and Andrew Lloyd, Ph.D. Plan to join the ISA Southern Chapter at this high-level workshop at The Waterfront in Greenwood Community Park.  The event is cosponsored by the Recreation and Park Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC); Louisiana Community Forests; Louisiana State University Ag Center, and Bayou Tree.   Consider attending if you are an arborist or someone with a keen interest in how trees grow, respond to stress, and how they fall apart!

This two-day event features some of the premier experts in the arboriculture world.  Frank Rinn is known for literally “writing the book” and “inventing the equipment” that practitioners use to understand tree decay, tree responses to decay, and organisms responsible for decay. Much of the tree biomechanics material used in professional credentials was developed by Frank. He regularly sells out the venue for his workshops. Andrew Loyd, Ph.D., is Plant Pathologist with Bartlett Tree Experts based out of Houston Texas.  With a focus on woody plant health management, he has research projects in multiple states with government, academic, and non-profit research collaborators. In addition to his research, Andrew provides technical support to Bartlett arborists in Arizona, Colorado, Louisiana, and Texas.  

Southern Chapter sponsored this event at the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina two years ago and ended up over-selling to accommodate demand. Be sure to register early. This event will sell out. 13 ISA CEUs are pending. Info and Registration HERE

September 30, 2025 9:00am - 4:00pm Eastern TRAQ RENEWAL VIRTUAL COURSE (on-line) Co-hosted event with ISA Southern, Texas, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa and Midwestern Chapters This is a virtual renewal option and is only available for those that already have the TRAQ credential and their expiration date occurs within 18 months prior to the date of this course. The course fee includes all fees for the course and exams. After you attend the course, ISA will send you information about completing the exam process. Please read “Virtual TRAQ Renewal Info for Candidates” to be very clear about the course prerequisites and renewal requirements and details about the credential and the courses. Applicants for the course must register 30 days prior to the session they plan to attend. Registration will close when class capacity is reached or 30 days prior to the class, whichever comes first. Register early!!

Only register for this course if you already have a current TRAQ credential and your TRAQ expiration date is after September 30, 2025. Do not register if your TRAQ credential will expire prior to the class date. Your eligible renewal window begins 18 months prior to your expiration date. Attending a renewal course and successfully completing the exams prior to your expiration date will result in five years being added to your current expiration date. 

If you register for a class date that occurs after your expiration date, you may not be notified of this mistake until 30 days prior to the course. Your registration will be cancelled and your registration fee will be refunded, less a $50 service fee.

This is the last TRAQ renewal course that will be offered.

Click HERE to Register for September 30, 2025 Renewal Course (Closes August 29 or when capacity of 40 is reached)

November 17-19, 2025 8:00AM - 5:00pm (Eastern) PRSCRIPTION PRUNING QUALIFICATION WORKSHOP - PPQ City of Charlotte Special Services Division 1105 Otts Street Charlotte NC 28205 Presenters: Dr. Ed Gilman and Nick Markley Developed by the Florida Chapter of ISA, the Prescription Pruning Qualification Workshop (PPQ) offers one-day and three-day options. The one day option for Producers (tree workers) offers clarity for tree workers that appreciate clear goals for each pruning task. The three-day course includes two days of training and demonstrations culminating in an exam. The successful candidate will receive the Prescription Pruning Qualification being recognized nationwide. You must be an ISA Certified Arborist to attend the qualification course. However, it is not required to attend DAY ONE ONLY.

This new pruning paradigm shifts the decision of which branches to prune from the production arborist that may be operating without a clear goal about the pruning job, to an informed prescriber. It establishes a protocol resulting in consistency between the arborist preparing the prescription and the production arborist. The PPQ credential, offered to three day class attendees, teaches you how to prescribe and perform pruning in accordance with industry standards and ISA’s BMP, which is supported by the latest research and experience.

TWO TRACKS ARE OFFERED:

  • PRODUCERS (Day One only; Nov 17) - ISA Certification not a prerequisite. This is a one-day session with extreme value for those who work in trees. Dr. Gilman provides attendees with an understading and appreciation of proper pruning based on clear goals and communication. Producer attendees receive a certificate of attendance. There is no exam.

  • PRESCIBERS (Day One, Two, and Three: Nov 17-19) - Must be an ISA Certified Arborist. Prescribers attend Day One and then return for Day Two and the review and exams on Day Three.  The second and third day of training focus on preparing pruning prescriptions using many examples which include outdoor exercises. This is an interactive program with many activities. There is a review and a multiple choice exam on the third day. Those passing the exam become PPQ Qualified through the Florida Chapter of ISA.

This course is a rising star in the arboriculture world. Plan to attend and register soon. We will reach capacity and sell out this course. Info and Registration HERE


November 19-20, 2025
PARTNERS IN COMMUNITY FORESTRY CONFERENCE Organized by the Arbor Day Foundation Hendersonville, Nevada
Our friends at the The Arbor Day Foundation are thrilled to announce that the 2025 Partners in Community Forestry Conference and partnering events will be held in Henderson, Nevada from November 19-20. Additional information HERE.

December 12, 2025       8:30am-12:30pm Eastern ISA CERTIFIED ARBORIST, UTILITY SPECIALIST, MUNICIPAL SPECIALIST EXAM Guilford County Extension Center
3309 Burlington Road
Greensboro, NC 27405

ISA Certified Arborist, Utility Arborist, and Municipal Specialist written exams are scheduled for Friday, December 12, 2025. Applicants for each exam must register by November 24, 2025 at the ISA website. If you’re new to ISA, you’ll need to create an ISA profile at creating or logging in to your ISA account. Registering for an exam includes 2 steps. First, you must complete an application for your selected credential. On your ISA profile, find the link “Apply for an ISA Certification” Complete the application for your selected credential. Second, once the application is submitted and approved by ISA, you can register for an exam. Be sure to submit your application well in advance of registering for an exam as it can take several weeks to get a submitted application approved.