Just got back from the International Tree Conference in St. Louis, Missouri. The International Tree Climbing Championship was held the same weekend in Forest Park. Next to me in this photo is 2008 World Champion Tree Climber Josephine Hedger of the United Kingdom. Ms. Hedger also broke her own world record on Saturday, July 26th in the Secured Footlock event.
While I was at the conference I attended a talk on the post-civil war reconstruction efforts in downtown Beirut, Lebanon. And I thought we put our trees under stress in South Texas! Dr. Sillett gave a great talk on the 3-year study he conducted on the characteristics of the tallest trees Sequoia sempervirens and Eucalyptus regnans. Also attended--as an invited guest, not as a committee member--the ISA Hispanic Committee meeting, presided over by Eduardo Medina. I also went to the Women In Arboriculture Luncheon.
While I was in town, I briefly got to see my parents and some of my siblings, nieces and nephews. It just so happened I was free to celebrate my niece Julianne's birthday!