Nine Industry Leaders Chosen by the International Society of Arboriculture as 2017 “Awards of Distinction” Recipients

News provided by

The Ritterbusch Group

Jul 30, 2017, 19:00 ET


Champaign, Illinois (PRWEB) July 30, 2017 -- The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), an international leader in research, education, and the promotion of professional arboriculture, recognized nine recipients for the 2017 Awards of Distinction, sponsored by Bartlett Tree Experts.

The Awards of Distinction were presented Sunday, July 30, during the opening ceremony of the ISA’s 93rd Annual International Conference and Trade Show, held in Washington, D.C. The 2017 winners include:

  • Rex Bastian — Award of Merit (Wheeling, Illinois, United States)
  • Zhu Ning — Alex. L. Shigo Award for Excellence in Arboricultural Education (Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States)
  • Star Huang — Sharon J. Lilly Award of Achievement (Taichung, Taiwan)
  • Jon Hickey, Sr. — Honorary Life Membership (North Massapequa, New York, United States)
  • Andrew Koeser — R.W. Harris Author’s Citation (Wimauma, Florida, United States)
  • Susan Day— L.C. Chadwick Award for Arboricultural Research (Blacksburg, Virginia, United States)
  • de Gourét Litchfield — Millard F. Blair Exceptional Contribution to Practical Arboriculture Award (Ballingslöv, Sweden)
  • Anders Nielsen — Early-Career Scientist Award (Silkeborg, Denmark)
  • Bamidele Folorunsho Oni — Honorary ISA Membership (Abeokuta, Nigeria)

“This year’s award winners showcase the international community of arboriculture and ISA,” said Michelle Mitchell, ISA board president. “These men and women dedicate their lives to expanding the global network of arboriculture and disseminating educational information around the world.”

Some highlights of this group’s accomplishments include:

  • Dedicated to teaching and training arborists for more than 20 years (Bastian)
  • Instrumental in expanding arboriculture education in the U.S. and China (Ning)
  • Established the Forest Disease Information Center in Taiwan and encouraged the passing of the Tree Protection Chapter to regulate the inventory, protection, and management of forests in Taiwan (Huang)
  • Committed arboriculture career spans six decades (Hickey)
  • Identified a need for identification guide books for Florida trees; now writing his third publication (Koeser)
  • Conducts research to help urban forest managers find practical information that will help improve tree health and canopy cover in urban environments. (Day)
  • Opened the first tree care company in Sweden and began offering courses in practical arboriculture and climbing Litchfield)
  • Impacted the development of new urban forests in Denmark (Nielsen)
  • Founded Green Impact International, a non-government organization in Nigeria, focusing on climate change sensitization outreach (Oni)

“We continue to provide our support to the Awards of Distinction because of the true difference individuals like these make – not only within our industry, but even more importantly, for the betterment of our communities and urban forests,” added Robert Bartlett Jr., chairman and CEO of Bartlett Tree Experts. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients and thank you to all those who work tirelessly to advance the field of arboriculture.”

ISA, an organization of more than 30,000 members and credential holders worldwide, has been honoring members and industry professionals with the Awards of Distinction since 1963. This year’s categories recognize candidates in such areas as research, education, and advancing the best practices of proper tree care in the industry. The winners are selected by the ISA Awards Committee, a diverse group of experts in arboriculture including university professors, commercial and utility arborists, company owners, and trainers. After selection, award recipients and are approved by ISA’s Board of Directors.

ABOUT ISA
The International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), headquartered in Champaign, Ill., U.S., is a nonprofit organization supporting tree care research and education around the world. To promote the importance of arboriculture, ISA manages the consumer education web site, http://www.treesaregood.org, which fulfills the association’s mission to help educate the public about the importance and value of proper tree care. Also, as part of ISA’s dedication to the care and preservation of shade and ornamental trees, it offers the only internationally-recognized certification program in the industry. For more information on ISA and Certified Arborists, visit http://www.isa-arbor.com

ABOUT BARTLETT TREE EXPERTS
The F.A. Bartlett Tree Expert Company was founded in 1907 by Francis A. Bartlett and is the world’s leading scientific tree and shrub care company. The organization’s current chairman, Robert A. Bartlett Jr., represents the third generation of Bartlett family management. Bartlett has locations in 27 U.S. states, Canada, Ireland, and Great Britain. Services include pruning, insect and disease management, fertilization and soil care, cabling and bracing, tree lightning protection systems, and tree and stump removal. Its corporate offices are located in Stamford, Connecticut. To find out more, visit the company’s web site at http://www.bartlett.com or call 1-877-BARTLETT (227-8538)

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Julie Gaier, The Ritterbusch Group, +1 (262) 786-5970, [email protected]