Presentations, Tours and Demonstrations:

·        Climate change is happening now!

·        Insect and Disease Response to Climate Changes

·        Tree Improvement Initiatives: Better Balsam, Koreans, 

     Hybrids

·        Selecting better parents for seed orchards

·        Cultural innovations: soil amendments, fertilizer, water

      management

  August 23 Friday – Burke Mountain Conference Room

                7:15 – 8:30 Continental Breakfast, Registration 

 8:30 – 9:00 Welcome – Mike Laine, Sherry Peele

 9:00 – 10:00 Dr. Richard Cowles, CT Agric. Expt. Station

           Climate Change and its Impacts on Conifers 2025-2050

10:00 - 10:30 Discussion and Break for coffee

10:30 – 11:15 Travel to Asack & Son Christmas Tree Farm and Nursery,

            1013 Leblanc Road, Barton VT 05822 (40 minutes)

11:15  - 11:30   Welcome to Asack & Son Tree Farm, Barton Vermont 

              11:30 – 1:30     Box Lunch and Tree Improvement Efforts in Vermont &

                                        Quebec with Bill Asack and Larry Downey

               1:30 – 4:30      Farm Tour – Better Trees Ahead - Asack’s Nursery and Seed

                                         Orchard

 Return to Burkle Mountain Hotel & CC  (40 minutes from Barton)

  6:00 – 7:30 Diner at Burke Mountain Conference Center

  7:00 – 7:30 Review agenda for Weir and Sons Farm tour

       August 24 Saturday - Burke Mountain Conference Room 

7:15 - 8:00 Continental breakfast – Burke Hotel & CC

8:00 – 9:00 Dr. Richard Cowles, -   CT Agric. Expt. Station

      Insects & Diseases as Climate Change Threaten Our Success

9:00 – 10:00 Trip to Weir’s Tree Farm, Nursery & Seed Orchard

679 E. Colebrook Road, Colebrook NH 03576 (1 hour +)

                         (Get map and directions at hotel and follow Bob White)

10:00 - 12:00 Tree Improvement Efforts in New Hampshire

Weir Family: History of Making Better Trees for now and the future

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch

                   1:00 - 3:00 Weir Farm Tour, Tree Farm and Seed Orchards

3:00   Last thoughts, Return to Burke Hotel, Home