Strategic Plan 2005-2009

Mission Statement:
Improving the understanding of trees and the practice of arboriculture.


Goals

1. Provide professional education for arborists.
2. Maintain a viable and vital organization that is responsive to member needs.
3. Support recruitment and development of a well-trained workforce.
4. Promote public awareness and understanding of trees and their care.
5. Promote compliance with recognized standards of arboricultural practices.
6. Support, stimulate, and communicate arboricultural research.
7. Develop relationships with organizations and policy makers to promote arboriculture.

Goal No. 1: Provide professional education for arborists.

A. Conduct educational seminars and meetings. (Program)

1. Continue existing meeting schedule (summer, fall, and annual conference with a Sunday workshop). (Program)
2. Create the opportunity for all interest groups, as defined by the directory, to be represented on the program committee. (Program)
3. Require the Program Committee to design meeting content to assure programs provide a minimum of 15 ISA continuing education units (CEUs) per year. (Program, Certification)
4. Identify and communicate a minimum of five training opportunities annually which carry ISA certification CEUs. (Program, Certification)
5. Identification of and response to educate members regarding potential insect/disease epidemics. (Program, Certification)

1. Provide newsletter on Web site. (Editorial) 

1. Provide members with the ISA’s list of publications and training materials at each conference and provide examples of this material. (Secretary) 

1. Conduct educational sessions to prepare for various certifications.

1. Survey needs and/or assess entire membership on biennial basis and evaluate results at the Board-of-Director (BOD) level. (Membership)
2. Publish survey results in newsletter following survey. (Membership)
3. Utilize survey results for continuous development of future needs and functions. (President)

1. Distribute and collect evaluation forms at all educational functions. (Program) 
2. Present and evaluate results at the BOD level; utilize for future planning (e.g., site, speakers, content, and conditions of site). (Program)

1. Evaluate and distribute orientation packet for new members. (Membership)
2. Develop orientation packet for new BOD/committee chairs to include such things as WAA history, contacts, job descriptions, and committee budgets. (Past President)

1. Develop and maintain budget and income projections for committees. (President, Treasurer)
2. Utilize independent accounting firm to assist in financial management. (President, Treasurer)
3. Evaluate dues structure on annual basis. (President)
4. Examine needs for additional database management. (President)

1. Provide attractive programs. (Program)
2. Develop activities for the cross-section of membership. (Program)
3. Update WAA directory and listing of certified arborists annually in March. (Editorial, Membership)
4. Increase student membership. (Membership)
5. Increase women and minority membership. (Membership)

1. Communicate and demonstrate benefits gained from ISA membership. (Membership)
2. Include ISA application in orientation packet. (Membership)
3. Encourage ISA to staff information booth at the conference. (Membership)

1. Call for volunteers via sign-up at conferences, in newsletter, or with annual nominations. (Program, Publicity)
2. Develop and implement a volunteer management system. (Past President)

a. Past President to connect and direct or link with volunteers.

1. Assign ad hoc committee. (President)

a. Conduct interviews with key figures on the evolution of WAA.
b. Review documents: archives, news articles, meeting notes, etc.

1. WAA board member on curriculum committees. (Ed. Advisor)
2. Promote internship opportunities. (Ed. Advisor)
3. Enhance scholarship opportunities to Wisconsin students. (Ed. Advisor)
4. Provide networking opportunities between students and professionals. (Ed. Advisor)
5. Form education committee chaired by Educational Advisor. (Ed. Advisor)

1. Explore partnership with Trees for Tomorrow. (Ed. Advisor)
2. Target high school biology and agriculture teachers with materials. (Ed. Advisor)
3. Participate in high school career days. (Ed. Advisor)

1. One-day regional seminars. (Program)
2. Focus summer workshop/climbing jamboree on basic arboriculture skills. (Program)
3. Provide WAA members electronic notification of pending training opportunities. (Program)
4. Promote safety training opportunities. (Program)
5. Explore with DNR Urban Forestry a multi-track, multiple-day, Urban Forestry Institute. (Program)

1. Provide four certification exam dates per year. (Certification)
2. Provide one certification update per newsletter. (Certification)
3. Market the value of certification to WAA members. (Certification)
4. Continue arborist certification test review at annual conference. (Certification)

1. Engage outside expertise (ISA, private, public) to develop a public relations plan.
2. Implement plan recommendations.

1. Sponsor and promote DNR poster contest. (Arbor Day)
2. Promote urban forestry LEAF program. (Editorial)
3. Promote Arbor Day. (Arbor Day)

1. Maintain certified arborist for hire list on WAA Web site. (Certification)
2. Develop and disseminate model RFP/contract standards for municipal tree work and encourage their use. (Ad Hoc)
3. Work with ISA to publicize new certified arborist classifications. (Publicity, Certification)

1. Continue “Day of Service.” (Publicity)
2. Proactively address emerging tree health threats, e.g., EAB. (Editorial, Program)
3. Offer fact sheet in newsletter for arborists to copy and hand out to the public. (Editorial)

1. Provide new members with a starter packet which references standards/best management practices (BMP) and how to obtain. (Membership)
2. Timely articles in the WAA newsletter on arboricultural standards and BMPs. (Legislative)
3. Provide updates/introductions of the new standards/BMPs at workshops and annual conference. (Program)

1. Provide a copy of WAA’s Code of Ethics in new member packets. (Membership)
2. Post WAA’s Code of Ethics on WAA Web site. (Web Site Committee)
3. Include WAA’s Code of Ethics in membership directory. (Editorial, Membership)
4. One article/presentation per year on ethics/case study. (Editorial, Program)

1. Communicate research results in WAA newsletter and Web site. (Editorial)
2. Wisconsin researcher grantee’s report at a WAA meeting. (Program)
3. Invite those from outside the chapter who are grant award winners to publish in newsletter and speak at meetings. (Editorial, Program)

1. WAA shall match up to $5,000 per research grant, up to $10,000 annual cap. TREE FUND grants to Wisconsin researchers, upon annual approval. (Research)
2. Meet ISA Chapter challenge goal. (Fund Raising, Tree Fund Liaison)
3. Develop fund-raising projects for the WAA TREE FUND account. (Fund Raising, Tree Fund Liaison)
4. Encourage other organizations to support tree research. (Research)

a. Meet annually with Dean of CALS, Extension, and UWSP College of Natural Resources. (Research)

5. Identify other funding sources and provide to researchers. (Research)

1. Survey WAA membership in 2005 and 2008 for research needs and report to membership. (Research)
2. Convene a working group of professionals to prioritize research needs. (Research)
3. Identify researchers who conduct urban forestry and arboriculture research. (Research, DNR Liaison)
4. Distribute ISA’s RFP and the list of research priorities to appropriate researchers annually. (Research)

1. Annually update list of key contacts of local government organizations and include on WAA mailing list (i.e., League of Municipalities, Wisconsin Towns Association, Wisconsin Alliance of Cities, and Wisconsin Counties Association, etc.).
2. Annually update list of key legislative committees, legislators, and staff, and contact as appropriate.
3. Annually update list of key administrators and policy makers at appropriate state agencies and university departments, and contact as appropriate. (Legislative)
4. Identify other organizations with similar issues as WAA and form partnership(s).

1. The policy/legislative liaison will work with the legislative, research, and membership committees and the BOD to develop a plan to communicate with federal, state, and institutional policy makers on items of importance (issues) to WAA (e.g., funding). (Legislative, Membership, Research, BOD)
2. The policy/legislative liaison will represent the WAA in communications and meetings with federal, state, and institutional policy makers as directed by the BOD. (Legislative, BOD)