Explore the forests that sustain us, and discover how we can help them thrive.

Join us for Rooted in Place: The Living Forest, an engaging day of conversation, learning and exploration focused on the remarkable ecological, cultural and community connections that make forests essential to our lives.

From carbon storage and climate resilience to tree health, forest management and the remarkable relationships between species, this symposium brings together ecologists, foresters, educators, and land stewards to explore what makes a forest a living, interconnected system and how we can become better stewards of it.

Whether you manage woodland, care for trees in your yard, work in conservation or simply love the forest, there will be something to discover.

Waldorf High School
6 Main St., Stockbridge, Mass. (parking available beside the Congregational Church)

Schedule

11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. | Forests, Carbon and Climate Change

Dr. Ali Kosiba will explore how forests play a vital role in mitigating climate change by capturing and storing carbon, from trees to soil. She will also discuss how climate change and other stressors affect forests and the essential benefits they provide, along with practical strategies we can use to support healthy, resilient forests. Ali is an Extension Assistant Professor at the University of Vermont, where she leads the UVM Extension Forestry Program. Her work integrates forest science, applied research, and Extension education to help landowners, foresters, and decision-makers understand the impacts of climate change and other stressors on forests and identify practical approaches to sustain forest health, function, and resilience. Her work focuses on climate adaptation, forest carbon science and management, forest health, and forest resilience. Ali serves as a regional educator on forest carbon science and management and is the state lead for the Vermont Forest Carbon Inventory. She is a licensed forester in Vermont and a Certified Forester by the Society of American Foresters.

Dana Bishop will share a case study on the use of trees in the context of climate change. As the Natural Resources and Woodlands Manager at Shelburne Farms, Dana oversees 400 acres of green-certified woodlands, planning for their sustainable use and health while balancing educational, commercial, recreational, and conservation goals. Her work includes managing the farm’s maple sugar operation, tree plantings and timber harvests, and monitoring forest health in collaboration with consulting foresters and other resource specialists. In 2024, she oversaw the creation of Marshall Woods and is helping evaluate the effectiveness of silvopasturing—the integration of trees, pasture, and livestock—as part of the nonprofit’s efforts to achieve net-zero carbon status. Dana holds a B.A. in Geology, Environmental Studies and Spanish from Cornell College and an M.S. in Rangeland Ecosystems Science from Colorado State University. She lives at the farm with her husband, Josh Carter, and their two sons, Leo and Eli.

12:15 to 1:15 p.m. | Still Standing: White Oak, a Living Symbol of Liberty and Legacy

Tom Worthley of UConn Extension will explore the past, present, and future contributions of white oak as a species to the history, culture, economy, and environment of southern New England.

As Associate Extension Professor, UConn Extension Forester Tom Worthley is examining the potential for wood product value recovery from roadside forest management. Working with non-traditional harvesting methods and local utilization scenarios, perhaps our roadside forests might also become “working lands,” generating local jobs and economic activity. In addition, economic benefits are anticipated with a more resilient power infrastructure and long-range through dramatic reductions in trimming schedules.

1:15 to 1:45 p.m. | Boxed Lunch

$15 per person

An email will be sent to all registrants with instructions for pre-paying for a boxed lunch.

1:45 to 3 p.m. | Breakout Sessions — Choose One

DCR Service Forestry
Pete Grima and Colin Mettey, State Service Foresters

With nearly 20 years of combined experience walking the forests of Berkshire County and helping private landowners make decisions about their woods, Pete Grima and Colin Mettey will explore some of the unique ecological attributes that make Berkshire forests such remarkable places.

They’ll highlight exciting projects involving everything from seedlings to pollinators and provide an overview of the Service Forestry Program, including Chapter 61. Ample time will be reserved for open-ended Q&A about forest management and other forest-related topics.

Tree Health Care
Ken Gooch, Forest Health Expert

Newly installed trees and shrubs can transform a landscape, but without proper care, some plants begin to struggle or fail to reach their full potential. Established trees can also be affected by multiple environmental and management stressors.

This workshop with Ken Gooch will discuss practical, proper methods for establishing and maintaining healthy trees and help participants better understand the factors that contribute to long-term tree health.

Forests for the Bees
Aliza Fassler, Doctoral Candidate Department of Environmental Conservation at the University of
Massachusetts Amherst

When we picture pollinator habitat many of us first think of a meadow or a pollinator garden. However, a growing body of research demonstrates the importance of forests for bees, wasps, and other wild pollinators. Come learn about the diversity of these fascinating insects, and why woody plants are important for pollinator habitats. Aliza Fassler will share her research on the effects of timber harvesting and pollinator habitat restoration on wild bees. Bring your curiosities about pollinator habitats and there will be time to look at pinned pollinator specimens up close.
 

3 to 4 p.m. | Closing Keynote

Coevolution: The Backbone of Ecosystem Resilience and Stability

Tom Wessels, terrestrial ecologist and professor emeritus at Antioch University New England, will close the symposium with an exploration of self-organization, coevolution and the forces that create stable and resilient ecosystems.

Tom founded the master’s degree program in Conservation Biology at Antioch University New England. His interests span forest, desert, alpine, and arctic ecosystems, as well as geomorphology, evolutionary ecology, complex systems science, and the intersection of landscape and culture.

His books include Reading the Forested Landscape, The Granite Landscape, Untamed Vermont, The Myth of Progress, Forest Forensics, and Granite, Fire, and Fog: The Natural and Cultural History of Acadia. For more than three decades, Tom has led workshops on ecology and sustainability throughout the United States.

In his keynote, Tom will examine how coevolution and self-organization work together to create stable and resilient ecosystems. Driven by energy efficiency, coevolution continually pushes organisms toward more mutually beneficial relationships between species, resulting in greater ecosystem stability and resilience.

The principles of coevolution also offer a compelling model for building more stable and resilient human communities.

For Arbor Professionals: if you would like CEU credits (4.5 CEUs ), you will need to share with us the following information:

• Email address:
• CEUID # NE-26-194
• Event Completion Date
• ISA Certification #

Join Us

Rooted in Place is more than a symposium; it’s a call to action for how we engage with the land and with each other. Come learn, connect, ask questions, and discover new ways to help the forests around us thrive.

Thank you to our 2026 Rooted in Place sponsor!