CT Forest Health Symposium

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station
123 Huntington Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Time	Speaker	Topic
8:45-9:00	Coffee
9:00-9:05	Jason White, Ph.D. Director, CAES	Welcome
9:05-9:25	Eli Ward, Ph.D. Assistant Scientist and Forest Health Coordinator, CAES	Introductions, CAES Forest Health Updates
9:25-9:45	Andrea Urbano Private and Municipal Lands Program Supervisor, CT DEEP Forestry Division	DEEP Forestry Division updates
9:45-10:25	Chris Renshaw Fire Chief/Associate Director University Safety Fire Department, UConn	Wildfire preparedness in CT
10:25-10:40	BREAK
10:40-11:20	Chris Johnston Forester, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation	Oak wilt monitoring and management in New York
11:20-12:00	Jonathan Rosenthal and Radka Wildova, Ph.D. Ecological Research Institute	Monitoring and managing ash (MaMA) program
12:00-1:00	LUNCH (BYO - light snacks provided)
1:00-1:30	Alana Russell Forest Health Coordinator, RI Department of Environmental Management	Winter moth monitoring and management in Rhode Island
1:30-2:00	Rich Cowles, Ph.D. Scientist, CAES	Beech leaf disease management options
2:00-2:10	BREAK
2:10-2:30	Jack Hatajik Forest Health Technician, CAES	Tree regeneration and understory plant communities in the aftermath of emerald ash borer invasion
2:30-2:50	Susanna Keriö, D.Sc. Assistant Scientist, CAES	Chestnut blight biocontrol
2:50-3:10	Elena Karlsen-Ayala, Ph.D. Research Plant Pathologist, USDA Forest Service	Another day, another pathogen: Laurel wilt in the Northeast
3:10-3:30	Wrap-up

For accessibility assistance with the Office of Forest Health website and documents, please contact Eli Ward, Ph.D., Elisabeth.Ward@ct.gov.

Last Edited: April 6, 2026

Connecticut State The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station