All About Trees – The 2025 Class is full.

Check back next year for the 2026 Class

 

The Front Royal/Warren County Tree Stewards are happy to announce that we have changed the format for our acclaimed “All  About Trees” course. The Tree Stewards have been holding an annual class for residents and future Tree Stewards for over 20 years. After the pandemic and the trend toward online learning we wanted to make it easier for participants to learn the course material at their own pace, get plenty of hands-on field training, for a very low cost.  Education is a primary piece of our mission.

Our 2025 All About Trees Program will have Online & In-Person Field Classes.

In-Person Classes are on Saturdays, Sept. 6 to Oct. 18, 2025, usually from 9am – 12noon.
Reading and Video assignments are at your convenience.
Course Fee: $30 (includes all classes) Tuition assistance is available.

How do I complete the Course for Certification?

  • Register:
    • Register online and pay with Paypal
    • OR Mail in form and payment (Printable Registration Form)
  • Download the Trees Virginia “Tree Steward Training Manual” as your guide and for your reading assignments. The PDF will open and you can save it to your computer or print it as desired. https://www.treesvirginia.org/images/pdfs/Tree-Steward-Training-Manual.pdf
  • Read the assignments and watch video classes as listed below. PLEASE NOTE: The class schedule is still being finalized.
  • Attend in-person field classes to learn hands on.

2025 All About Trees Schedule

Day / Time*Class LocationReading Assignments**Video Assignments
September 6
Saturday

9am to
12 noon
• Welcome

• Tree ID Walk with Connor Goolsby, Natural Resources Specialist, Loudon County
Burrell Brooks Park
450 East Criser Road
Front Royal
(Next to Samuels Library)
• Unit 1 – Tree Anatomy
• Unit 4 -Tree Identification
How Trees Grow; Tree Roots & Shoots
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faSvimwltaE&t=11s
September 13
Saturday

10am
Guided tour of Birdsong Pleasure Garden in LurayDirections will be provided• Unit 3 – Environmental Factors Affecting Trees
• Unit 9 -Invasive Species in Virginia
Tool Care & Safety
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
Sb1B_5NkFHE&t=186s
September 20
Saturday
9am to 12 noon
• Hands on Pruning with Ron Perlik, ISA Certified ArboristLocation to be determined• Unit 7 – Tree Pruning
• Unit 8 -Tree Problems & Diagnosis
An Approach to Pruning: Dr. Ed Gillman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHt3ym3F7Kc    (forward to 5 minutes to get to start of program)

Healthy Trees, Healthy Cities: Pruning
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1wVL5InBxM
September 27
9am to
12 noon
Conifer Id with Carrie Whitaker, ArboristBlandy Arboretum• Unit 3 – Environmental Factors Affecting Trees
• Unit 5 -Tree Selection
Right Tree, Right Place
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDMTfB9bsLc
October 4
9:30 am to
12 noon
Tour of Veatch’s
Gleann Arboretum
with Beverly Veatch,
owner
Veatch’s Gleann
604 Moores Ford Rd
Strasburg
Directions will be
emailed
Unit 2 – Tree PhysiologyTree Life Functions: Soil & Water
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZksgSxmib8&t=18s
October 11
10am to 5pm
Pick a 1 hour slot to fit your schedule
• Fall Festival of Leaves
• Join the Tree
Stewards at our booth to participate and observe.
Downtown Front Royal,
Main and Chester Streets
Unit 10 – Trees and
People in the Community
Trees in the Community; Trees & People
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
HG6pEssOB_Q&t=8s
October 18
9am
• Planting of Class Tree led by Vinny Resch,  ISA Certified ArboristLocation to be determined Unit 6 – Tree Planting
and Care
Tree Planting & Care
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j
pyxuLvmG0A

Click here for a printable course schedule.

*All Classes are on Saturday from 9am to noon unless noted.
**All reading assignments are from the Tree Stewards All About Trees Manual unless noted.

All About Trees is based on the Trees Virginia “Tree Steward Manual,” developed by the Virginia Urban Forest Council. Supplemental videos for each unit are available here.   Tree Steward Training Videos

When the course material is complete you will receive a certificate.  We invite you to consider joining the Tree Stewards a few hours a month to maintain the beautiful parks, street trees and green spaces where we all live and play.

Tree Identification Video with Karen Snape, Extension Forester