Overview (All sessions)

Great landscapes don’t begin with a shovel—they begin in the mind. In this dynamic 2-part session, award-winning designer Kevin O’Brien draws on 30 years of professional experience to reveal how bold creativity transforms constraints into signature opportunities that set you apart in a crowded marketplace. Through a curated slideshow of projects, Kevin guides you deep into real-world case studies where difficult environments became the catalyst for innovation:  

Join Kevin Frank for a discussion of possible options for low input lawns, and recent research on topics that have made the popular news feed, such as No Mow May and lawncare inputs. 

New technologies, using massive datasets and machine-learning algorithms, are increasingly common in urban forestry. Yet, there remains some trepidation about artificial intelligence. This presentation explores applications of emerging tools (e.g. ChatGPT, object detection, sensors) and how these technologies may be used to improve urban tree monitoring and management.  

Before everyone yells that there’s no such thing as dirt, let’s take a closer look at urban and traditional soil profiles, then we can discuss how a tree reacts and responds to its environment. After we have a better understanding of why I chose the word dirt, is there something we can do about it? We will start with the history of soil care, then move on to what we are doing now, straight into the future.

Description coming soon!

Healthy mature trees are an organization's first image. They enhance occupants' health and quality of on-campus life. However, the development process destroys the soil microbiome that supports healthy trees. Soil genomics provides a better understanding of soil microbial communities, how they support trees, and how to restore healthy soils.

Hone your design skills and focus your energy on time management through a series of guided design scenarios with Matthew Ross from The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park. Balancing the client’s needs within the constraints of the existing site conditions is a time-consuming process.

Learn tricks and techniques in this interactive design charrette as we design collaboratively in small groups. In order to enhance the process and encourage networking, you’ll be encouraged to work with colleagues from other companies during the session.

Join Matthew Ross as he shares some of the top offerings from across the Trade Show Floor.  New Plants, New Products, and a wide array of favorites will be on display as we highlight the top offerings for 2026 together.

What constitutes a traditional Japanese Garden? Learn about the core principles and similarities between many of these gardens have created one of the most recognizable garden design styles in the globe.

As part of our mission to strengthen Michigan’s workforce, MNLA invites you to this seminar highlighting recent progress in our apprenticeship initiatives and important updates in compliance and employment law.

Learn how new regulations—including the Earned Sick Time Act—impact your programs, and discover resources to help navigate these changes effectively.