The 2026 CHA Landscape Short Course will take place January 15-16th at Chattanooga State Community College.
UT Extension – Hamilton County & the UGA Center for Urban Agriculture are excited to present the 2026 Chattanooga Landscape Short Course January 15-16. Formerly known as the Green Express Short Course, this program is the same format as the prior, just with a new name! This event offers green industry professionals the opportunity to learn the latest research-based information from various experts across the state to advance their management practices.
The 2026 CHA Landscape Short Course will be held at:
Chattanooga State Community College
Building: Gerald McCormick Center (MCC) | Room 107-109
4501 Amnicola Highway
Chattanooga, TN 37406
Please see the Google Maps to the right of this page for building directions.
Professional Credentials:
- Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) Pesticide Recertification Applicator Points will be offered for TDA Commercial Applicators.
- Georgia Department of Agriculture (GDA) Pesticide Recertification Credit Hours will be offered for GDA Applicators.
- International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be offered for ISA Certified Arborists.
- Landscape Architecture Continuing Education System (LA CES) Professional Development Hours (PDHs) will be offered for licensed landscape architects.
Payment Information for 2026 – Registration Not Yet Available
Pay online with the button below – be sure to select whichever option suits your needs:
- January 15 (1 day)
- $80 until January 8
- $100 after January 8
- January 16 (1 day)
- $80 until January 8
- $100 after January 8
- January 15 & 16 (both days)
- $150 until January 8
- $190 after January 8
Early bird pricing will be available until January 8th. After January 8th, no refunds will be provided & registration costs will increase so make sure to register ASAP!
EXAMPLE Program Schedule:
For each day, registration will begin at 8:30 am and adjourn around 4:00 pm. THIS SERVES AS AN EXAMPLE OUTLINE UNTIL 2026 SPEAKERS ARE CONFIRMED.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 15 EXAMPLE
Urban Tree Management: Making It Work
Pete Stewart & Benjamin Moore
City of Chattanooga Urban Forester & Scenic City Arborists Owner
City of Chattanooga Tree Commission
TDA Plant Certification: Pests & Diseases of Concern
Hannah Nelms
Plant Inspector
Tennessee Department of Agriculture
Overwatering: The Hidden Enemy of Your Landscape’s Health
Rolando Orellana
Urban Water Management Agent
University of Georgia Extension
Top Performing Ornamentals in the Landscape
Dr. Andy Pulte
Professor of Plant Sciences
University of Tennessee
Turf Weed Control 2024 – A Year in Review
Dr. Jim Brosnan & Gregory Breeden
Turf Weed Specialist
University of Tennessee Extension
FRIDAY, JANUARY 16 EXAMPLE
Planting Good Trees in Bad Soil: Experimenting with Recommended Soil Amendments
Michael Strok, Chris Winters, & Jimi Miller
Understory Team
Green Spaces Chattanooga
At Water’s Edge: Managing Riparian Lands for Ecosystem Services
Dr. Andrea Ludwig
Stormwater Specialist
University of Tennessee Extension
Green Roofs 101: How Design & Horticulture Interface
Mike Ross
Professor of Landscape Architecture & Design
University of Tennessee
Let’s Talk Turfgrass
Dr. Becky Bowling
Turfgrass Specialist
University of Tennessee Extension
Field-Based Plant Health Diagnostics for Trees
Neal Vercler, Kayla Stuart, & Mel Mount
Board Certified Master Arborist
University of Tennessee
PAST Professional Credentials:
THIS SERVES AS AN EXAMPLE UNTIL 2026 SPEAKERS ARE CONFIRMED. This page is relevant to those seeking some form of professional development credential such as TDA recertification pesticide points and/or ISA Continuing Education Units. If you are a professional or non-professional in the industry only seeking education, this page is not necessary to explore.
If you are a certified applicator with the Tennessee or Georgia Department of Agriculture, this page outlines the number of points that will be awarded to you for attending. If you are an ISA-certified arborist, this page will inform you as to the number of CEUs you’ll receive from this program.