The National Roadside Vegetation Management Association has a great conference planned for 2009. Based on the feedback and comments from the great number of attendees at Branson, Missouri, the program committee has several informative and interesting sessions planned.
The conference dates are September 22 – 25, 2009, in San Antonio, Texas. Conference will be held at the beautiful Sheraton Gunter Hotel located just a few blocks from the Alamo and closer yet to the world famous Riverwalk. Visit the conference location at the following site - http://www.gunterhotel.com/. The hotel will be celebrating its centennial year in 2009. It is a great location.
Day one involves a site visit to the Texas Technology Institute/ TxDOT Hydraulics, Sedimentation, and Erosion Control Laboratory (TTI Lab). The TTI/TxDOT Hydraulics, Sedimentation, and Erosion Control Laboratory (HSECL) provides the transportation industry a uniform and timely testing and research program for products and devices used for storm water quality improvement, erosion, and sediment control. TxDOT and other State DOT’s use the approved products list for erosion control products tested in real life and extreme conditions. Rainfall simulation for testing erosion control blankets, soil stabilization products on selected vegetation establishment will be shown. We will see a huge pump moving thousands of gallons of water per minute to simulate flooding conditions in tubes and culverts.
Also at this site we will see large test plots of several products from different manufacturers. These plots will range from total vegetation control to seed head suppression to reduce mowing cost. Manufactures will also have some of the latest and innovative equipment on site offering you the change to see and the equipment in use. A hands on experience is so much more informative than the pamphlets we often have to rely upon.
Conference sessions back at the Gunter Hotel include the introduction of new products and educational products offered by our industry sponsors and exhibitors. Many have been with us for all of the 26 years of NRVMA and we greatly appreciate their continued support. Regional sessions will bring your issues and concerns to the forefront as this feedback is very important for future conferences.
We have heard much discussion about Homeland Security in recent years, but do you realize roadside vegetation management plays a major role in our border security? We will hear the prospective from the U.S. Border Patrol and the need for good vegetation management including control methods proven to eliminate the concerns. We have planned sessions on how to address budgetary constraints and options explored by other states and agencies in these tough economic times.
There are miles and miles of guard cable stretched across the United States. How many miles do you have in your area? How are you addressing the management of the vegetation under the cable? What about those areas where access of a piece of equipment is limited because of cable on both sides of the median or too close to the driving lane? And why is the cable placed where it is in the median? All of these questions and more will be discussed in detail with attendees and several panel members.
We will also be honoring the Roadside Excellence Award winners with an old friend of NRVMA sharing his journey into the roadside industry. Do you know of someone deserving recognition for his or her efforts in vegetation management? If so, nominate that person or program by sending in nomination(s) for the Roadside Excellence Award now. Nomination can be completed on line at http://www.nrvma.org/.
Did I mention Industry Night would have a definite Texas Flair at a very unique location? The Buckhorn Saloon and Museum (http://www.buckhornmuseum.com/) is right next to the Hotel as well as the Texas Rangers Museum (http://www.rangermuseum.com/). The entire facility will be reserved for NRVMA. We may have a little Casino time at the museum with the proceeds going to CURESEARCH (http://www.curesearch.org/). DuPont will sponsor industry Night.
We know you have to be very careful in your selection of beneficial conferences. The committee has worked very hard to make this one which we fill should be your first choice. We want to share this information with you early so with many budget years starting July 1, you are offered the option of stretching your conference dollars over two budget cycles, conference registration in one year and travel in another.
Plan to bring your spouses/guest as several activities such as a visit to Fredericksburg, TX, a local community lined with way more shops of interest than can be listed. San Antonio is also famous for the missions of the area and is a planned activity for those that are a spouse/guest of the attendees.
So make your plans now for September 22 – 25, 2009, in San Antonio, Texas………….
Yours truly,
John Reynolds
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