Michael ‘Pinball’ Clemons will provide the closing keynote when Landscape Ontario’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Symposium celebrates its 50th year.

Building on those years of success, the IPM Symposium will run on Warm-Up Monday, Jan. 5 at the Toronto Congress Centre, Cohen Ballroom, in conjunction with Congress, Canada’s leading green industry trade show.

The committee that puts the program together is comprised of lawn care operators and government officials who help regulate policy as well as suppliers to the lawn care/tree care industries. They strive to ensure that the information delivered will help those working in lawn care and tree service sectors in the upcoming year.

The past few years have seen great success at the IPM Symposium, which has provided up-to-date knowledge, training and awareness. The event also provides operators with CECs from IPM Council of Canada. The 50th anniversary edition of the IPM Symposium will earn attendees six CECs.

The full-day event presented by Lawn Life kicks off at 8 a.m. and highlights include the following sessions:

• Using pesticides: What you need to know, presented by Crystal Lafrance, Ministry of Environment
• What’s new in turf insect management?, presented by Patricia Vittum, Ph.D., University of Massachusetts
• Turf love: Challenges and opportunities in the residential arena, presented by Michael Brownbridge, Ph. D., B.Sc., Vineland Research and Innovation Centre
• How weather affects turf health,  Evelyn Browning Garriss, The Browning Newsletter
• In search of the magic bullet: An overview of insect bio-control for turf to date, presented by Pam Charbonneau, OMAF
• Turf grass nutrition, presented by A.Marty Petrovic, Ph. D.    
• Top turf myths: Facts from fiction, panel moderated by Kyle Tobin     

Delegates will have the opportunity to learn more about the latest tools and technologies available in lawn care during the breaks and at lunch time with sponsors, including G.C. Duke, Koppert Canada, Turf Revolution and Allturf.

Organizers are pleased to announce that the day will wrap up at 3:15 p.m. with Pinball Clemons. The keynote session on teamwork and leadership is sponsored by JB&D. An icon of sporting excellence, community leadership, personal character and integrity, Clemons is also an author, philanthropist, Order of Canada recipient and currently the vice-chair of the Toronto Argonauts.

Drawing on his own life and storied career, Clemons will show delegates how people can overcome obstacles and achieve success. Discussing leadership and demonstrating what it means to beat the odds, his talk will demonstrate personal perseverance and the importance of teamwork, which is relevant to any industry.

Door prizes will be drawn at the conclusion of the technical sessions and the IPM Leadership Award recipient for 2015 will be announced. This award recognizes leadership in providing hope, looking to the future and contributing to the healthy growth of the industries represented in the IPM symposium.

Clemons will be on hand at the BASF sponsored reception following his keynote, and again across the street at the Plaza Hotel for a VIP dinner reception. This special 50th anniversary dinner event is a separately ticketed event and seats are limited.   

Registration fees are $99 for both members and non-members until Dec., 5, and then they go up to $119 per person. VIP dinner tickets are $59 early-bird pricing and $79 per person after Dec. 5. Admission to Congress 2015 trade show is included in registration prices. Online registration is available at locongress.com. Net proceeds from the IPM Symposium are donated to lawn care research or a suitable alternative.


 

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