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I recently returned from the sixth ISA European conference, in Maastricht, The Netherlands. Pius Floris and his committee are to be congratulated on a well-run, extremely worthwhile educational opportunity. There were many exceptional speakers and a well-orchestrated trade show. Just wish I could have seen more of you there!

The opportunity to meet and network with ISA members from our 10 European chapters and individuals from other arboriculture organizations throughout the European Union and world made the 7-1/2-hour trip "across the pond" a small price to pay. I particularly enjoyed one discussion with our colleagues from France, Christian Pagniez, Paul O'Regan, and Bruno Reynal, during which they mentioned that one of the primary reasons they were involved in arboriculture and their association/chapter was for the sense of community—sharing with others what you love to do.

That conversation made me wonder how often we get caught up in our chapter or professional affiliation, or ISA for that matter, with concerns about how much money we are bringing in as opposed to the value are we providing. Will the conference make a profit? Is a mailing worth the postage? Having enough income to pay the bills, issue the newsletter, hold the seminar, send the ISA board rep to the two board meetings per year—these things are a part of doing business.

The real questions to be answered are why are we involved, why do we pay the dues, and why do we volunteer? Because we care about trees, tree care, and each other. We are committed to advancing the profession and providing home owners with the knowledge they need and getting the word out on why they should hire a qualified arborist.

But it also is about sharing the knowledge we've gained with each other, giving back to the community by participating in Arbor Day or days of service, and enjoying the fellowship gained by sharing stories and techniques—that is, our sense of community.

One of the most memorable parts of the congress was the climbing competition that was followed by a barbeque and party. I am always awestruck by the support shown to the competitors—how the previous competitor sticks around to cheer on the next, how everyone empathizes when the climb is excellent but the rope doesn't come out of the tree the way it should.

This year's European competition was no different. Former European climbing champion Helmut Schvengels was there with his wife and child, cheering on the new generation of competitors. As the night went on, everyone from climbers to educators danced away the evening, including climber Fredric Mathias's very young son complete with wooden shoes. It was great seeing people from around the world enjoying each other's company. It was the first ISA party I have been to where the police showed up to ask that the music be turned down!

Congratulations to the new European tree climbing champions—Mark Bridge from Switzerland and Camille Demyuinck from France!

As the chair of the International Development Committee, I would be remiss if I didn't update you on what the committee has been working on. The document translation policy, approved in March 2003, which made funds available to each chapter/professional affiliation to cover the costs of translating a brochure, article, or other publication into the language spoken by its members, did not have one taker. We surmise that the lack of response was the result of insufficient publicity and not knowing what is available. To assist in promoting the policy, the committee, in collaboration with Carlos Cervantes, ISA's director of science and research, will canvas chapters for the names of researchers, their areas of expertise, where they are published, and in what language. We also will be seeking the names of speakers, topics, and contact information. That information will be available on ISA's Web site to be used when we are looking for workshop speakers or information on specific topics.

ISA membership continues to grow, with approximately 13 percent of ISA members residing outside the United States. The potential to further our mission and expand the ISA family is enormous. To encourage that effort, particular pages of the ISA Web site soon will be translated by ISA members throughout the world into the nine languages spoken by our members. Those translated sections of the Web site will be made available to the appropriate chapters' Web sites.

We also are seeking individuals willing to act as Arborist News volunteer Òbureau chiefsÓ for Europe, Oceania, and Canada. These bureau chiefs will forward pertinent information from around the world to the Arborist News staff.

ISA also will be collaborating with the European Arboricultural Congress, the new chair of which is our very own deGouret Litchfield, to review the certifications in existence in each of the European chapters and countries of the European Union. Dave Dowson, European representative on the certification board and UK/I chapter member, will be our point person on the subcommittee.

And lots more is happening on the international scene: groups in Slovakia, Singapore, and Mexico City have submitted applications to become ISA associate organizations.

None of this would be possible without the great ideas and efforts of ISA staff and the International Development Committee members—to whom I am very grateful. I ask in closing that each of you continues to help build and enjoy the sense of community within the ISA family. Stay involved and let us hear your views and ideas. My contact information is on the ISA Web site; please don't hesitate to write or call.