Last month, I shared TCIA’s plans to shift to a new two-year in-person advocacy model featuring Washington fly-ins during odd-numbered years and in-district visits during even-numbered election years. The goal is simple: When lawmakers are spending more time in their home states and districts, we should meet them where they are and show them our industry firsthand.

This week, we’re excited to report the first tangible sign that our new advocacy strategy is already producing results.

The office of U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan has agreed to visit ArborTech in Gilford, New Hampshire, on September 2. While planning is still underway, this represents the first congressional site visit scheduled under our new advocacy engagement model.

As many of you know, one of TCIA’s top priorities is workforce development. Senator Hassan has long expressed support for workforce training, career pathways, and helping employers address labor shortages through education and skills development initiatives. A visit to a tree care company will provide an opportunity to connect those policy discussions with the real-world workforce challenges our members face every day, from recruiting and training employees to building long-term careers in the industry.

We’re still in the early stages of planning the event and are currently developing invitation lists, coordinating logistics, and identifying opportunities to showcase the professionalism, safety culture, and career opportunities that define modern arboriculture. We also hope to extend invitations to other members of New Hampshire’s congressional delegation, including Congressman Chris Pappas, as schedules permit.

As with any successful advocacy event, education extends beyond elected officials. We expect to invite local and regional media outlets, including WMUR, to help tell the story of the tree care industry and the important work our members perform in communities across New Hampshire.

When I introduced this new approach, I wrote that “there is no substitute for seeing our industry firsthand.” That belief remains at the heart of our advocacy engagement efforts. A lawmaker can learn a great deal during a meeting in Washington, but seeing crews at work, observing equipment and safety practices, and hearing directly from business owners and employees often leaves a much deeper and longer-lasting impression.

And we’re not stopping with New Hampshire. TCIA is actively pursuing additional site visits in several states before November, with the goal of bringing more elected officials into the field to see our industry firsthand. These visits also create valuable media opportunities that help us tell a broader story about modern arboriculture, workforce development, and the professionalism that defines TCIA member companies. When lawmakers, reporters, and community leaders see our members at work, they’re not just learning about public policy issues. They’re gaining a better understanding of why consumers should seek out qualified professionals when making tree care service decisions.

I’ll share additional details as plans come together, but this is exactly the type of engagement we hoped to create when we adopted our new even-year/odd-year engagement model. Effective advocacy is built on relationships, and we’re excited to see those relationships growing in New Hampshire and communities across the country. That’s the power of bringing advocacy closer to home.

Looking Ahead: New Hampshire Primary Election

New Hampshire’s State Primary Election is coming up on Tuesday, September 8. If you’re a New Hampshire voter, now is a great time to make sure your voter registration information is up to date.

You can check your registration status and find contact information for your local clerk through the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s voter information portal: https://app.sos.nh.gov.

Whether you’re passionate about local issues, state policy, or national politics, voting is one of the simplest ways to participate in the democratic process. Already registered? Consider taking a minute to remind a friend or family member to check their status as well. Every election starts with being ready to vote.