Fall City entrepreneurs Pete and Judy Nelson host the 2009 Global Treehouse Symposium, Sept. 18 to 20 at TreeHouse Point.

The symposium is the world’s largest gathering of treehouse builders, enthusiasts and related professionals. There will be lectures on treehouse design, tree biology, engineering, rigging, tree climbing, net platform building and expanded discussions on these topics and more.

The weekend includes a Friday night welcome party, hands-on workshops, all meals, live music, a local treehouse tour and a treehouse environment that will spark the imagination.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Nalini Nadkarni, co-founder and president of the International Canopy Network, a non-profit organization that fosters communication among researchers, educators, and conservationists concerned with forest canopies.

She has appeared in numerous television documentaries and was most recently featured as a canopy scientist in the National Geographic television special on tropical forest canopies, titled “Heroes of the High Frontier,” which won the Emmy Award for Best Documentary Film of 2001. A new project she initiated involves the creation of a multi-disciplinary Forest Canopy Walkway project on The Evergreen State College campus.

Cost to take part in the symposium is $550, and includes all meals. Learn more at www.gts2k9.com.