Science & Outdoors
Members of SSA hanging out at a campus prune.
Campus pruning not just for tree climbing majors
The Pointer
jtowe695@uwsp.edu
Much of the beauty found on the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point campus is due to the trees that are cared for by the Student Society of Arboriculture. For students in urban forestry, SSA is not only an opportunity to give back to the university, but a hands-on experience that one can’t get in a classroom.
“SSA is the only avenue for those of us who study urban forestry,” said SSA head pruning coordinator Troy Schreiner. Aside from SSA, the university lacks the technical training necessary for the field.
Schreiner took the advice given to him by his advisor, Les Werner, and joined SSA. He has been involved for the past two years and was recently elected as head pruning coordinator this semester. “I started going and just got hooked,” said Schreiner.
Given the indispensible experience it provides urban foresters and the contributions that are made to the university as a result of campus pruning, it’s no wonder that SSA received the best funded organization award.
Two types of trees on campus are given priority during campus pruning. Trees with deadwood require pruning to eliminate immediate hazards. Newly planted trees deserve the same attention and much work is involved in shaping and correcting the tree to prevent future problems.
Subordination pruning involves cutting back co-dominant leaders, which are branches that compete for the main branch in young trees. As a result of this competition, weak branch attachments persist and young trees are more likely to fail in the future.
Campus pruning takes place four times a week. Schreiner leads the campus prunes at noon on Mondays and at 4 p.m. on Wednesdays. Mike Delegan also leads one on Fridays at 1 p.m. and Tim Reiter leads one on Thursdays at 3 p.m.
SSA holds the National Register of Big Trees record for the largest northern pin oak, located behind the Dreyfus University Center.
You don’t have to be a tree climber to contribute to the beautification and safety on campus. “Anyone can come out and learn from the experienced,” said Schreiner. On the weekends, members of SSA put on their saddles, safety glasses and hardhats and call themselves the “weekend warriors.” During this time, they prune trees at professors’ homes for suggested donations.
These donations allow SSA to attend conferences, where its members have the opportunity to meet prospective employers and enhance their professional development.
The weekend service does not extend to the public however, to avoid taking business away from companies in the area.
For Schreiner, SSA means technical knowledge and hands-on experience that he can’t get anywhere else on campus.
“Just sitting in class doesn’t mean much until you actually do it yourself,” he said. Friendship has also made his experience with SSA enjoyable and worthwhile.
“Climbing trees is the highlight of being an urban forester and SSA is probably the only chance I’d have to do so at UWSP,” said Josh Rasmussen, a member since last year.
If interested in campus pruning, even if you don’t climb trees for your major, contact Troy Schreiner at tschr591@uwsp.edu or SSA president John Wayne Farber at jfarb149@uwsp.edu or stop by room 320 in the Trainer Natural Resources building five minutes prior to designated pruning times.
