Itasca CC Student Chapter Stays Active

This article originally appeared in the February 2014 edition of The Forestry Source.

By Jon Neumann
The SAF student chapter at Itasca Community College, in Grand Rapids, Minn., was formed in Sept. 25, 2012. Although we are a relatively new organization, we have been staying active with projects for the University of Minnesota. Our first project was a thinning near Warba, Minn. The treatment area was an experimental planting of larch and red pine designed to utilize density in substitution for age in evaluating between-tree competition. The study had outlived its usefulness, and the high density was impacting growth, crown development, and overall tree vigor. It was obvious that some trees needed to be removed from this stand.

Ten students volunteered for this project. Although none of us had any prior experience thinning a stand, we had three students with wildland firefighting experience and, through coursework at ICC, also had the S-212 chainsaw certification. The rest of us were not quite so skilled, but we managed to mark the trees to be cut, swamp out the cut logs, and skid them with pickup trucks. While we attempted to select trees that opened up the canopy for the best trees, we also removed trees that had damage, such as from porcupines. It was interesting to see the difference a thinning makes in a young stand. The resulting piles of non-merchantable material will be burned to reduce potential bark beetle problems.

This project provided some great experience for our chapter members. Best of all, we did it safely — there were no major injuries. We completed this project in about five hours (seven, if you include the pizza party afterwards). We look forward to doing more projects in the future.

In addition to the thinning project, the student chapter completed bud capping on planted white pine on the University of Minnesota grounds. With the money we made from the thinning project and the bud capping, plus a generous contribution from an anonymous donor, we were able to help pay for about a dozen student chapter members to attend the state SAF meeting in Walker, Minn., in January. There was a lot of interest in this meeting, as we are enthused about being active and learning more about the forestry profession.

Jon Neumann is chair of Itasca Community College student SAF chapter. The college’s natural resources program, leading to the associate of applied science degree, is accredited by the Society of American Foresters (SAF). Itasca CC is also one of more than twenty five member colleges that make up the Council of Eastern Forest Technician Schools (CEFTS).

Soc-Aff Itasca Students 1

Cooper Blau (left) and Sybil Wellington, members of the Itasca Community College Student SAF Chapter, prepare to skid trees cut during a thinning project.

Soc-Aff Itasca Students 2

Itasca Community College student SAF chapter member Shane Jarvi swamping trees cut during a recent thinning project.
Soc-Aff Itasca Students 3Itasca Community College Student Joe Friedmeyer was one of 10 SAF Student chapter members who helped thin a stand of larch and red pine last year.

University of New Hampshire Forest Technology Student Wins Granite State SAF Award

This is from a University of New Hampshire, Thompson School press release:

Nicholas Haskell is the recipient of the Granite State Division of the Society of American Foresters Forest Technology Student of the Year Award.
The second year class in the Forest Technology program recently attended the annual meeting of the Granite State Division of the Society of American Foresters. It was a great opportunity for the students to hear the latest topics on forestry here in the northeast. The students also made contacts with forestry professionals who work throughout the state. These contacts are certain to be valuable once the students begin their careers in the forestry profession.
Each year, the Granite State Division of the Society of American Foresters selects one student to be the recipient of the Forest Technology Student of the Year Award. This year Forest Technology senior Nicholas Haskell received this award. He is an excellent student, a leader in the classroom and exemplifies the spirit of the award.
Nick is from Brattleboro, Vermont and comes to the school with a background in forestry work in his high school vocational program. His hard work and dependability set the standard for the classroom. In addition to his accomplishments in the classroom, he works part time for the Forest Technology program and also finds time to be heavily involved with the UNH Woodsmen Team.
Last Summer Nick was employed by Cersosimo Lumber Company in Brattleboro. His work there provided a valuable opportunity to learn about the forest products industry. His goals after graduation from the Thompson School include a season or two on a western fire crew. Nick also plans to continue his education by earning a baccalaureate degree in Forest Management.

Click here to see the full story.

Forest Tech Students Attend Professional Meetings

When forest technology students attend professional meetings they meet foresters already working in the field. They learn new things and reinforce what they have studied in school. More importantly they make connections for future jobs and relationships. They get to see what it’s like to be a forester.

In spring 2011 students from Penn State Mont Alto and Allegany College of Maryland attended the Allegheny SAF meeting in Clarion, PA. Click here for pictures and a story from Mont Alto, who won the quiz bowl.

Haywood Community College foresters attended the Appalachian SAF meeting in Charleston, SC. For a recap and pictures click here.

Ten Horry-Georgetown Technical College Forestry students were able to attend the 2011 Annual Meeting of the South Carolina Timber Producers Association in Myrtle Beach last month. In addition to outstanding speakers and exhibits, the students were able to meet and greet Bobby Goodson the “Swamp Logger” from the Discovery Channel series. Click here for more information.