Courtesy of Saluting Branches
Normally the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery in Schuylerville is a quiet and peaceful place. On September 18 it was a buzz of activity as Environmental Conservation & Forestry Instructor Dennis Flynn and 16 of his students joined professional arborists from around the state and Vermont for the 10th Annual Saluting Branches Day of Service, one of 100 sites in the national event.
Students performed tree care and site beautification using the skills they’ve acquired in their Career and Technical Education (CTE) program to honor those who gave so much. This year the students concentrated on raising the tree canopy six feet in one area of the property. They used the drone to survey the trees and map out their work.
“Every year it astonishes me how quickly the students perform. They did their jobs so quickly and effectively that they even made a dent into our overflow work. The chipping and stump grinding is a huge help,” said Michaela Shelton, who is the distribution forester for the Mechanicville division of NYSEG who was the site leader for the day.
The WSWHE BOCES students worked with professional crews from NYSEG (Avangrid), Asplund, Lewis Tree Service, New Leaf Tree Service, National Grid, Greater Heights, J.S. Tree Service and Excavation, LLC, and Homestead Tree Service.
“The fact that these kids learn to safely use the equipment at such an early age will prepare them for any number of opportunities, whether with a utility, in the private sector or even a highway department. They will have a lot of options,” said Shelton.
Seth Kenyon, a senior in the program from Galway High School, said, “It is great to meet the companies who participate in the event. Communication skills are really important since first and second year students work together on this project. We all get to run the chipper and practice pruning. The second year students get to practice tree felling.”
Julianna Deloatch, a senior at South High, said she is interested in the arborists that are at the event. “I really like tree cutting and even climbing the tree to get the job done. Ropes are better than the bucket.”
Instructor Dennis Flynn said, “This is my eighth year participating in the day of service. I even have several former students here with us. Three work for Asplund and two are enrolled at Paul Smiths College.”