FARMINGTON – Ten Forestry & Wood Harvesting high school students provided a valuable service this morning while, at the same time, they gained some valuable experience.
Students from area high schools with chainsaws in hand spent Monday morning cutting up wood and feeding branches into a chipper along the outfield fence at Hippach Field. Larger limbs were cut up into firewood-size sections and will be used this winter to keep ice skaters warm once the rink is opened.
Parks & Recreation director, Steve Shible said tree trimming work was necessary along the backfield fence in order to get the fire department’s ladder truck in to replace spent light bulbs on the tall poles around the baseball field.
While a professional company did the pruning work up in the trees, they left the clean up work for the Foster Technology Center students.
Shible said he really appreciates the students’ work, which was provided at no cost to the town.
Instructor Chris Maxim with Rod Spiller oversaw the operation.
“This is really good experience for the students,” Maxim said over the whine of chainsaws and the chipper’s motor. This is the first time they’re using a chipper and it takes a good deal of control to use a chainsaw next to the ground, he added.
