Twenty-six second-year Northeast Community College utility line students received real world experience while helping in the community when they took down three trees for a Norfolk church.
The students took turns going up high into one of four boom trucks, using chain saws to cut down branches and toss them to the ground at Victory Road Evangelical Free Church. The three mature trees that came down on Thursday, February 5, were diseased or needed to be removed for other reasons.
Once on the ground, the branches were gathered by other students and fed them into chippers. The mulch left from the chippers will be used by the college in other projects, including the Northeast farm.
Kory Hildebrand, Northeast utility line instructor, said some parishioners of the church spoke about the need for the trees to come down, and the utility line instructors thought it would be a good community service project and provide good experience.
“The students have been working on trees on the college farm, so this was sort of a final test,” Hildebrand said.
Cleve Stolpe, another Northeast utility line instructor, said the weather was cooperative, which helped. He said the students also learned the importance of getting all the permits and approval from the neighboring landowners, who were without power for a few hours while the trees were taken down.
Nebraska Public Power District temporarily disconnected power to ensure safety, and church officials expressed appreciation for the students’ professionalism.
Tree Removal Project
A recent tree trimming project served as both community service and practical training, with 26 utility line students taking down three mature trees for a Norfolk church. (Northeast Community College)
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