By Jeremy Kane, Urban Tree Alliance and Urban Tree Management
Madison College student Kate Kendziora in the Aerial Tree Work Practicum course
The Madison College Department of Arboriculture and Urban Forestry began offering classes in the fall of 2019 and has since been evolving with the last turbulent year.
The program is currently delivering tree identification courses, climbing and practical tree care skills and tree biology in a safe “hybrid” format that combines online and regulated in-person instruction.
Classes and topics that require field experiences primarily meet outside and utilize health assessments, masking and distancing measures. A few courses have shifted into an entirely online format, a development that may benefit future students and instructors by providing learning and scheduling flexibility.
Students can pursue either a one-year tree care technician certification or a two-year associate’s degree. The class schedule is designed to provide students with up to three weekdays without in-person classes and to permit a balance between courses and concurrent work opportunities.
Many students are employed in the tree and landscape industry as they attend classes. Furthermore, the program’s courses are taught by active private, public and not-for-profit arboriculture professionals. The current instructors include:
- Adam Alves, Dane County Land and Water Resources Department.
- Zachary Eckberg, City of Madison Forestry Division
- Joe House, Tree House Arbor Science
- Jeremy Kane, Urban Tree Alliance and Urban Tree Management
- Mark Sundlin, Heartwood Tree Service
- Theresa Williams, Bassett, Inc.
The program is now enrolling its next cohort of students. Interested students are encouraged to inquire about the program and apply. Further, local arboricultural employers are encouraged to support the program by considering it an educational resource for current employees.
For more information about the Madison College Department of Arboriculture and Urban Forestry, please visit the website here, or contact Jeremy Kane at jkane2@madisoncollege.edu.