(The best course on campus!!!)
I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Credits: 3, 4 hrs. per week
Lecture: M, W., 11:00-11:50 a.m., NPB 119
Lab: T, Noon-1:50 p.m. or 2:00-3:50 p.m. HF 107 (or other locations depending upon topic, check schedule page for time and location)
Instructor: Dr. John Ball
NPB 255D, phone: 688-4737
Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday 10 am till noon, others by appointment. Don’t hesitate to stop in any time I’m in the office. Students are not an interruption, you're the reason I'm employed by the University.
II. COURSE DESCRIPTION
A study of tree health (appearance, function, structure and vitality) and how it is influenced by key stressors, both biotic and abiotic, and cultural practices. The lab will provide students an opportunity to become competent in a wide range of arboricultural skills including climbing, pruning, and rigging.
The schedule can be found at:
III. REQUIREMENTS
Exams: Two exams (March 12 and May 9). The first exam is worth a maximum of 100 points. Exam questions on the first exam will be multiple-choice, fill-in-the-blank and short-answer essay. The final exam (May 9th) is comprehensive and is worth a maximum of 200 points. The final exam is the South Dakota Certified Arborist Examination. It is 100 multiple-choice questions.
Lab assignments: There are 12 lab assignments, each worth a maximum of 10 points. The assignments will usually be completed during the lab period.
Field trip: Our field trip is to the Black Hills to work along side a commercial tree company in the pruning and removal of mature trees by climbing or use of aerial lifts. During the field trip there will be two graded exercises, one in assessing tree defects and another in pruning. Each exercise is worth a maximum of 15 points. Other details of the trip will be discussed in class.
Grades:
450-405 points A
404-360 points B
359-315 points C
314-270 points D
below 270points F
Your points can be found at:
V. MISCELLANEOUS
As most of you have probably already noticed, mature trees can be very tall. Arborists must often work at great heights when pruning or cabling. Everyone in this course will have an opportunity to learn climbing and rigging techniques, but climbing is not a course requirement. Students who prefer not to climb, or are not qualified, may complete their pruning from the ground. Every student, however, will be expected to learn knots, climbing techniques and rigging.
Aerial tree work is considered as one of the most injury-prone professions in the U.S. Because of the hazardous nature of this type of work, students must be in good physical condition and have the maturity to obey rules. Any student who fails to follow safe practices (as identified in the American National Standard for Tree Care Operation ANSI Z133.1-1994) during a lab assignment and continues to work in an unsafe manner, after a single verbal warning from the instructor, will be immediately expelled from the lab and given 0 points for that day. There are no exceptions to this rule. Do not take this course if you are not willing to observe the above rule.
Attendance is not graded in this course, however, it is the student's responsibility to make up any material missed during a lecture. Students are cautioned not to miss a lab unless absolutely necessary as most cannot be made up. Students should expect to verify the reason for requesting an excused lab absence.
Any student who requires special accommodations for this class should contact Nancy Schade - Disability Services - at 688-4504.
The instructor reserves the right to modify the course requirements during the semester.