Students at the Lincoln Hills School in Irma have logged more than 350 hours doing community service projects at Treehaven, the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point education and conference facility located between Rhinelander and Tomahawk.
According to Kevin Burns, Vallier Treehaven forest ecologist, five students who are part of Lincoln Hills Cadet Achievement Program (CAP) started this spring at Treehaven, working one day a week on facilities and property maintenance to road and trail clearing. This summer the students are working with two forestry students from UWSP to inventory university forests.
Lincoln Hills School provides community protection and hold youth fully responsible for their behaviors, while offering them skill-building opportunities that contribute to victim and community restoration.
“This is a win-win proposition for both Lincoln Hills and Treehaven,” said Terry Timm, corrections unit supervisor at Lincoln Hills School. “CAP stresses education as priority one, and the connection of our community service component with an environmental education facility is special for many reasons. CAP has recently instituted environmental literacy into our education program, so our partnership with Treehaven is perfect timing.”
Burns personally works with the students and said, “Assistance from the CAP students has allowed Treehaven to complete beneficial facilities and land management projects that otherwise would not have been possible. The students are hard workers, very inquisitive about anything natural resource-related, and they seem to enjoy themselves while at Treehaven.”
Kevin Burns and Treehaven’s Assistant Director John Heusinkveld are currently discussing future partnerships and educational programs involving the students at Lincoln Hills.
Treehaven, one of four UWSP field stations, instructs more than 200 resource management students during the summer months. During the winter months Treehaven becomes an environmental learning center offering public programs, K-12 experiences, and continuing education and professional conferences. To learn more about Treehaven, visit the Web at www.uwsp.edu/cnr/treehaven.