Subject: Arboretum Project

From: [email-masked] (Robert Lord (ARJHS))
Date: Sun, 6 Nov 1994 13:23:21 GMT

I am a mathematics/science teacher at the Amherst Reg. Junior High in
Amherst Massachusetts and started a school arboretum  6 years ago. The
project is a shoestring operation...no funding other than donations. I have
now over 50 trees in a wide variety of species...coming from nurseries,
having been purchased, the Arnold Arboretum, private donations as well as
>from  educational institutions such as the Liberty Elm Project anf the
American Chestnut Society. Local Organizations have also been kind in their
donations; the local Rotary club has been very generous as well as the
advocacy of the Garden club. Curriculum has been developed that utililizes
the arboretum in many ways. Some of the lessons include: maintaining a
yearly record of the diameter of each tree @ 30 cm, each trees height is
found by either similar trianges, shadowing or by the trigonometric ratios
using a clinometer and the data kept on a spreadsheet for comparative
analysis; mapping by triangulation of tree location, estimation of board
feet, and many others. It is a project that has a great deal of
possibilities but limited by my ability to do all that is needed in a very
crowded regular schedule of classes. We have built a number of 'kid proof'
tools to help in the project: calipers for measuring the diameter growth and
clinometers for height and even crude theodolites for mapping. We seek any
assistance in finding old survey equipment that might be donated, any tools
such as a brush hog to clear areas for planting, chipper for mulching aronf
the trees, benches to put in the arboretum for the local community to enjoy
and any other tools used in the care of trees.If you are able to help please
contact me at my e mail address and I'll reply at once......we hope to have
a rare tree in the spring added to our collection...one I saw while at the
Kew Gardens in London...if all goes well a Quercus rubra Aurea will be
arriving (as a seedling) in April. We are currently trying to build a
nursery....again materials are needed...and install a water delivery system
that can be closer to the planting sites....always $ and time and resources
limit us.