Davey Tree Flipbooks

L ocated within a residential community in suburban Wheaton, Illinois, Wheaton College welcomes more than 2,000 under- graduate students and more than 400 graduate students to its campus each year. Wheaton offers academically rigorous pro- grams for more than 40 undergraduate degrees in liberal arts and sciences, as well as 14 graduate degrees. But while students had some time away from their studies during their spring break last March, Davey's West Chicago R/C crew visited the quiet campus for one of their largest undertakings on site yet. A LONG HISTORY. The Care of Trees began its long-term working relationship with Wheaton College more than 10 years ago, when sales arborist Kathy Vranek joined the company. She began managing the account two years later. Although Vranek's The Care of Trees office has since become a Davey office, the work relationship has remained the same. "Wheaton College is a major client for which we do pest and disease applications, fertilization and, more recently, pruning on an annual basis," Vranek says. "The widespread campus has evolved over time, as the college continues to purchase residential blocks to expand its area." The Care of Trees first performed plant health care services on campus, including some fertilization. About four years ago, Wheaton's facility manager was persuaded to begin a dormant pruning program. For 2015, the new grounds foreman, Theresa Kyriazes, expanded this to a more comprehensive plan focused around high-profile buildings on campus. "Theresa puts her heart and soul into the property and what she does to maintain it," Vranek explains. "Her work is simply based on a great love of the landscape." But to make an even larger impact on the appearance of the campus—one that attracts many national and international students— Davey took advantage of the fewer on-campus traffic restrictions during spring break to complete a "beautification pruning program." PRUNING 101. Because campus foot traffic is often challenging for working crews, Davey crewmembers work around it on breaks and weekends as often as possible. For 2015, Wheaton requested five areas be addressed during the spring pruning project. For example, Davey specifically pruned trees around the chapel hall, where commencement ceremonies occur, as well as around the Billy Graham Center. "Wheaton has a good diversity of different- aged trees," Vranek says, adding Davey replaces some trees every few years. "Tree species varies on campus; the college has many uncommon specimens for the region." According to Vranek, the pruning project went well; the grounds foreman was pleased with the quality of work. "It's great to see the improvement," Vranek says. "It helps the college's recruitment efforts because visitors can see the area is well-maintained." HONORABLE SERVICE. Because Wheaton College is one of the West Chicago R/C office's larger clients, Davey crewmembers have the opportunity to visit and reflect on the work they accomplish on campus year-to-year. "It's great to see what the crews can do," Vranek says. "I feel a sense of pride by seeing the quality of work being done." For one Davey crew, "spring break" involved the perfect time for some spring cleaning—in the trees. Plant Health Care Technician Andy Jungwirth prunes a maple tree at Wheaton College. September/October 2015 | 5 An Arbor Day Education Wheaton College has hosted an Arbor Day ceremony on campus for the past five years. Wheaton's grounds department plants a new tree on campus, then students, professors and community members gather around the planting site. Foremen Salvador Martinez (right) and Adan Gonzalez meet at the student center stairs on campus at Wheaton College. Both crewmembers are involved with tree mainte- nance on site.

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