Description
Learn the methods Mt. Cuba’s arborists use to apply ecologically sound maintenance strategies and retain dead trees for wildlife while maintaining landscapes and built spaces. Develop a deeper connection to trees by understanding their outsized role in natural ecosystems and how they contribute, in both life and death, to forest ecology. Students will be trained to evaluate potential tree planting sites and the condition of mature trees. Outdoor learning conducted to complement the lectures may include walking over rolling terrain and mulched paths. These classes are rain or shine.
This program takes place in-person at Mt. Cuba Center Three Tuesdays: 6/10 through 6/24.
About the Instructor:
Nicole DeLizzio is an Arborist at the Mt. Cuba Center. She holds a BS in Agriculture and Natural Resources with a minor in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Delaware. Nicole is an ISA-certified arborist. In addition to co-teaching the Ecological Arboriculture course with the rest of the arboriculture team, she can be found sharing her combined passion for trees and art in pyrography, or the art of woodburning. One of Nicole’s favorite ecological gardening concepts is to allow trees to decay in place, when it is safe to do so, to be utilized by wildlife.
Scott Kelley is the Head Arborist at Mt Cuba Center. He is an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist. Scott has been working with trees since 1980, and he joined Mt Cuba Center in 1986.
William Trescott is the Arboriculture Manager at Mt. Cuba Center. He joined the staff fulltime in 1988 and began his arboricultural career as a tree climber in 1989. William is an International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist. In addition to daily tree care duties, he is currently involved in Mt. Cuba Center’s tree canopy replacement project and development of best practices for ecological arboriculture.