Daily Pioneer News

PLATTEVILLE- Reclamation students at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville are serving the community and the environment while acquiring skills as they manage and restore the UW-Platteville Greenway. The project is part of the reclamation class taught by Tom Hunt, director of the reclamation, environment, and conservation program, and the Pioneer Farm director of systems research, outreach and service learning.

Service learning is a part of the Community University Partnership (CUP). Initiated by UW-Extension and UW-Platteville, the program combines the resources of both institutions to serve Southwest Wisconsin communities.

The Greenway is the stream corridor that runs from Chestnut Street to the water treatment plant. It offers a diverse habitat including prairie, woodland, wetlands and a trout stream. UW-Platteville is one of the few campuses in the world to have this abundant variety of habitat. One of the most treasured areas on the Greenway is the Oak Savanna, which is among the rarest plant communities in the world. These scenic areas offer recreation, education, research and conservation opportunities for the campus and community.

Students are using science-based management to restore and maintain the area. Global positioning systems have been put to use in the project as well as prescribed fire. In addition to working in the field, the students are developing overall management plans that will be presented to Chancellor Markee.

Students are benefiting by gaining field experience while the community benefits from the recreational and educational opportunities the Greenway offers. According to Hunt, it's a win-win situation, everyone benefits. While improving the environment, students are acquiring skills such as mapmaking, decision-making, leadership and communication. These are skills that, according to Hunt, the industry requires young professionals to have.

Said Bryce Young, a reclamation student, "Service learning projects on the UWP Greenway have helped me to understand current topics that face our natural areas today. Working on the Greenway has been very important in my education here at UWP and has prepared me for future opportunities."

The community reaps the benefits of having a pleasant, esthetic, diverse and healthy ecosystem in which they can enjoy the many recreation and educational opportunities. Members of the community have played a part in the project by helping with duties such as planting and collecting seed and the Platteville Fire Department has collaborated with students to conduct prescribed fires.

The restoration and management project has been ongoing. Each year, students work to advance the health of the Greenway. Stated Hunt, "When there's a need, the students respond. They rise to the level of expectation. They never disappoint me." Hunt's reclamation students have worked on other projects with individual farmers and landowners. With the Department of Natural Resources, they did shore land zoning and to educate the public, students created a brochure for Governor Dodge State Park on plant communities.

Hunt values the experience his students gain with service learning projects. When asked why he chooses to participate in them, he responded, "My mentor told me, 'There's no substitute for the field, that's where the learning goes on.' I responded to that as a student and I strive to carry it out as a professor."

Anyone wanting to know more about the Greenway project may contact Hunt at (608) 342-1898 or by e-mail at huntt@uwplatt.edu Additional information is also available at"http://www.uwplatt.edu/university/documents/greenway/index.html. Anyone wanting to learn more about CUP or service learning may contact Sue Curtis, CUP program coordinator, at (608) 342-1308 or by e-mail atcurtissu@uwplatt.edu.

Contact: Tom Hunt, director, reclamation, environment and conservation program and Pioneer Farm director of systems research and outreach, (608) 342-1898,huntt@uwplatt.edu Prepared by: Krystle Kurdi, UWP Public Relations, (608) 342-1194,kurdik@uwplatt.edu