FARMINGTON — Students in the forestry and wood harvesting program at Foster Career and Technical Education Center presented their hands-on collaboration with Cape Cod Hill School at last month’s Regional School Unit 9 board of directors meeting.

The project, led by instructor Rodney Spiller, involved planning and executing a clearing to make way for a new leach field behind CCHS. Leach fields are part of a septic system where treated wastewater is absorbed into the ground. Spiller said the area required for the new system spanned about an acre and a half and included a 400-foot path for pipes and pumps to reach the front of the school.

“This is the kids’ program,” Spiller said. “This is just the way I roll. I’ll teach them a little something, but in general as they move on and they get the experience going, from tree identification to chain saw reactive forces to best management practices to product utilization, maintenance … they become a machine, a very strong team.”

Students were involved in creating a cutting plan, considering safety, environmental impact and ongoing school activities. “It was presented to us a while ago in the winter that we had a problem with the septic system over at CCHS, and it needed to be moved and it was going to take a significant area,” Spiller explained. “So I went and looked at the whole project, and then I involved the kids in it.”

The student-led presentation was delivered by Jesslyn Sillanpaa and Garrett Pierce. Spiller praised the pair for their work and noted his own challenges with computers. He said the students set up the presentation and slides. “I do fine outside,” he said. “But on the computer I’m in trouble.”

Sillanpaa explained part of the team’s responsibilities, saying, “This is where we showed where we promptly did the cleanup from the parking lot and cleared the brush from the parking lot and used the duster as well.”

Spiller emphasized the technical training students received, especially in directional felling, a process that uses a notch cut into the trunk to guide a tree’s fall. “Directional felling, you just don’t go cut a tree,” he said. “There is a line of sight on each chain saw so you can practice where you’re going to set your notch, and make sure your notch is in that direction. Then we have it pretty accurate.”

The team also learned proper limbing techniques and how to scale and grade logs for maximum profit. “The purpose behind cutting the tree is profit,” Spiller said. “So you need to keep all your limbs flat.” He added that they even made chairs from the harvested logs to be used in the outdoor classroom at CCHS.

The work paused during mud season but will resume. “We will make it beautiful and wait for construction guys to come in,” Spiller said, adding, “For our next project, we will be at Cascade Brook School soon. We thank you very much for this opportunity.”

Safety remains central to the program’s philosophy. “Safety is my number one priority,” Spiller said. “But, when we have downtime, we’re going to have fun a little bit.”

Spiller concluded by commending his students: “I am very proud of my kids, they were all spot on.”