Chainsaw Safety Classes

April 15, 2009—April 16, 2009 All-day event

The Kickapoo Woods Cooperative (KWC) and Kickapoo Valley Reserve (KVR) are offering Chainsaw Safety Level I and Level II on April 15 and 16 at the KVR near La Farge. The KWC regularly offers level 1 chainsaw safety training twice a year, usually in October and April, and you must have taken that class to be eligible to take the more advanced level two training.

The Level One class on April 15 will cover proper body mechanics in chainsaw use, personal protective equipment, tools necessary in safely felling trees and their use, proper saw maintenance including sharpening, considerations for felling a tree, releasing limbs and spring poles under pressure, and more, plus demonstrations of tree felling, limbing, bucking and topping. Participants will spend 4 hours indoors doing the classroom portion, take a one-hour break for lunch, then go into the woods for at least 2 hours of practical experience using the techniques.

Content of the Level Two class (April 16) builds on what was learned in the level 1 course. Participants will spend 2 hours indoors doing the classroom portion, focused mostly on proper saw maintenance including hands-on practice sharpening the saw and adjusting the carburetor. The remainder of the day will be spent in the woods to practice felling. The workshop will include techniques for releasing limbs and spring poles under pressure, working with wedges, evaluating side lean and improving target accuracy. Each participant will have opportunities to try these techniques with the instructor's feedback. It is generally recommended that the sawyer take the information and techniques from the level one class into the field and work with those elements awhile before taking the level two class. However, it is certainly possible to derive great benefits from taking both together as they are here offered, particularly for an experienced or professional sawyer.

Location: Kickapoo Valley Reserve
S3661 State Highway 131
La Farge, WI

Registration: Price of the Level One class (max 15 students) is $60. Level Two ( max 10 students) costs $90. Enrollment is limited, so reserve your place soon. Pre-registration is required. Send your check or money order for full payment per registrant to Kickapoo Woods Cooperative, PO Box 71, La Farge WI 54639.

For more information
Kickapoo Woods Cooperative
Lila Marmel
608-624-5269
sunmoon@mwt.net

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