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A Closer Look at Davey's Annual Training Program D.I.T.S. · Talking Trees with Davey Tree

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome to the Davey Tree Expert Company's podcast, Talking Trees.
• 0:05
  SPEAKER_02: I'm your host, Doug Oester.
• 0:06
  SPEAKER_02: Each week, our expert arborists share advice on seasonal tree care, how to make your trees thrive, arborists' favorite trees, and much, much more.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_02: Tune in every Thursday to learn more because here at the Talking Trees Podcast, we know trees are the answer.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_02: Well, this week we have a very special episode.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_02: It's our annual look at DIT, D-I-T-S, which stands for the Davy Institute of Tree Sciences.
• 0:32
  SPEAKER_02: I'm joined by Maggie Graves from Boston, Sam Fettaplace from Albany, New York, Ethan Ramirez from Nanemo, British Columbia.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_02: How is everybody doing?
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_02: Doing good.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_02: Usually I only have to interview one person.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_02: They're making me do triple duty today.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_02: So Maggie, I want to start with you.
• 0:51
  SPEAKER_02: How does someone become part of DITS?
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_02: Are you chosen or do you ask, or could it be either way?
• 0:58
  SPEAKER_00: Um, for you, you can, I'd say your manager can recommend you to go if you show enough interest in continuing education.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: Um, at least that's what kind of happened to me.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um so yeah, my manager asked if I wanted to apply, uh, and I applied and then I got in.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_00: So I know that folks can ask to apply also, but I think it's for me at least my manager recommended me.
• 1:21
  SPEAKER_03: Is that the same for you, Sam, or was it different?
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_03: There is an application process.
• 1:24
  SPEAKER_03: They do announce that DITS is coming up.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_03: Uh, they suggest that people apply for it.
• 1:30
  SPEAKER_03: But in my case, I was also suggested through my manager.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_03: I was just someone who was very curious about tree work, always asking questions, and uh they thought that I would be a good match.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_02: And Ethan, how long are you in Kent, Ohio for the uh DITS?
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_01: Um, it's a total of 28 days, start to finish.
• 1:50
  SPEAKER_01: Um, so including travel, it's just under 30 days.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_01: That's a long time to be away from home.
• 1:56
  SPEAKER_01: How is that going for all three of you?
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_01: It's uh going well.
• 2:00
  SPEAKER_01: Definitely homesick a little bit, but with the amount of knowledge we're getting to absorb, I think that helps the time go by.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_03: It definitely sets in after the first week.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_03: You kind of realize that you're gonna be there for like three more weeks after that.
• 2:17
  SPEAKER_03: Um, but it's it's not too bad.
• 2:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, feel like it feels like I'm back in college, so it feels familiar.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_02: And when we're recording this, how far along are we into uh the program?
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: We we're we're in week three, so we have one more full week of learning and then uh off we go back to our offices.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_02: And you picked the perfect time to be in Ohio with probably the coldest temperatures they've had in I don't know how long.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_03: It is nice not working out in the field, uh being in an indoor classroom setting.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_03: It is it is pretty luxurious to say the least.
• 2:52
  SPEAKER_02: And you're you're in one of the coolest cities in the world, Kent, Ohio.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_02: Uh that's where my alma materwa is uh from back in the Stone Age.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_02: So, Maggie, what are some of the things that you learn there at DETS?
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so we're we started off with like basic tree biology and soil sciences, and every uh class after that kind of builds up on each other.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_00: So um we're learning about yeah, tree biology, soil sciences, climbing.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_00: We just learned today about tree support systems and um lightning protection.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um and then we also last week we did a whole week about pit health care.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: So that has been very cool.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_02: So Ethan, you're at the recently opened seed campus.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_02: Were you able to use any of that climbing area there that they have, that big almost warehouse-like uh location?
• 3:43
  SPEAKER_01: Sure thing, yeah.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_01: Today we were actually in there this morning learning about different climbing systems, rigging, cabling and bracing systems.
• 3:53
  SPEAKER_01: It's all just very new.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_01: We're testing new products, and it's a really good space for learning.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_02: Sam, what's it been like for you uh as far as the classroom stuff?
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_02: Have you been learning a lot of stuff you didn't know, or is this a refresher course, or how would you characterize it?
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_03: I came here ISA certified, but this is definitely a nice refresher and even a new opportunity to learn new things because you have professors who are like the best at what they do and what they teach.
• 4:25
  SPEAKER_03: So it's it's an opportunity to like be able to ask in-person questions and and learn more in person with people who really know what they're talking about.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_02: What would you think, Sam, that is probably one of the most important things that you learned since you've been there that has been most rewarding for you?
• 4:41
  SPEAKER_03: Um that there are people here at the Seed Campus who I can always fall back on to for more questions, more information.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_03: Lots of technical advisors and trainers who you can always like maybe send tissue samples, soil samples back to, and get a lot of good support and information just for everything that you do.
• 5:01
  SPEAKER_02: Maggie, what's been the most difficult or has there been a difficult part for you?
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_00: Oh goodness.
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: Um for me, uh I I've always been a pretty decent student.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_00: I also came here with uh my ISA certification.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_00: So a lot of this is review, but it's been really nice to you know go back and touch base on all that stuff.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: Couldn't hurt to learn more.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: Um, the hardest part for me is I'm quite the home body.
• 5:25
  SPEAKER_00: So we are busy during the day, so that's been really nice.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: But really, you know, at night I'm like, oh, I do wish I was home, but I am having a lot of fun out here.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_02: Uh and Ethan, how about you?
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_02: What what has been hard for you, or has there been anything hard for you as far as the classroom work is concerned?
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think I would agree with Maggie.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_01: Um falling out of your daily routine and uh missing the guys back at my shop, getting to be a part of that operation every day is definitely what why we're here and what we're passionate about.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_01: But um the the amount of learning and investment they've put into us uh definitely makes it go by really easily.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_02: And Sam, can you lay out what like a normal day would be or is every day different?
• 6:14
  SPEAKER_03: Every day kind of follows the same schedule.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_03: You start out with um stretching attendance.
• 6:20
  SPEAKER_03: Um that's usually something that we do at the office anyway, is stretching.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_03: There is a Kahoot every morning, which is pretty fun.
• 6:26
  SPEAKER_03: Uh we're broken up into different sections or pods, and it's kind of like a competition between everyone to see who can get the most points in Kahoot.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_03: At the end of the week, you get a little fidget tool.
• 6:36
  SPEAKER_03: But uh it is broken up.
• 6:38
  SPEAKER_03: I think the beginning was tree biology and ID and planting, best management for that.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_03: Second week was plant health care, pests and pathogens, and all the symptoms and everything.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_03: Week three is more climbing and like tree worker focused.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_03: And uh we'll see what week four brings.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_03: But it does follow a basic schedule with different um ideas and topics to learn from.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_02: So, Maggie, tell me a little bit about the instructors.
• 7:03
  SPEAKER_02: Are they all from Ohio there or do they come from all over?
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: They travel from all over the place.
• 7:08
  SPEAKER_00: Um, they're all still, I I think they're all still Davy, or they still work for Davy in a certain capacity, whether they be tech advisors or uh skills trainers.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_00: There, I mean, we had someone travel from California to speak, and then there's also people, yeah, that are based in Ohio.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then we've had a but you know, we had folks from Canada come down and um talk about the Canadian operations.
• 7:34
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, all over the place, which has been really eye-opening.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_02: And what kind of skills training is involved in DITS?
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_03: Climbing, rigging, uh support systems, support systems, cabling, and bracing.
• 7:48
  SPEAKER_03: Um RJ Laverne is a very good resource.
• 7:51
  SPEAKER_03: He's been teaching the DITS classes for quite a while.
• 7:56
  SPEAKER_02: I think since the beginning of time.
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_02: Since the beginning of time, he's been here.
• 8:00
  SPEAKER_01: I think uh the biggest learning that we're doing is kind of dismantling the I've been taught this a certain way, and this is why I do it this way.
• 8:14
  SPEAKER_01: It's it's kind of um humbling all of us coming from different experiences, and we're able to kind of broaden our knowledge and also learn how to continue learning in our careers.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_02: Are all three of you doing the climbing there?
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, but not yet.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_03: I think that's coming up.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_03: I don't know what day it is coming up.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_03: This week.
• 8:35
  SPEAKER_03: This week we will all be learning the climbing aspect, no matter what background you come from.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_02: So for somebody like me who doesn't like heights, that would be nerve-wracking.
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_02: How do you guys think about this?
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_02: Uh is the climbing no big deal?
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_02: You're used to it, you've been up in the trees, or is it something like, oh boy, I don't know about this.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_01: Some are definitely used to it, um, but uh it's a very controlled environment.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_01: So the way that the climbing gym has been set up, there's so many safety systems.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_03: Also learn at your own potential for sure.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_02: Maggie, is is it what you expected, or is it different than what you thought it was going to be like?
• 9:12
  SPEAKER_00: Oh gosh.
• 9:13
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I definitely feel like uh I mean there was an itinerary sent out uh well before we actually arrived.
• 9:20
  SPEAKER_00: So I definitely had expectations about the scheduling and what we were learning.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I didn't really know about the exact group of folks that would, you know, come to DITS and you know who was going exactly.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: Um so I think, you know, meeting people from all over the country has been the unexpected part.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: Uh I didn't think that I'd get along with certain people from certain backgrounds or think that they would ever talk to me or different situations like that.
• 9:44
  SPEAKER_00: So that's been unexpected, finding you know, friendships or just you know, healthy working relationships amongst other people within Davy that you wouldn't cross paths with.
• 9:53
  SPEAKER_02: Anything unexpected for you, Sam?
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_03: Anything unexpected.
• 9:57
  SPEAKER_03: Um the campus was definitely unexpected.
• 10:00
  SPEAKER_03: It's it's very nice, well built, um, much larger than I than I thought it would be.
• 10:05
  SPEAKER_03: Um, and I like the plantings that they've done outside.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_03: Uh very cool, cool campus.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_02: Ethan, what has been some of the things that you really have enjoyed uh diving into there at Ditts?
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I think the the biggest shock factor for me is how much was actually put into the property.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_01: I I was aware of the fact that the facility had been built and there was a big focus on the climbing gym, but it's it's a lot more than that.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_01: Um, on the 26 or so acres, they've integrated almost every part of what we offer as a business.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_01: So um from turf grass management, there's all kinds of research being done, um, the arboretum and also water management.
• 10:54
  SPEAKER_01: So we're currently recycling all the water on site, um, and that's being used for the irrigation system, and so it's not just the facility that um was built, it's it's the whole um property being developed for for more learning.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_02: Well, this question is for all three of you.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_02: What were you hoping to get out of your time at DITS?
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_02: And Maggie, why don't you start, please?
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_00: Um for me, I was hoping to expand upon the knowledge I already had and obviously revisit some of the stuff that I was originally taught.
• 11:32
  SPEAKER_00: Um and then the main thing for me is just to make a lot of connections.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, uh personally, I'm uh there's not really many women in the field, so I'm very delighted to see that there's uh including me, six of us.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_00: So it's been really nice to make those connections and then also just meet other people from all around the country, from different service lines, um, and just to get their perspectives on what they learn.
• 11:54
  SPEAKER_00: So that's been really awesome.
• 11:56
  SPEAKER_03: And how about you, Sam?
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_03: Of course, reinforce information and techniques that I already know, but also different ways to do those same things, and then absolutely learn the other sections, such as like cabling and bracing, that I'm not like as familiar with, and just become more acquainted with things like that.
• 12:16
  SPEAKER_02: What do you think, Ethan?
• 12:17
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I would agree with both, um, but especially uh focused on the connections that I'm able to make and understand what the foundation of the business looks like.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_01: Um, having those resources at my fingertips is extremely valuable, and I don't think that uh many other services have that available to them.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_02: And Ethan, I'm gonna stick with you.
• 12:43
  SPEAKER_02: Let's talk about the fun.
• 12:45
  SPEAKER_02: What have you been doing that's been fun in this?
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_01: Um, well, there's in-class fun and there's out-of-class fun, and so we've been trying to make the most of the time here.
• 12:57
  SPEAKER_01: But uh I'd say that our outdoor activities, even though it's it's cold, it's extremely fun to see what they've done with the property.
• 13:07
  SPEAKER_01: Um and some active hands-on learning, I think, uh sits really well with a bunch of arborists.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_02: And Maggie, you're a homebody, but what's been fun?
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my goodness.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I'd definitely to piggyback off of you, um, I would say like, yeah, going outside, doing the hands-on lore learning has been really fun.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_00: The cahoots have been really fun.
• 13:28
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then outside of uh class, I've I've been playing a lot of Uno with a lot of different folks, and that's been very fun for me.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_03: How about it, Sam?
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_03: They've got a very cool canopy walk that I really want to go on.
• 13:43
  SPEAKER_03: They haven't opened it up yet, conditions aren't right.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_03: But uh outside of class, there's lots of people who hang out in the lobby room doing board games.
• 13:51
  SPEAKER_03: We've had a couple group rock climbing sessions over in one of the local rock climbing gyms.
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_03: And uh some of the people here uh organize ski trips over at the um, I'm not sure what it is, but it's one of the ski hills nearby.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_02: Probably Boston Mills or one of those.
• 14:07
  SPEAKER_03: Yes, over near Boston Mills, exactly.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_02: Well, Maggie, Sam, and Ethan, thank you so much for spending some time with me.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_02: Enjoy your time in Ohio, and I'm sure you're gonna enjoy it when you get back home.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks, guys.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_02: Dits, or the Davy Institute of Tree Sciences, is such an innovative program.
• 14:27
  SPEAKER_02: It's always great to hear from the students and what they're learning there.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_02: Now, tune in every Thursday to the Talking Trees Podcast from the Davy Tree Expert Company.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_02: I'm your host, Doug Oster.
• 14:37
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• 14:41
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• 14:43
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• 14:46
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• 14:50
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• 14:56
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• 15:01
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• 15:05
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• 15:09
  SPEAKER_02: Trees are the answer.