Westminster College Professor Has Unusual Post-Holiday Project

Dr. Clarence E. Harms, professor of biology at Westminster College, focuses on an unusual post-holiday project - saving live Christmas trees for animal food and habitat.

Each year Harms saves local Christmas trees from littering the landfills. He collects them and places them at the Westminster College Biology Field Station, affectionately called the Outdoor Laboratory on campus.

"I place them in piles of 20 or so trees in areas where small mammals and birds will find them for food and shelter," said Harms. "Rabbits and field mice, for example, need to be able to escape predators for their own survival and reproduction. They need protection in the winter."

"I've been interested in this project since my son was in Boy Scouts working on his Star rank project," continued Harms. "He collected used Christmas trees, and we hauled them to Pennsylvania Game Lands.

"Since 1997, my classes, colleagues, and I have placed over 200 trees out there. This year I'm trying to get at least that many more, so that the Field Zoology class that begins this spring can help place the trees in strategic spots. One such spot is near a 16-foot observation tower that was built in the summer of 1999."

This year the local Kiwanis Club, to which Harms belongs and sells live Christmas trees, is helping with the project. With each tree sold, a paper is given advising the new owner to think of "renting a tree." The paper reads in part: "When you have finished enjoying the color and spirit of this tree, please do something useful with it. Recycle it&If you do not have a place in your yard or property where you can let the tree become soil, we will do it for you&bring the tree to one of three places in New Wilmington."

Locations where Harms will accept trees have been prearranged with: The United Methodist Church at Mercer St. and E. Neshannock Ave., where trees are to be placed in the parking lot near but not in front of the dumpster between Jan. 8 and 12; Hoyt Science Resources Center, Westminster College at the gravel parking lot near the traffic circle between Jan 5 and 19; or Biology Field Station on Fayette-New Wilmington Rd. near the gate by the gray barn between Jan 5-31.

Harms, who has been with Westminster College since 1969, earned his undergraduate degree from Tabor College, his master's from the University of Kansas, and his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota.

For more information or personal tree pick-up in the Borough of New Wilmington, call Harms at his office at (724) 946-7207 or at his home at (724) 946-2981.