Tree Climbing Program Takes Participants to New Heights
By Melissa Newcomb
Emma Regnier ’19 spent part of her time on the Hill a hundred feet above the ground—navigating the thin, bendy branches of conifer trees, where crows build their nests. She’d reach in, gently lift out a nestling, secure it in a carrier, and descend to the forest floor; then Lab of Ornithology staff would quickly measure the young bird, collect samples, and attach an ID band before Regnier returned it to its nest.
While Regnier’s efforts informed a study of crows (and another of tree swallows), her ability to access their homes came thanks to a physical education course, PE 1657: Tree Climbing.
She’d taken it as a freshman to fulfill a graduation requirement, then went on to become an instructor. And what she learned would carry her—literally and figuratively—through the parks and forests in Ithaca to a career in wildlife research across the country.
Now at Idaho’s Boise State University, Regnier uses her climbing experience to rappel down cliffs to study golden eagle nests, monitor the health of nestlings, and help stop population decline.
“I can give people a view into a world that they can’t often otherwise see or experience,” says Regnier, who double-majored in environmental sustainability and fine arts, and also has a career as an artist and graphic designer. “Researchers wouldn’t be able to do this work without somebody who has the knowledge and rope skills to access these places safely.”