PROTECTING TREES IS A BIG JOB To help protect trees, the park places boulders and special-order, heavy-duty chain link that is coupled with chicken wire around the trees.


The rhinos cause damage by pushing rocks around and by eating the bark. Giraffes, some as tall as 18 feet (5.5 m), are the biggest problem. Some are smart enough to stand on rocks to reach as high as they can in order to snap off branches. The chicken wire helps, says Quiroz, but the crews have to repair it at least twice a week.


In addition to the animals, the tree population is affected by the climate.


“Since the first seed for a native African tree arrived here in the 1970s, most have acclimated to our soil (sandy) and weather (100 degrees F [37.8 degrees C]),” notes Quiroz. “Still, replacing trees — grown in our own nursery — is an ongoing project. Once you get them started, they grow very well.”


When a tree has fallen over or has to be moved for a new project, a Vermeer SC252 stump cutter is used to take out the stump. “It does a very good job,” says Quiroz. “The engine (a 27 hp [20.1 kW] Kohler Command model) provides plenty of power. After removing a stump we cover the hole with dirt or mulch.”


The SC252 stump cutter is a strong, well-designed machine equipped with a number of exclusive safety features.


To help protect trees, the park places boulders and special-order, heavy-duty chain link that is coupled with chicken wire around the trees.


PRODUCTIVE EQUIPMENT Conservation and recycling are important at Safari Park. “All the trees we remove are turned into mulch,” says Quiroz. “We process a lot of materials and we want to do it quickly and safely. That’s why the brush chipper we use has to be productive and safe.”


Quiroz, a 30-year employee of the park, has relied on Vermeer brush chippers for the past 25 years. “When we first looked at Vermeer equipment, we did a side-by-side comparison with the chipper we were using,” he says. “At the time we were chipping thousands of evergreen trees. After a couple of minutes our machine was plugged and the Vermeer chipper kept on going. We were sold, and have been very satisified with our Vermeer products ever since.”


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