Luke Childs is using his new forestry skills to help the local community.
The 28-year-old Rotorua man is one of 15 Waiariki Institute of Technology School of Forestry students who helped take out a massive tree at Sunset Primary School this week.
Principal Neils Rasmussen said the school had wanted the tree
removed because it was becoming a health and safety hazard but tree removal was expensive.
A school board member suggested contacting Waiariki's forestry school to see if they wanted to use it as a bit of practice.
"It was a good opportunity for the [forestry students] to practise their skills," Mr Rasmussen said.
He wasn't sure how old the tree was but it was very large.
It also provided a bit of entertainment for Sunset's students who enjoyed watching the tree fellers at work, especially when logging tutor Tom Moengaroa suggested making a table out of the left-over tree stump.
"It was great for our students," Mr Rasmussen said.
Student Tuhoe Paahi, 8, said he would probably miss having the big tree at school, but it had been really fun watching it being chopped down.
The Waiariki students were half-way through the 16-week Certificate in Forest Operations and Mr Childs said it had been good experience.
"It's cool to be able to help out while getting some work experience."
Logging tutor Sean Huntingdon said they were often contacted for this sort of thing.
He said it was a good way for students to learn and it had also benefited the community.
Waiariki School of Forestry director Jeremy Christmas said they had done similar things for others in the community.
"We're always keen to help needy causes."
The tree would now be cut into firewood which the school hoped to sell.
