Students in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources often have the opportunity to share their learning and passion for studying the environment through art work. Over the course of the fall 2025 semester, three students in the forestry program were recognized by their professors for artistic creations in keeping with their major.
This detailed “Dendro” illustration was created by student Alex Koegler, showcasing artistic skill and attention to scientific detail.
Student Jessica Hutchinson wrote a parody to the Billy Joel song “We didn’t start the fire,” reflecting creativity and an in depth knowledge of dendrology.
"We’re now identifiers" - in the tune of "We didn't start the fire" Cottonwood is young and tall Aspens have flat petioles Makes it so they shiver, quake, and tremble when wind blows Bigtooth aspen like the name Lombardy poplar pretty strange Riparian with oppressed buds is probably black willow Yellow birch, wintergreen black birch also pretty sweet And paper, river, mountain birch are all peely bark guys Gray birch twigs are pretty rough Musclewood’s some veiny stuff Ironwood makes chandeliers, beaked hazelnut bud egg-like We’re now identifiers We were always learning TA’s can confirm it We’re now identifiers Studying all night Until we get it right Boxelder epicormic Striped maple stripey dermic Sugar maples produce maple syrup that I eat Mountain maple alpine staple Norway biggest on the table Red maple has target cankers from fungal defeat Silver maple clustered buds Horsechestnut is glaborous Basswood is a bigger version linden you can tell in person Common yew red arils Cancer treatment when in peril dogwoods in Cornaceae one’s opposite one alternates We’re now identifiers We were always learning TA’s can confirm it We’re now identifiers Studying all night Until we get it right Douglas-fir makes literature Larch needle drops occur Five needle white pine Pitch pine cones for festive times Black spruce needles pretty small Red pine bark just like it’s called Diamond cone of Scots pine Hemlock has a band design Blue spruce doesn’t smell so great balsam cone disintegrate red spruce cone overtones Of egg-like shape and stiff like bones Norway spruce is feeling down Austrian pine likes salty grounds White spruce has flexible cones Also is natively grown We’re now identifiers We were always learning TA’s can confirm it We’re now identifiers Studying all night Until we get it right chestnut here has kind of failed Swamp white oak has branch details Big cap, textured back That means that your oak is black White oak acorns pretty long Beech bark disease is so wrong Skinny leaves and acorn lines pin oak dance is pretty fine Bur oak acorns very stark Northern red has ski trail bark Black gum, sore thumb You have a bog? They’re in some We’re now identifiers We were always learning TA’s can confirm it We’re now identifiers Studying all night. Until we get it right Serviceberry buds have hair Brown fruit on callery pear Spiky stem all over them Hawthorns might not be your friend Stinky smell not to be mean Black cherry buds contain some green Chokecherry is just brown Pin cherry pretty round Common apple wacky shape Raspberry leaves are palmate Invasive, pervasive Common, glossy buckthorns hated Shagbark bud is ear of corn Black locust has couple thorns Ash buds are like Hershey kisses White ash leaves purple can’t miss this We’re now identifiers We were always learning TA’s can confirm it We’re now identifiers Studying all night Until we get it right
Student Carmen Mcfadden created the comic below as part of an internship deliverable, showcasing artistic ability and expertise in forest ecology.
Have you created art for a Rubenstein School class that you want to share? Email aohoward@uvm.edu!