Photo by Jessica Maloney,
UNH Human Resources

For many of us, recent blustery winds have left leaves and debris strewn all about our lawns. While some of us may not necessarily be looking forward to the inevitable raking, we may begrudgingly allot an afternoon or two for the task. Imagine bearing the responsibility for removing leaves and debris from the entire University campus and remote locations such as Jackson Lab, as well as Oyster River Park, and the Dunlap Center. And while you're imagining, don't forget to include the 13,500 people of the University community who will be trekking through as you try to accomplish this task! Rather daunting, isn't it? Yet this is the reality of the University groundsworkers, including Paul Allen.

Paul has been working as a University groundsworker for the past year and a half. Apart from those devoted to the upkeep of the Athletic fields, there are a total of ten groundsworkers responsible for over 200 acres on campus; a figure which does not even include a number of remotes sites for which they are also responsible. In his position, Paul's main duties include far more than the obvious and most visible ones - mowing lawns and plowing and shoveling snow. He, as are the other groundsworkers, is also responsible for tree work, which may include the removal of dead limbs, or complete takedowns, requiring the use of chainsaws and, at times, bucket trucks. His responsibilities also include planting, mulching and maintaining flowerbeds; maintenance of the walkways on campus; patching, paving and painting roads; turf renovation; pest control; weed whacking; litter removal and emptying of trash receptacles; and building and maintaining "hardscape" features on campus including fences, paths and granite benches. All of this requires a working knowledge of a multitude of equipment, some of which includes mowers, trimmers, chainsaws, pruners, roto-tillers, and tractors. Paul and the other groundsworkers must be familiar not only with the operation of such equipment, but also with their maintenance. This enormous array of responsibilities is orchestrated around class schedules as to be minimally disruptive.

In addition to the aforementioned responsibilities, Paul also assists in the seasonal campus clean-ups. Currently in the midst of the fall clean up, groundsworkers are in the process of removing fallen leaves and bringing them to Kingman Farm where they will be turned into compost that will eventually be used throughout the campus. They must also be on-call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week to respond to weather emergencies. In the winter, this often means getting to campus at 4:00am or earlier, and shoveling until 4:00pm.

When not maintaining the campus grounds, Paul spends much of his time maintaining his own land: a 35-acre farm, which he and his wife have owned for the past twenty-five years. During this time, he and his family have kept a variety of animals, including chickens, pigs, sheep and (when his children were young) a pony. Paul's three grandsons are currently the lucky recipients of frequent tractor rides on the property. Paul also spends his free time playing golf and fly-fishing. When asked what he enjoys most about his position at UNH, his response was, "the University atmosphere and the satisfaction of working with the crew and completing the job. I enjoy this type of work and I enjoy the security of an institution that will be around for a long time."

For those of us who have become accustomed to it, the natural beauty of the University campus provides a familiar backdrop for our work lives. So familiar, in fact, that we may fail to appreciate the impression this setting has on those who are viewing the campus for the first time. Certainly, the picturesque scenes of the campus play a large role in the allure of the University for potential students, faculty and staff. For those of us not directly involved in its daily upkeep, it's easy to forget that the charm of the campus is not self-sustaining, but is constantly maintained through the incredible efforts of Paul Allen, and the other individuals who compose the Grounds and Roads department.