In early summer 2002, J-STAC installed a lightning protection system on the 170 year old Lincoln-Tallman Witness tree.  J-STAC volunteers, with the help of two bucket trucks and the labor of four employees donated by LP Tree Service of Janesville, installed the system in just under four hours.
    Prior to the installation the tree had been lightly pruned.  A J-STAC volunteer operated a special trenching tool, the use of which was donated by Janesville Rental, to dig channels in the earth, running 60 feet out from the trunk of the tree in two directions.  Heavy woven copper cables were run from the crown of the tree, down its trunk and were fixed in place using special fasteners.  The cables were continued into the trenches and attached to long copper ground rods at the ends farthest from the tree, then buried.  J-STAC volunteers worked on the ground laying the copper cables in the trenches, fixing them to the ground stakes, backfilling the trenches, and cleaning up the site.

    In the event the tree is struck by lightning the system will carry the electricity from the strike down the cables, into the trenches, and to the ground rods where it will disburse safely, preventing damage to the tree.
    J-STAC purchased the system using funding provided through grants.