Rick Wilson and River Falls School District Superintendent Jamie Benson provided an update about the school forest. Despite the cold and snow over this past winter, work has been going on at the property, mainly by a group of enthusiastic and capable volunteers. Equally important, there have been other developments that affect the opportunity that this education resource offers as a Rotary project.
The land for the school forest was donated to the school in 1942. The land exchange in 2009-10 required a cash contribution due to the unequal parcel sizes. Rotary contributed $5,000 (half of what was needed), but the consolidated property was still landlocked. In 2019, the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust acquired the adjacent Community Forest property. Dale Jorgenson has compiled a more detailed history. Click the link at the bottom of the Tidings to read what he provided to the club.
The KRLT acquisition resulted in a one-half mile access from Highway FF to the south end of the both properties. Cooperation between KRLT and the school district has been and will continue to be of major importance. Jamie pointed out that there are now 3 protected properties linked together: city trails along the Kinni, the Community Forest, and the School Forest.
A site at the south end of the school forest meadow has been determined for an educational building with bathrooms. Construction will require roadway improved for vehicles, and the resulting roadway will allow for school bus access.
Extensive work has already been done on trails and in restoring the meadow area to prairie. The school district is working on a referendum for 2024; ballot issues could include funding for school forest improvements.
Next month the school district will have 12 field trips to the school forest, and it will be used more and more in the future as these improvements are made. Volunteer opportunities for the field trips are available.