Maple Grove School is proud to announce the dedication of Merrill’s and Wisconsin’s newest School Forest on May 12. This 25-acre parcel, located adjacent to the Maple Grove School, is already used by staff and students as an outdoor classroom. Maple Grove School is a Green and Healthy School and currently has Sprout status.
Students have a long tradition of tapping the maples on site to create syrup and have adopted unique trees in the forest that look like the number 4. The school site also features an outdoor classroom area complete with wifi, composting and chickens. Students currently use the trail system year round, including snowshoeing in the winter.
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources forester Bill Millis is working with the school district to create a forest stewardship plan for the property. This is the first new school forest registered in 2017. Additionally, Maple Grove will be looking at how to share its School Forest within the MAPS district.
The dedication will be held at Maple Grove School, 290 Cty. F, Hamburg. After the dedication, pancakes will be served featuring some of the school’s freshly tapped maple syrup and offering walks on the trails.