Wrapped in layers of warm clothing, Four Corners Elementary School students made the trek along the school’s Burstrom Trail on Tuesday to see a landscape changed by logging. About 19 acres of forestland around the school is being logged for aspen, also known as poplar or popple. The operation will provide student safety and allow the forest and trail to grow.
“The trees are dying anyway; they’re at the end of their lifespan,” said Deb Jones, a fourth and fifth grade teacher. “You can clearly see it. We’re either going to lose them naturally or we can cut them down and benefit from it.”
Priem Forest Products of Solon Springs is in the midst of harvesting about 700 cords of wood, mostly aspen, from the site. The work started two weeks ago, and is expected to wrap up in about a week.
“It’ll look a little bit funny for a while,” said fifth grader Owen Schilling. “And it’s kind of a sad thing to see, just a little bit, just all that stuff coming on the trucks and all of our forest falling down, but later on we’re going to pass the road and we’re going to see a beautiful forest that’s brand new and it’s just going to be really pretty.”
The wood will be made into lumber, turned into pulp and chipped. The logging operation is expected to net the school up to $12,000.
From the Superior Telegram: https://www.superiortelegram.com/news/douglas-county/3688238-four-corners-logging-regrowth-offer-instant-curriculum