Editor’s Note: Today, we begin the new Mesabi Tribune Teen Connection. Several teen writers from high schools across the area will be featured each month during the school year. They will be writing about events at their schools and other news of the day. We hope you enjoy the new edition to the Mesabi Tribune.
—
The Mountain Iron-Buhl School Forest has been used for years as an educational and community resource, and the School Forest Committee is always working to improve it.
The past year has brought numerous exciting changes to the school forest. In 2022, with the help of the Costin Group, the School Forest Committee received an $82,000 grant from the Environmental & Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) with the intention of improving trails and creating new additions to the forest.
In the last few years, the school forest has become an essential part of not only our school, but also our community. The School Forest Committee, along with teachers Kristen Busch and Louis Parenteau, who are the advisors, are very appreciative of this grant. They are all very excited about the changes that have been and will continue to be made in the future.
In the last two years, several projects have been completed by the School Forest Committee with the help of the ENRTF grant. First, they worked to reestablish the East trail alongside the football field. This trail gives more opportunities for students and members of the community to walk and experience more of the school forest. Additionally, a new shed, built by Old Hickory, was added with the intention of housing materials used in the woods.
Finally, two gated entrances and a welcoming arch identifying the school forest were created by Steven’s Welding and Fabricating LLC out of Eveleth. On behalf of the School Forest Committee along with Mr. Parenteau and Mrs. Busch, we would like to thank Jake and Cassie Stevens for their work on this project. It has made a huge difference to the appearance of the school forest.
The School Forest Committee would also like to thank the following local community supporters: Alesch Contracting out of Meadowlands, J&D Works LLC from Aurora, Complete Land Solutions LLC, The City of Mountain Iron, Negan LLC, Benchmark Engineering Inc. out of Mountain Iron, Aquatic Ecosolutions Inc from Nevis, and Iron Range Engineering. Also, we would like to thank Senator David Tomassoni and State Representative David Lislegard, as they were instrumental in supporting the efforts towards getting the ENRTF grant. We appreciate all of the organizations and people that have assisted in making the school forest a successful resource.
Along with the many enhancements that have already been made the future of the school forest is very bright. With the use of the ENRTF grant, the School Forest Committee plans to create an outdoor classroom in the form of a pavilion so that students can learn more about nature and elements of the forest. Additionally, a new bridge will be built to connect trails for both school and community enjoyment. In the future, everyone can expect more additions to the forest.
Finally, I would like to thank Mr. Parenteau, Mrs. Busch, and the School Forest Committee. I think everyone in the school and community can agree that none of this would have been possible without your hard work and dedication. The work you have done is astounding, and we are all excited to see what is next for the school forest.
—
Shay Busch is a junior at Mountain Iron-Buhl High School
Most Popular
Comments / 0