About the Property

About 35 acres of the land was originally farm fields. The rest of the property was a mixture of oaks, birches, aspens, and native pines. This area was used as pasture earlier in the century. Planting pines were the early emphasis of management. All but 2 acres of the old fields were planted to red pines between 1959 and 1965. About 20 acres of poor quality hardwoods were also improved during this early period through brushing and under-planting white and red pines. Except for a ribbon of steep sandstone rock outcrop that runs northeasterly, the land is relatively level. In 1995, 11 acres of red pine plantations were thinned and 25 acres of hardwood was clear-cut. In 1997, another 23 acres of pine plantation was thinned. Prairie plants have also been planted in the two-acre opening near the shelter. A third harvest was done on the property in 2008.

Legal Description of School Forest

SW, NE, and NW ¼ of NW ¼ of Section 36, T14N, R5E, Juneau County, Wisconsin.
Directions: Head north out of town on Cty Hwy G. Turn right on Cty Hwy O. Turn right on Hwy 12/16. Turn right on Cty Hwy J. The School Forest is located at the intersection of Cty Hwy V and Smith Rd.

Facilities at School Forest

There is a one-mile nature trail and a service road on the property. An old Quonset hut provides basic shelter at the end of this service road. There are no bathrooms or drinking water available on the property.

Notice

Weapons Prohibition: Firearms and dangerous weapons are prohibited on all property of the District. This includes the school building, parking lot, any athletic fields/playground areas, the outdoor learning area, and the school forest.