About
The Merrill School Forest is owned and operated by the Merrill Area Public School District. The school forest includes 764+ acres of forest, prairie, and wetland habitats, most of which has been given to the school district as a gift by William Evjue, an 1899 Merrill graduate whose father was a lumber scaler in Merrill. Currently there are over 10 miles of maintained logging trails which double as hiking and cross country ski trails. The school forest has a 20-year forest maintenance plan, and is logged with the assistance and guidance of local DNR foresters. The money earned from logging sales helps purchase skis, snowshoes, and other major purchases to support district curriculum and other student-driven learning opportunities.
Mission
The mission of the school forest, in alignment with the goals of environmental education, is to help students become environmentally knowledgeable, skilled, dedicated citizens who are willing to work, individually and collectively, toward achieving and maintaining a dynamic equilibrium between the quality of life and the quality of the environment.
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