OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Oshkosh kids who would normally be learning about the outdoors can’t right now because of the emerald ash borer.
A nature area owned by the district is closed because of a severe infestation.
Tucked away behind Oakwood Elementary School is the Sheldon Nature Area.
Russ Potratz, a board member of the nature area committee, says the area is like a living laboratory for students, and even for the public.
“Students come out here to learn about prairies, about forests, about aquatics and the turtle pond. It’s a really nice place to learn,” said Potratz.
The Sheldon Nature Area is a 26-acre property filled with ecosystems and all kinds of wildlife.
“It’s actually the Oshkosh Area School District’s forest, community forest,” said Potratz.
But currently, the area is temporarily closed. It’s due to a logging project in hopes to stop the spread of the emerald ash borer.
“We’re probably harvesting in the range of 12 to 15 acres of trees and we’re leaving everything up that is not an ash,” said Potratz.
At Sheldon, 95% of the seven-acre forested area is Green Ash. Many of these trees are already infested and dead or dying due to emerald ash borer.
“First it starts with some flagging the bark, the bark popping off the tree and you can tell it probably has the bug in it and then the leaves fall off and the tree is dead,” said Scott Koerner, owner of Koerner Forest Products.
The process increases the chances of tree limbs breaking off, meaning a higher risk for potential injuries.
“What we’re going to be doing today on this project is trying to get as much product out of it as we can,” said Koerner.
Koerner began the logging project on Tuesday.
“Most of what’s going to be coming out of here is small pulpwood for the paper mill or sold as firewood, some bolt material which would be cut into pallet lumber,” said Koerner.
“We have to try to get some value out of the wood, out of the timber that’s here to help pay for the cost to repair this, to regenerate the next generation of forest,” said Potratz.
Potratz says Sheldon was going to have trees delivered earlier in the year, with the intention of students and volunteers plant them before the school year ended.
“We had to scrap the plans because of the fact we didn’t freeze hard enough,” said Potratz.
But now, with the logging project in full force, those trees are expected to be delivered next year.
“Emerald ash borer gave us lemons, and we’re trying to make lemonade right now and I think it’s happening,” said Potratz.
The Sheldon nature area will reopen for regular public use on Tuesday, June 20.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has more information about EAB and what to do if one of your trees is affected.
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