2024 Forest Improvements

• Culverts
• Sound Forest Management Trailwork
• Fabric and Blue Granite
• Boardwalk

Laying of the Fabric and Blue Granite

Approximately 96 donated volunteer hours and donated machine/tool time.

Volunteers

Rollie Thums, Peter Anderson, Gary Thums, Lee Clendening, Scot Bromann, Jon Dallmann

Equipment

Tractors, wheelers, box scraper, hand tools, and the school’s bobcat

Boardwalk was completed on July 29th

Special Thank you to Rollie Thums for having the vision and continually encouraging the project, Scot Bromann and Peter Anderson for all of the estimates and trail design/mapping, and Lee Clendening for organizing all of the work days and volunteers!

Volunteers on the project

Tami, Cory, and Cole Wiese - from Bloomer (Ice Age Trail members), Buzz Meyer, Gary Thums, Gary Krueger, Rollie Thums, Scot Broman, Jon Dallmann, Travis Grubbs, Russ Blenert,  Jon & Gene Osen, Paul Gabriel, Scott Everson, Lee Clendening

413 volunteer hours to complete the project!

Thank you received

"Jon,

 

Just wanted to send a thanks to you and all the school forest volunteers.  This past weekend, my sister in law, who has physical limitations, was able to enjoy a glimpse of Wisconsin beauty thanks to the boardwalk. 

She visited from out of state, and our kids were so excited to take her on the new school forest trail!  She was in awe that students here can have the outdoor experience.

 

Please forward and pass on our gratitude to the volunteers!!!  Thank you each for your investment and time in this project! "

 

- Hoffert family

What now?

Estimates

To finish the project we need:

• Trail to be graveled:  Total $7800
• 2 rolls of fabric at $400 each=  $800
• 2000 feet of Blue granite trail 20 - 16 yard truck loads at $350 a load=  $7000
• Decking on the bridged:  Total $1453
• 30’ by 12’  treated decking = $1375
• Screws $78

Grand Total and RL School Forest Funds

• Trail to be graveled:  Total $7800
• Decking on the bridged:  Total $1453
• Grand Total of $9253

Improvements Photo Gallery

 

Click here to see this page as pdf copy

2024 Board Presentation School Forest

1.  The Rib Lake School Forest started this project with a balance of $62,919 (6/1/23)
   1. $38,375.00 sale of Westboro School Forest 6/29/2022
   2. $20,855.50  2019/20 School Forest Management cut
2. Culvert
   Met with DNR on Aug 1st (Scot B and Gary T) to size culverts and address if permits were needed.  No permits were required
   Donated hours- 32 hours actual install
3. Peter Anderson from  Sound Forest Management donated time to use software to map out the existing and new trail affected by the boardwalk.
4. Blue Granite went out to bids along with fabric
   1. Randy Thums was awarded the blue granite bid as he came in with the lowest cost.  All other bidders were sent out paperwork letting them know where the bids landed.
   2. Fabric came from Volm
   3. June 26, 2024 about 96 donated volunteer hours human and machine hours
      1. Rollie Thums, Peter Anderson, Gary Thums, Lee Clendening, Scot Bromann, Jon Dallmann
      2. Equipment Tractors, wheelers, box scraper and we used the school’s bobcat
5. Hired Sound Forest management to cut and rough grade approaches to boardwalk.
6. Bid the support plates that hold up the 4 by 4 to support the structure
   1. Matt Annala was low bid ½ the cost of other bids
7. Bid out the lumber to local lumber yards
   1. Stetsonville was low bid
8. Jun 6, 2024 Lumber arrived at school
   1. Boardwalk was completed July 29th
   2. 413 volunteer hours to complete the project
   3. Volunteers on the boardwalk
   4. Bloomer
9. Hours did not include layout, brushing, maps, estimates, hand tools, generators, tractors, wheelers, trailers, fuel, etc
10. In the middle we looked at the possibility of hiring a local contractor to finish the project.  The cost of labor would have been $75 per hour.  Using this number the cost of our volunteers saved the school district is around $30,000.
11. Next steps
    1. Blue granite the rest of Flatlander loop
    2. Kiosks
       1. Birds in the parking lot 30 different birds identified by Merlin
       2. Amphibians, Insects/river life, tree identification
       3. Interactive signs
12. The school forest has a current balance of $13,874.77 and lumber remaining to do other projects