This cache was placed by Troop #344 of the Boy Scouts of America's Northern Trails District. It contains a hint for one of the 12 points of the Boy Scout Law. Eventually, all 12 points should be available in caches that highlight Eagle projects throughout the District. One would need to know which point of the Boy Scout Law corresponds with each Cache to Eagle # in order to prove they'd been to all 12. A bookmark list to find the others as they become available can be viewed by clicking on the bookmark list to your right.
Feel free to skip the history section and go to “The Washburn School Forest” below.
The following is copied from the website https://envedweb.madison.k12.wi.us/forest/edwischf.htm
The Birth of the School Forest Idea
"Attitudes are not born, they are acquired by experiences. Nor are habits born, they are acquired by training." With these words of inspiration and high expectation, Wakelin "Ranger Mac" McNeel, an early school forest visionary, sent students and teachers out across the state to reclaim cut-over, burned-over land with shovel and seedling. McNeel, a state 4-H leader in the 1920's, had a vision for Wisconsin's resources - for both land and youth. And so, through sweat and dedication, Wisconsin school children became conservation stewards, or caretakers, as they replanted a Wisconsin their children and grandchildren could be proud of.
The idea of school forests was not a new one. It was borrowed from Australia and introduced to Wisconsin in 1925 by the late Dean Russell of the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agriculture. While visiting Australia, Russell watched school children planting trees on public tracts of land as an educational project. He thought it would be an idea that could be put to practical use in his home state.
By 1927, Russell's plan was on its way to becoming reality through legislation he spearheaded that permitted school districts to own land for forestry programs. Motivated by this legislation and supercharged by McNeel and his colleague, Fred Trenk, a UW Extension forester, and the people of Forest County; Wisconsin adopted the idea of school forests to promote an urgent reforestation program. Within the year, three tracts of land were donated or purchased for the first school forests in Wisconsin: in Laona, Crandon, and Wabeno. They were dedicated in the spring of 1928.
Legislation was passed in 1935 mandating that conservation education be taught in all high schools, vocational schools, and universities or colleges. School Forests provided great outdoor classrooms for this type of education, and now seemed to have a firm place in a new and exciting educational movement.
Bill Sylvester, an emeritus professor of forestry at UW Stevens Point says, "I became involved with school forests in 1938 when I was employed by the Wisconsin Conservation Department as a cooperative forest ranger. I worked in the central and north central parts of Wisconsin, teaching school children about conservation. I showed movies on a 16-millimeter movie machine that ran on six volt batteries, since most of the one-room schools didn't have electricity. For many of those school kids, it was the first time they saw a movie."
School forests gained another boost in 1949 when Wisconsin statutes involving school forests were revised. Schools became eligible to receive free planting stock from state forest nurseries and to use the services of foresters for forest management plans. School districts acquired lands in a variety of ways. Some lands were purchased, while others were donated or willed. Because the quality of donated lands varied greatly, school boards learned to look at such donations with caution first, and gratitude later.
But most tracts of land were gained when school districts took title to tax-delinquent lands deeded by counties. When titles were given to school districts, they were generally on the basis of a small purchase price, often only $1. Keeping school forests going required creative financing on the part of school administrators and teachers. "By bending the arms of local service clubs and other possible donors, capital improvements were made on many school forests," said Sylvester. In addition, school districts picked up part of the tab to pay for employees and to transport students to and from forest lands. Sylvester added, "The Medford School Forest found a creative solution to their need for roads...they called in the National Guard to build them."
Success of the School Forest system depended on the sense of ownership gained by the students. A "School Forest Covenant" (see below) was repeated and signed by students before working on their school forests. Each year this pledge was repeated by the entire student body to re-emphasize their obligation. Founders intended for School Forests to provide students with hands-on experience in tree planting and forest management. Their foresight made outdoor laboratories available to all students, and gave them a real understanding of the inter-relationships of natural resources. Although conservation education has evolved and taken on several new names, the concept remains the same today.
According to Sylvester, the school forest idea caught on right away and quickly spread throughout the state. But with the approach and arrival of World War II, things slowed down. "Many of the little country school districts were swallowed up and disappeared from the map." In most cases, those school forests just went back to the counties. In addition, much of the early success was attributed to the enthusiasm of key people charged with administering their local programs. Some school forests' programs simply stopped with the passing of early spirited leaders.
But many school forests are still alive and well nearly 80 years after their seeds were planted. Sylvester is optimistic. "I don't think the program has peaked yet, at least not from the standpoint of possible activity. School Forests have probably far exceeded any of the expectations of the founder, but they still have tremendous educational possibilities."
The Washburn School Forest was purchased in 1960 for the sum of $191.35. This 40 acre parcel features both an indoor and an outdoor classroom, as well as an interpretive trail. The property is used year-round by students, community groups and the recreational public. Two separate Eagle Scout Projects have been completed here; one scout rehabilitated the trails system, and a second scout replaced the signs along the trail.
As you walk the trail, think about what the area might have looked like 50 years ago.