December 10th, 2016

Sadly,  on Friday,  three of our long standing Ash trees near the playground were cut down after they were identified as being diseased with the Emerald Ash Borer.  Their integrity has been under review for the past couple of years after one tree lost large branches in the ice storm and the evidence of the Ash Borer infesting the trees became more evident.   Officials from the Board review our woodlot each year,  and their focus is on helping us maintain the integrity of the woodlot in as natural a state as possible,  while working to ensure the safety of all students, staff, and community members who may use the woodlot.   School Council has been preparing for the day these playground trees needed to comes down,  as we recognize the critical need for shade in this area of the playground.   Council has been setting aside funds each year so that when the trees needed to come down we could replace them immediately with the largest trees possible.    This plan will move forward in the spring when we will look at installing three new trees in the same area as the three removed.

The other trees that were removed on Friday, nearer to the edge of the woodlot, in Shadow’s Den, were removed for safety reasons specifically.   The lean of the trees has increased in the last few years as the ground has become wetter.   The size of these trees make them susceptible to becoming top heavy and falling.  A large section of one of those trees came down last year after a wind storm that struck at the end of a school day.   Our woodlot is becoming a wetter environment as the water table in the area seems to be rising.   The impact this has on some of the larger and heartier trees,  along with the Ash Borer risk to the larger Ash trees still in the woodlot, will mean that more trees will need to be removed in the coming years as they are identified as being a safety risk.   The woodlot will continue to be monitored and reviewed for safety and supported as the school community works to revitalize the woodlot.   Our recently formed committee looking into that woodlot revitalization, is working in conjunction with Board personnel to ensure that the integrity and the uniqueness of the woodlot on our school grounds is not only maintained,  but strengthened as an integral part of Northlake Woods School.   It is an amazing outdoor learning space that we will always work to maintain for students to learn in and enjoy.

If you are interested in being a part of the efforts to revitalize the woodlot and to continue to provide students and staff with opportunities to use this outdoor learning space, consider joining the NLW  Outdoor Learning Space Committee.

Categories: News