ALGOMA (NBC 26) — A forestry crew has been cutting down roughly 12 acres of forest at Sheldon Nature Area this week, and it's all because of an insect called Emerald Ash Borer.
Russ Potratz is on the Board of Directors and says he noticed the insects have done quite a number on the forest.
He says the infestation got so bad that he had to convince the Oshkosh Area School District (OASD), which owns the forest located behind Oakwood Elementary School, to cut the trees down. Fortunately for the district, Potratz explains he was able to get a local forester to cut down the infested trees at no cost to the district.
"Sheldon Nature Center is kind of a living laboratory," Potratz explained. "[it's an] Outdoor school classroom for the Oshkosh Area School District. Really a gem in the community."
Drew Niehans, OASD's Executive Director of Business Services says the district plans to plant new trees with the help of the Wisconsin DNR, and hopes the replanting and regrowth of the forest will help teach kids valuable lessons.
"Certainly for the Oakwood students it's right in their backyard," said Niehans. "So they're seeing it every day, being able to equip the staff with the process and why that process happens will be something we're working on soon."
Bill McNee works as a Forest Health Specialist with the DNR. He says infestations of Emerald Ash Borer aren't unique to Winnebago County but are having devastating impacts across the state as well.
"At this present, we have found the insect in 68 of Wisconsin's 72 counties, and it's probably in the other four," McNee said. "We can expect that more than 99% of the ash trees are going to die from this insect," he added.
According to McNee, Ash Borer infestations will likely become a "repeating cycle," where large ash trees are killed by the insect, while smaller ones survive until a breeding stock that can be tolerant of the insect can be developed.
While the ash trees of Sheldon are coming down, Potratz says the plan is to create a new generation of forest, for kids to learn from.
"In the future, we'll be planting more diverse tree species," Potratz said. "And tending that and watching that grow up, so the children will have a chance to learn a lot over the next several years, maybe decades and should change the dynamic of this forest."
