By Rhiannon Erhardt and Garrett Hopkins
Watertown, Wis. – This spring, Rock River Coalition is partnering with The City of Watertown Forester, students and staff from Riverside Middle School to design, restore and maintain an ecologically-rich forest on school grounds. By enhancing an underutilized natural space next to the Rock River, this program will expand the school’s outdoor learning capabilities and contribute to climate resilience in the community.
Students will help bring this project to life by assisting in the planting of diverse, climate-adapted tree species, and the forest will serve as a living lab for ecology, stormwater management, and forestry. Expected environmental impacts include improved stormwater and air quality. Expected educational outcomes include stronger test scores and increased attention spans, creativity and environmental literacy.
“We’re adding trees to our forest area for our students to use in classes,” says Jonathan Pickelmann, a teacher at Riverside Middle School. “[They’ll study] tree identification and tree growth over the years, as well as wood products and the jobs they’ll create in our community. And our community will have all the benefits of trees, such as oxygen, and runoff abatement. As well as shade and beautification!”
This endeavor is part of an ongoing Rock River Coalition initiative to increase urban water conservation practices, decrease the impacts of climate change and improve green infrastructure in the Rock River Basin and Watertown such as streambank restoration, rain barrels, rain gardens and urban canopy. This project is funded by the Quirk Foundation and Protect WI Waterways.
Key partners include Riverside Middle School, the City of Watertown’s Forestry Department, and Rock River Coalition. These organizations bring ecological, educational, and municipal expertise to the project, enabling a collaborative approach to site planning, design, and long-term stewardship. Students and teachers will be involved in decision-making processes from the start, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility.
“There are some old sayings about planting trees: ‘He who plants a tree plants hope’ and ‘A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in,’” says Pickelmann. “These sayings ring true for this project. This is us, in the here and now, planting hope for a great future in our community.”
To learn more about how this project will benefit Watertown, contact Rhiannon Erhardt at Rhiannon@rockrivercoaliton.org.