Logs from CAVOC processed for use in the classroom

Rhinelander children grow up surrounded by forest in a community born of a lumber boom. With this history, perhaps its fitting that trees from the 160-acre jewel that is the Cedric A. Vig Outdoor Classroom (CAVOC) find their way into the hands of students enrolled in wood technology courses.

Last week, the process began as Rob Grefe of Merrill used a portable Wood-Mizer sawmill to turn downed or defective trees removed from the CAVOC property — named for beloved naturalist and former school superintendent Ced Vig — into usable lumber for use in the classroom.

According to school district officials, Grefe donated his time and expertise as well as his equipment.

It was a collaborative effort as Ponsse, a leading manufacturer of forest machines with a North American base in Rhinelander, donated the use of one of its forwarders to move the logs to a open area where Grefe could easily access them and the Wood-Mizer company out of Mosinee donated saw blades so that Grefe would not have to use his own.

Manny Oradei, a retired forester and the caretaker of the CAVOC property, was on hand to assist as were members of the Rhinelander High School technical education department including instructor Mike Wojtusik.

According to the school district, this program has been utilized since the early 2000s and was initiated by former tech ed instructor Bob Lefebvre.

As Wojtusik explained it, the program is a way to make good use of damaged trees.

“These are bad trees, these are fallen trees,” he explained. “They were topped trees, mostly storm-damaged trees.”

As a result of Grefe’s work, Wojtusik calculated the district would end up with 2,000 board feet of lumber for use in its wood technology courses.

“If you went to Menards and bought (that amount of lumber) that’s $21,000 and we should have it done in a day,” he explained. “It’s a heck of savings and the kids get the benefit.”

Wojtusik said students are made aware that the wood they are using in their classes comes from the school forest. 

The School District obtained the 160-acre tract that now bears Vig’s name back in 1976 through a land trade with the Samoset Boy Scout Council. It is part of the 1,200-acre school forest, the largest in the State of Wisconsin. 

According to the school district website, the forest is managed by the School Forest Advisory Committee (SFAC), which is comprised of educators, community members, and local business representatives. 

Heather Schaefer may be reached at [email protected].