Thaddeus Carroll, tcarroll@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Thaddeus Carroll Teacher Dean Hermsen gets in on the fun by burrowing into a fire shelter during his class’s visit to the Bowler Ranger Station last week.
Leader Photo by Thaddeus Carroll Forestry technician Dave Marquette shows Bowler summer school students fire resistant clothing, as well as other supplies used at the Bowler Ranger Station.
Every day, teacher Dean Hermsen’s “Bowler Rangers” take a different path into the outdoors. On July 2, they chose a path that led to the Bowler Ranger Station.
Ranger station workers put on a presentation covering fire safety, firefighting, tree identification, invasive species and more for six youngsters as a part of Bowler Elementary School’s summer school forestry class.
Smiles were abundant as the class tried out tools, including a fire shelter and fire hose, used by the rangers. They also hopped inside the station’s bulldozer.
Usually the students hike into the woods across from the school; whatever they find that they think is interesting is put in Hermsen’s pouch to bring back to the school. Once they return, the students research the items on an iPad to discover what they are.
Hermsen was looking for something different for the class to do, so he took a hike up to the ranger station. Forestry technician Dave Marquette gave him an overview. Hermsen then asked if Marquette would put on a similar presentation for the class, and Marquette thought it was a great idea.
The employees at the ranger station see involvement with the schools as a great way to ensure the future health of area forests.
“They’re our future, and we want to make sure that if they are having any problems with anything on ‘the back 40’ they aren’t afraid to swing by,” Ranger Zach Hylinski said.
Unfortunately the state Department of Natural Resources, which operates the station, does not have the resources to do more than three or four presentations a year.
“There just isn’t enough manpower,” Marquette said. “There are vacancies in Keshena, Waupaca and all across the state. … We don’t have the numbers to be able to go up to a school for a day. In this case, he was bringing the kids to us, so we could do something for them.”