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School Forest Facilities

Sustainable/Green Facilities  Classrooms Overnight Facilities
Restrooms Signs Vandalism

Facilities are essential to effective education at a school forest. However, buildings are more than just places to conduct (shelters, classrooms) or facilitate (restrooms, dorms) education - they are educational opportunities in themselves. How buildings are designed, what they are constructed of, how they are used, where they are placed, and how they are monitored (electric usage, heating/cooling needs, water usage) should all reinforce your environmental education goals and provide educational opportunities in themselves. In addition, the buildings should specifically meet the needs of your education programs. Before planning your school forest facilities, you need to ask yourself two questions:

  1. What are the facility needs at the school forest related to how the site will be used educationally? You don't need to build a large classroom with dorms if you will be doing day programs with small groups of students. Figure out your educational goals before planning your facilities. Your educational programs should dictate the features of the building.
  2. How can we use the facilities to meet educational goals? Helping students understand where our resources come from and how our lifestyle decisions impact environmental and social quality are the greatest goals of school forest education. Teaching about conservation of resources, but conducting classes in a building made of unsustainable materials and using non-renewable electricity sends mixed messages.

Sustainable/Green Facilities

Sustainable or "green" design of buildings is an approach to creating environmentally, socially, and psychologically healthy and economically viable buildings. Sustainably designed and constructed buildings minimize waste, use renewable energy, are energy and water efficient, use locally produced and renewable materials, have healthy indoor air quality, are aesthetically attractive, meet the needs of the users, have natural landscaping, and are sited appropriately. In addition, they are generally less expensive to maintain than conventional buildings.

Architect William McDonough likes to use trees as the ultimate model for buildings. Trees are well adapted to the places they grow, produce materials ("wastes") that are useful to other life, are organic, and are beautiful (see article below). In essence, these are buildings that contribute to the goals of and can be used for environmental education. The sustainable buildings field is growing rapidly and a lot of resources are available to help you learn more. For more information on green/sustainable building practices, visit:
  • This article by William McDonough provides a good background on the goals of sustainable design.
  • Oberlin College's Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies Program website provides an overview of their green building and design philosophy. This building is an excellent example of creating a building that provides environmental educational opportunities.
  • The Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance Sustainable Buildings for Schools website provides a lot of resources and links to information.
  • Dharma Living Systems is a consulting and design group specializing in the holistic integration of water, energy and green building systems. They design innovative solution using nature as a model. Their website contains example projects and ideas to address many environmental issues created by the built environment.
  • The Building Green website contains good background information and resources about green building.
  • The US Green Building Council (USGBC) is a coalition of leaders in sustainable design. They are the primary sponsors of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, which certifies buildings that meet environmental and energy guidelines. Their website contains background information, resources, and current events in the field.
  • Wisconsin Green & Healthy Schools Program is a web-based, voluntary program available to all public and private elementary, middle, and high schools across Wisconsin. The program encourages teachers, staff, students and parents to work together to use the school, its grounds, and the whole community as learning tools to help teach, promote, and apply healthy, safe and environmentally sound practices.

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Classrooms

Washburn Lodge Inside  A variety of options - from simple shelters to "lodges" complete with classrooms and dorms - exist for classroom buildings on school forests. The most important thing to consider is how the facility will be used. Obviously, a building used occasionally to get out of the elements should be designed much differently than a building used for overnight programs. It is important to consider what programs will be conducted at the school forest before designing a facility. Below are a few examples and photos of education facilities on some of Wisconsin's school forests.

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Overnight Facilities

Boston SF CabinSpending the night at the school forest is a favorite memory for many students. Depending on the school forest, some students spend the night in a tent, some in a cabin, and others in a lodge dorm. The best overnight facility for your school forest will depend on frequency of usage and your goals for the experience (e.g., if you want to teach camping skills, tenting is the best option!). Here are a few examples of overnight facilities from school forests across the state. There are state regulations regarding overnight facilities. For more information, visit http://www.legis.state.wi.us/rsb/code/hfs/hfs175.pdf 

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Restrooms

Janesville restroom Restrooms are often an essential addition to facilities at the school forest (anyone that's spent much time with a 1st grader understands this!). The options for restrooms include rented portable restrooms, outhouses (from traditional to "modern"), to bathrooms built into the classroom or dorm. You will want to consider number and frequency of people using them, access (do you want people to go into a building to use the restroom), and location. Options for waste disposal include a vault system (in which waste is pumped out periodically), septic system (percolation into the ground), or composting toilets. Check with your county Planning & Zoning Department or Health Department for regulations regarding restrooms in your area.
  • Janesville Schools Outdoor Laboratory: Basic, cement restrooms with a 1,000 gallon vault system. Restroom Photo
  • Menomonie School Forest: Basic, cement vault system restroom. Restroom Photo
  • Washburn School Forest: Traditional pit toilets, aka: outhouses. The school forest received these as a donation from the US Forest Service. Restroom Photo
  • For information on composting toilets, visit http://www.compostingtoilet.org 

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Signs

Merrill sign Trail markers help students, teachers, and the community navigate and explore your school forest. Depending on design and placement, they can greatly enhance or detract from visitors' experiences.

Here are a few examples of trail markers found in Wisconsin school forests:
  • Boston School Forest: Wood post with plastic numbers "point" marker. Sign Photo
  • Boston School Forest: Wood routered and painted letter directional trail sign. Sign Photo
  • Merrill School Forest: This "paper and overhead sheet" is an inexpensive way to create signs. Of course, these need to be replaced frequently, but they may be a good option for quick, cheap navigation signs. Sign Photo
  • Tri-County School Forest: Wood post with plastic icons ski trail marker. Sign Photo
  • Tri-County School Forest: Double wood post with routered and painted letter directional trail sign. Sign Photo
  • Wausau School Forest: Metal post with plastic arrow directional trail sign. Sign Photo
  • For more information on materials and placement of trail markers, read this article. ARTICLE (PDF)

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Vandalism

Vandalism can be a concern at any outdoor education site, but its occurrence is rare. Don't let it discourage your school forest plans. The attached document provides some helpful suggestions to discourage vandalism. VANDALISM (PDF)