Oak Grove Foundation grant enables work at China School’s Forest

China Primary School students displaying some of the bird cutouts they painted for the China School Forest Park. (Photo courtesy of Anita Smith)

by Anita Smith

There’s been a lot happening at the China School’s Forest this spring! Mrs. Maroon’s fifth grade class completed a year-long project to create a Maine Wildlife Trail and to enhance the Bird Watching Outdoor Classroom. Students researched different Maine animals and wrote reports about them. Parent volunteer, Andrew Seigars, cut out about 45 different life-sized animals from plywood for the project. Students then painted and applied polyurethane to the cut-outs. Some were painted all black and others were painted to look like many of the birds which frequent central Maine. During the week of June 11, the cut-outs were installed in the forest. A WELCOME sign and trail guide will soon be installed at the trailhead starting near the SEED TREE area in the forest and at the Bird Watching Station.

Plywood cutouts that were painted by students at the China Primary School. Photo courtesy of Anita Smith

This project was funded by a grant from the Oak Grove Foundation. Anita Smith led several China Primary School classes out on the trail to see the completed project. The kids were so excited to find the different cut-outs and it kept them very engaged in learning during the last few days before summer break.

The trails are open for the community to enjoy. Maps are available at each forest trailhead. One trailhead is located by the China Middle School soccer field and the other trailhead is off the China Primary School bus circle. A community forest walk, featuring the new project will be offered during China Community Days on August 3 at 11 a.m.

Visit this link for a complete listing of China School’s Forest Day Camps and Family Forest Activities (Summer 2019).