Cooksville Burr Oak Trees Salvation Group - Meri Lau and Mary Kohlman

What is the reason for forming this group?  The Burr Oaks that are a significant feature of the Commons in Cooksville are in demise, probably due to a number of factors.  There have been sporadic conversations over the years surrounding this concern.  But up to this point no formal inquiry has been made into their status or what can be done to help them.

Cooksville Commons

We are approaching an important marker in our community's life and as we plan how we are going to celebrate this event, several of us feel this is an excellent time to look at the Burr Oaks that are also an important part of our community and history, and think about how to keep this part of our legacy alive for generations to come.

Our motto:  "The Burr Oaks of Cooksville:  Trees that Time Did Not Forget."

What is our vision?  Ideally we would like to do what we can to keep the surviving trees alive and in improved health.  Some of these trees are near the end of their lifespan, so we would also like to begin the work of replacing those lost with young trees.  We want this to be a collective effort from members of the immediate and surrounding community of Cooksville.  We see this as an opportunity to

• come togther for a common purpose, 
• to learn about the natural history of the Oak Savannahs in the pre and post settlement of the prairie, specifically Wisconsin, 
• to explore what options are realistically available to us in our efforts to revitalize the stand of oaks that we have, 
• to develop a plan based on these discoveries, 
• to work together as a community to implement this plan, 
• and ultimately to celebrate the first successes of what will no doubt be a long term project.  

Meri Lau and Mary Kohlman, residents of Cooksville, have already begun some of the preliminary work exploring history and resources that may be available.  We would like to meet monthly with whomever is also interested in this dedicated labor of love.  This blog post is a start and as we move forward we will send emails on our progress to interested persons.  Our work will have room for many willing hands, heads and hearts (and probably a few strong backs and arms as well).

If you have questions or have the desire to be in the formative stages of this quest, you can email us at Meri_Lau@yahoo.com or marye.kohlman@yahoo.com.

Thank you in advance for your support,
Meri Lau, Mary Kohlman and the Oaks.