Cooksville Plants Seeds for Future Oak Trees

     

On hand May 1 for an Arbor Day celebration at the Cooksville Commons were, left to right, Porter Town Board Chairman David Viney, and Burr Oak Restoration Committee members, Mary Kohlman, Karl Wolter, Meri Lau, Abi Degner, Kyle Mallon and Emma Mallon.  The Mallons, who operate Mallon Tree Service near Cooksville, will assist with the planting and Burr oak restoration project at the Commons.

        Cooksville Wisconsin, “The Town That Time Forgot," has not forgotten its treasured oak trees. This winter, a group of concerned citizens began a group to look at ways to save Cooksville’s oak opening as well as the woods that is a significant part of the community Commons.

      On Sunday, May 1, Cooksville held an Arbor Day celebration to recognize the importance of its trees and to encourage others in the community to plant trees on their properties. 

Cooksville artist Meri Lau created this art piece, commemorating the planting of a Burr Oak seedling at the Cooksville Commons.  A group of Cooksville area residents hope this will spur others to continue a tradition to plant more trees in the Commons, which dates to the mid-1800s.

        Co-founders of the group, Meri Lau and Mary Kohlman, both of Cooksville, read a short history of Arbor Day and a Proclamation of the importance of planting new trees to 15 witnesses. David Viney, Town of Porter Chairman, signed the Proclamation.

        The group then unveiled a Burr oak sapling grown from a local acorn. Lau made a plaque to identify the tree and record the day for future generations. Refreshments were served at the Community Center and an opportunity to introduce our group to the community, sign on Tree Guardians for the Oak sapling for the Summer 2016 and invite new members to join the group.

        One goal of the group is to plant over the years 25 more tress in the Commons and oak opening.

     “Our group has much exciting work ahead of us, said Kohlman, “including making the Arbor Day celebration an annual event, educating our community on proper tree planting and stewardship, cleaning up our Cooksville Woods, applying for grants for financial assistance for our group, incorporating our group's work into our community's planning for our 175th anniversary celebration in 2017, just to name a few of the ideas in the early stages of planning. 

        “We invite others in community to contact us and welcome help in whatever way people feel they can offer.”

        Families and individuals are encouraged to plant trees in the Commons as part of Cooksville’s 175^th platting anniversary celebration in 2017.