Duluth school board approves one-acre forest at Myers-Wilkins Elementary
Myers-Wilkins Elementary will gain a one-acre school forest, turning campus land into an outdoor classroom for 319 students in Duluth.
Myers-Wilkins Elementary is getting a one-acre school forest, a move that turns part of the campus into a dedicated outdoor learning space for 319 pre-K through fifth-grade students in Duluth, St. Louis County. The Duluth School Board approved the site on April 21, 2026, and the resolution defines it by the campus parcel boundary, making it a formally designated school forest rather than leftover green space.
That distinction matters because a school forest can change what happens on school grounds every day. Instead of learning about plants, weather, soil and ecosystems only from books and screens, students can use the site for science lessons, observation, nature walks, project-based learning and environmental stewardship. For younger children especially, a living classroom can make lessons more concrete, giving teachers a place to move instruction outside when the subject calls for direct experience.
The school’s profile shows why the added space could carry weight in this part of the city. U.S. News Education lists Myers-Wilkins Elementary with 319 students, a 7-to-1 student-teacher ratio and 90% of students identified as economically disadvantaged. The school website says its work centers on the science of reading, social emotional learning through Mindful practices, 21st-century classrooms and facilities, and a variety of educational programs. A school forest fits that approach by extending learning beyond the building and into the campus itself.
The district’s 2024-2026 Achievement and Integration Plan also identifies Myers-Wilkins as a racially identifiable school, which gives the new forest an added equity dimension. In a district where outdoor access is not evenly distributed, a one-acre forest on school grounds gives students a nearby place to explore nature without leaving campus. Because the site is relatively modest and formally set aside, it could also serve as a realistic model for other St. Louis County schools with enough land to dedicate a small parcel to outdoor instruction.
Know something we missed? Have a correction or additional information?
Submit a Tip
