The Plum Creek Foundation recently awarded a $2,000 grant to the School District of Rhinelander to help fund a significant expansion to the School Forest Environmental Education Center at the Cedric A. Vig Outdoor Classroom site.

According to Kelli Jacobi, director of curriculum at the School District of Rhinelander, the expansion project will benefit many students, faculty and community members within the district, and will serve as a mentoring project between local professionals and Rhinelander technology and engineering students. The project, which began in July of 2011, will add 3,865 square feet, and will add two classrooms, a storage area and three new bathrooms. The project is expected to be completed by September of 2012.

“The building has seen increased usage by students and the community as a whole, and we are excited to expand our space to continue to best provide learning opportunities for our students,” said Jacobi. “With the help of the Plum Creek Foundation, we are able to keep moving forward with this project that will provide even more learning experiences for our students in the future.”

This grant is one of two helping to make the project possible. Louisiana Pacific Building Products also donated to the effort.

The School District of Rhinelander serves the city of Rhinelander and nine surrounding Oneida County townships. The district serves approximately 2,800 students in several school locations. For more information, visit rhinelander.k12.wi.us/.

Plum Creek is the largest and most geographically diverse private landowner in the nation, with approximately 6.6 million acres of timberlands in major timber producing regions of the United States and wood products manufacturing facilities in the Northwest. The mission of the Plum Creek Foundation is to provide philanthropic contributions to support and improve the general welfare of life in the communities that Plum Creek serves. The foundation board meets quarterly to review applications submitted from organizations in the company’s operating communities.

Visit the Community Involvement page on Plum Creek’s website at plumcreek.com to download an application.