The Johnson County School District is coordinating with Lake DeSmet Conservation District to remove a thick grove of Russian Olive weeds behind Buffalo High School.
According to Zach Byram of the Conservation District, a strategic Management Plan has been developed to first remove the invasive species and replant more native trees in the area.
Byram calls the effort “soul-sucking” work…

[episode term_id=”141″ id=”3050″]

To that end, last summer, the LDCD contracted with the Wyoming Conservation Corp., a group of college students from the University of Wyoming to remove the weed from two irrigation ditches that runs behind the school.
In an effort to control costs, Byram suggested the school district work with the Wyoming State Forestry Division to provide future labor to address the removal of the rest of the Russian Olive growth.
Robert Akers told the board of trustees that the work could be done by inmates from the Department of Correction’s Honor Camp in Newcastle…

[episode term_id=”141″ id=”3049″]

Even though the inmates would be working when students would not be at the school, High School Principal Chad Bourgeois indicated he wanted more information on the use of correctional inmates before a decision is made by the board.

Latest Happenings News