Sometimes nature is kind, and sometimes it is terrifying. Today was a reminder of both.
Then late this afternoon, a humdinger of a storm hit the west side of Madison with a downpour of rain, frightening winds, 1" hail, the works. It was brief but dramatic. Unfortunately, Crestwood sustained quite a lot of damage from the storm. A large oak tree came down near the trailhead of our woods, bringing with it an entire ash tree and the tops of several other trees. The trail into the woods is completely blocked, part of the fence is down, and the old sign and one of the memorial benches was destroyed. Amazingly, the red bench was spared, as two trees managed to fall just on either side of it. The trail loop around the Goldfinch plot is completely blocked. Debris is everywhere and most of the mulch from the trails is washed out. The gardens were obviously battered by winds and hail. It's a good thing so much has been harvested already. And our mosaic sign collection suffered another casualty: A large branch came down in front of the school as well, though it doesn't pose the same safety risk as the downed oak and other trees in the woods. The district is working fast, and by the time school starts in the morning, some of the biggest tree trunks will be cut up enough to allow access to the main trail again. It's doubtful classes will be able to use the woods for a little while, but students who walk from the Highlands neighborhood should be able to get in and out again that way before long.
Sometimes nature is kind, and sometimes it is terrifying. Today was a reminder of both.
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AuthorCrestwood's OE committee is dedicated to outdoor learning for all students. Archives
August 2017
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