From forest to classroom: Northland Pines plans to purchase portable sawmill

Students at Northland Pines Middle and High School may soon be turning local logs into usable lumber right on campus, thanks to a new Wood-Mizer portable sawmill initiative. The school is working to raise $60,000 to purchase the machine, expanding hands-on learning opportunities for students in technology education, science and math.

Fundraising efforts are already underway, with several local construction and lumber businesses stepping up to support the project.

“We’re really excited about this project and how it will open new opportunities for our students,” said technology education teacher Devin Fuchs, who, along with tech ed teachers Tim Lehman and Josh Fuller, is spearheading the initiative.

An idea comes to life

Fuchs said the idea came about during a common professional development day in fall 2024.

“Our tech ed department and tech ed departments from Rhinelander, Three Lakes, Phelps and Lakeland were discussing how awesome it would be for us to jointly purchase a portable sawmill to share among the local schools,” said Fuchs.

“The goal was to help drive our curriculum as well as save money on materials for our wood technology classes. Fast forward to the fall of 2025, and we at Northland Pines decided to work to make it happen.”

Since then, the group has researched what type of portable sawmill would best meet their needs, designed and planned a building for storage and use, and created a system for renting it out to local schools so it can serve as a shared resource.

Real-world projects

Fuchs said students will gain hands-on experience processing logs into usable lumber while also building skills in measurement, data analysis, material science, lumber processing, production planning, and tool operation and maintenance.

“We see the portable sawmill as a cross-curricular tool that will not only be hands-on for the tech ed department, but the science and math departments as well,” she said.

Thanks to the Northland Pines School Forest and community partners, students will have access to a variety of tree species, including pine, oak and maple.

With the sawmill, those logs can be milled into lumber that will then be used in a range of classroom and student-led projects.

“The middle school classes mostly use pine to create their projects,” Fuchs said. “Things like chalkboards, foldable stools, jumbo clothespins and prototypes. The high school classes use many different species of wood to make projects like clocks, cutting boards, cribbage boards and more.”

She added that the Eagle Manufacturing class, a student-run business, is considering offering custom-made pieces such as live-edge mantels and shelves.

“The hands-on skills will be invaluable as it engages students in meaningful, career-connected and focused learning that can be translated into real jobs in the North Woods and beyond upon graduation,” Fuchs said, pointing to career pathways in the skilled trades, engineering, manufacturing, science, math and natural resource management.

The community invests

Making the sawmill a reality depends on strong community support, and local businesses such as Waldmann Construction, Pukall Lumber Company, Headwaters Builders Association and Andersen Built have rallied behind the initiative with generous donations.

“Without the community support, this project initiative would still be in the planning phase,” Fuchs said. “We’ve contacted many area businesses asking for donations and our community has really stepped up to support our program. We’ve received monetary donations, equipment donations, time and material donations, kiln space to dry the wood after it’s been sawn, and partnerships for guest speakers.”

The district’s goal is to raise $60,000 to cover the cost of the sawmill, building construction, safety and maintenance equipment, and site preparation. As of publication, $32,000 had been raised. Fuchs said they hope to have the machine in place by fall.

As fundraising continues and plans move forward, Fuchs said the impact of the sawmill will go beyond the classroom.

“Turning local trees into usable lumber for our projects on-site reinforces sustainability through responsible material use, in addition to having that wow factor.”

If all goes as planned, students could soon be milling their own lumber — a uniquely North Woods approach to education.

To donate, get involved, or learn more, contact Devin Fuchs at defuchs@npsd.k12.wi.us, Tim Lehman at tlehman@npsd.k12.wi.us, or Josh Fuller at jfuller@npsd.k12.wi.us.