Yale-Myers Forest

Yale-Myers Forest is a 7,840-acre research and teaching forest owned and managed by Yale University. Located in northeastern Connecticut, it serves as a primary field site for the Yale School of the Environment and is integral to the university's Yale Forest system. The property is dedicated to long-term silvicultural research, hands-on forestry education, and the demonstration of sustainable forest management practices.

History

The forest's origins trace to the 1930s, when the university began acquiring cutover and abandoned farmland, a period influenced by broader conservation movements and the legacy of Gifford Pinchot. A significant portion was donated by George Hewitt Myers, a noted philanthropist and forestry benefactor, leading to the forest's naming. Its development was shaped by early figures in American forestry, including Henry Solon Graves and Harold J. Lutz, who established foundational research plots. Management has been continuous since its establishment, with records providing a detailed history of land use change and ecological response in New England.

Geography and ecology

Situated within the New England Upland section of the Northeastern coastal forests ecoregion, the forest encompasses a varied landscape of rolling hills, streams, and wetlands. The terrain is underlain by glacial till from the Wisconsin glaciation, creating a mosaic of soil types. The predominant forest type is central hardwoods, featuring species like northern red oak, eastern white pine, red maple, and eastern hemlock. It provides habitat for fauna including white-tailed deer, black bear, ruffed grouse, and numerous migratory bird species, contributing to the region's biodiversity.

Management and research

Management is guided by a long-term plan emphasizing timber production, ecosystem health, and carbon sequestration, applying principles of uneven-aged management and selection system silviculture. It is a site for the Silas Little Experimental Forest plots and other studies on forest growth, wildlife management, and watershed processes. Research collaborations extend to institutions like the Harvard Forest and the USDA Forest Service. The forest is certified under the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and its operations support the Yale School of the Environment's mission through the Global Institute of Sustainable Forestry.

Educational use

The forest is a vital outdoor classroom for Yale University students, particularly those in the Master of Forestry program. Courses in forest ecology, silviculture, and forest management conduct field labs here, often based out of the Campbell-Purdie field station. It hosts the summer session for the Toumey Forest Fellows and is used by undergraduate programs from Yale College. The annual Yale Forest Forum often includes tours, and the site is integral to the research of the Yale Center for Natural Carbon Capture.

See also

* Harvard Forest * Bartlett Experimental Forest * Yale School of the Environment * Sustainable forestry * Experimental forest

Category:Yale University Category:Forests of Connecticut Category:Research forests of the United States Category:Windham County, Connecticut