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For nearly a century, detailed records for all research and forestry operations on the Harvard Forest properties have been maintained in the form of extensive research files, maps, photographs, and other materials. This information allows researchers to interpret the landscape history of research sites, and analyze how past natural and anthropogenic

Coastal sandplain grasslands of New England harbor a number of rare plant species, but few systematic management techniques have been developed to help foster or restore these critical habitats. Farnsworth (2007) applied a comparative, functional group approach to coastal sandplain grassland taxa in order to examine whether rare plant species share certain aspects of rarity and life history characters that

The Harvard Forest offers a Forest Ecology training institute for teachers of grades 2-12. Learn how to implement field studies related to local ecosystems with your students right in your schoolyard.

Previous participants have recently posted new Data Analysis lesson plans developed by experienced Schoolyard Ecology teachers: Nichole Ruggles, Kellie Robichaud, Kathleen Bennett, and Mary Gagnon along with support from

Von Holle & Motzkin (2007) examined how previous land use and current biotic and environmental properties influence the abundance and distribution of nonnative plant species across coastal upland habitats of southern New England and adjacent New York. They found that the modern distribution of nonnative plants is influenced by multiple, interdependent current and historical factors. Open-canopy communities, such as grasslands,