Life at the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies

Educational Facilities

Sage Hall, a four-story building located at 205 Prospect Street, is the headquarters of the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. The building, the gift of William H. Sage, B.A. 1865, in memory of his son, DeWitt Linn Sage, B.A. 1897, was completed in 1923. The administrative offices and library of the School are housed in Sage Hall, as are most of the classrooms. Sage Hall is home to a microcomputer center for students, with over thirty-five IBM and Apple computers, each with GIS capabilities. Sage also houses an 800-square-foot student lounge, appointed with large tables and comfortable couches, which students use for studying, special events, and weekly social events. The dean’s office and some faculty offices are also located in Sage.

Bowers Auditorium is a room designed to handle large lectures and seminars as well as small group projects. Bowers, which has a seating capacity of over 110 with tables and chairs, was built onto Sage Hall in 1931 with funds provided by the bequest of Edward A. Bowers, B.A. 1879.

Facilities for research and instruction in silviculture, natural resource and forest economics, forest policy, and biometry are in Marsh Hall at 360 Prospect Street in the Marsh Botanical Garden. This large, four-story mansion was originally the residence of Professor Othniel C. Marsh, B.A. 1860, a distinguished paleontologist and Western explorer of the nineteenth century. He bequeathed the building to the University in 1899 and for twenty-five years it housed the entire Forest School. Marsh Hall was designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of the Interior in 1965.

The William B. Greeley Memorial Laboratory at 370 Prospect Street, named in honor of William Buckhout Greeley, M.F. 1904, is a modern, one-story building with seven laboratories for work in environmental chemistry, wood anatomy and developmental morphology, soils, plant and wildlife ecology, tree physiology, forest microbiology, and forest pathology. Adjacent to the Greeley lab is a 3,800-square-foot greenhouse, which is used for hands-on learning and research. Greeley Laboratory and its greenhouse were built in 1959 with funds from the forest industries, the John A. Hartford Foundation, and other benefactors.

The Class of 1954 Environmental Science Center at 21 Sachem Street is dedicated to the Class of 1954 in honor of the $70 million the class donated in 2000 to support new science buildings and other major University priorities. It is an interdisciplinary facility built by the University with the aim of further fostering leadership in teaching and research of science and engineering. The building was designed to encourage collaboration among faculty and students pursuing environmental studies. Four natural science faculty members from F&ES have their laboratories in the Environmental Science Center, which also houses research laboratories for the Yale Science Departments of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Geology and Geophysics, and Anthropology as well as the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies.

The restored former residences at 210, 230, and 301 Prospect Street and 380 Edwards Street house the offices of many of the School’s faculty and staff, as well as doctoral student offices, the Doctoral Program Office, and the Development and Alumni/ae Office of the School.

Library
The Henry S. Graves Memorial Library at the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies is one of the oldest and largest collections of forestry, natural resource, and related publications in the world. It is named in honor of the School’s first dean, who purchased the initial collection of German forestry books and continued to support a strong library serving the School’s graduate forestry program.

Current holdings in the Graves Library consist of more than 135,000 books, documents, technical reports, and serial publications dealing with forestry, forest science, natural resource management, and environmental sciences and management. The library receives some 650 journals, periodicals, and other serial publications. The greater portion of the library’s collection, comprising material dating from the eighteenth century to the 1960s and periodical backfiles, is housed in the Seeley G. Mudd Library, one block from Sage Hall. The more recent part of the collection is housed on the fourth floor of Sage Hall.

The library is committed to acquiring whatever books and journals are needed to support the School’s teaching and research activities. In addition, students have access to the enormous holdings of the Yale University Library.

Reference and information services are provided locally, and additional aid is available from reference librarians in the nearby Kline Science and Social Science libraries. Access to electronic databases covering environmental, forestry, and natural resource topics, such as POLTOX and TREE-CD, is provided through the library’s Web site at http://www.library.yale.edu/science/subject/forestry.html. These research tools and others, on such subjects as water, soils, fish, and wildlife, are accessible throughout the campus, and are supplemented by an in-house CD-ROM collection, which includes Wildlife and Ecology Studies Worldwide and Water Resources Abstracts.

Library resources outside of Yale are accessed primarily through the Research Libraries Information Network (RLIN), the communications link between Yale and some eighty research libraries belonging to the Research Libraries Group (RLG). These network and membership connections have become increasingly important for arranging interlibrary loans and photocopies of highly specialized research materials.

School Forests
The School owns and manages approximately 11,000 acres of forest land. The main goals of this ownership are to provide education, research, and professional opportunities for the faculty and students. The forest consists of eight tracts located in Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Vermont. A majority of the activity is concentrated on the Yale-Myers Forest, a contiguous parcel of 7,840 acres in northeastern Connecticut. Most of the School forests are mixed hardwoods (central hardwoods in the South and northern hardwoods in Vermont), but extensive stands of conifers exist, including some plantations. Almost all New England soil conditions are found on these lands from wetlands to droughty alluvial sand deposits.

The forests are used by faculty and students as laboratories for teaching and research. A member of the faculty serves as director, and all day-to-day management is carried out by students working as interns or managers. The forest is maintained as a working forest, which includes selling timber and other products from the land. Students working on the forest get experience as land managers, including such social aspects of management as relationships with neighbors and compliance with local and state regulations.

Much of the research on the forest involves experimentation on the effects of management, including harvesting, as well as a significant number of aquatic and terrestrial wildlife ecology research projects. Research opportunities are under the supervision of any faculty member of the School and include biological, silvicultural, wildlife, economic, legal, and social studies. Wildlife ecology, hydrology, and silviculture are current major emphases. The forest is used for doctoral research. Many students complete summer internships on the forest either as managers or as research assistants.

The forest is used for field trips in many courses, and workshops are frequently held on these lands on such topics as timber harvesting and prescribed burning. Students often do their independent projects on the forest or in conjunction with the management of these lands. Short courses and demonstrations held on the forest show management techniques in wetland areas, wildlife habitat manipulation, ecosystem restoration, and pathways of forest stand development.

Students working on the management of the forest use Geographic Information Systems as well as other databases to incorporate physical site characteristics (like topography and watercourses) with biological information (like the Continuous Forest Inventory system) and management information (like harvest maps). On the ground, students mark trees for thinning and harvest, lay out timber sales, conduct stand examinations and inventories, and maintain roads. In the office, students prepare tax documents, analyze data, prepare contracts, and write management plans.

In addition to the land controlled outright by the School, close working relationships exist with other forests that are used for education and research by faculty and students. The Great Mountain Forest in northwestern Connecticut (approximately 6,800 acres) is available to the School through the courtesy of Edward C. Childs, B.A. ’28, M.F. ’32, and his family. The lands of the South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority (approximately 20,000 acres) in New Haven county are one of the oldest managed forests in the western hemisphere. The University also owns several ecological preserves (approximately 370 acres) that are available to faculty and students.

Publications

The School produces both general interest and scholarly publications. The School’s general interest publications include the biannual magazine Environment: Yale, the newletter Yale Environmental News in cooperation with the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies and the Peabody Museum of Natural History, and newsletters and bulletins from its centers and programs. On the scholarly side, the Yale F&ES Publication Series produces books and working papers based on environmental conferences, courses, and events at Yale of special interest to a wider professional audience. Recent titles include Global Environmental Governance: Options and Opportunities; Human Population and Freshwater Resources: U.S. Cases and International Perspectives; Developing Industrial Ecosystems: Approaches, Cases, and Tools; Climate Change and Development; Species and Ecosystem Conservation: An Interdisciplinary Approach; and Transformations of Middle Eastern Natural Environments: Legacies and Lessons. For a complete listing of titles, free downloadable PDFs of individual chapters, and ordering information for printed copies, go to www.yale.edu/environment/publications.

Student Organizations

The School has many student-run interest groups. Current student groups include the student chapter of the American Water Resources Association, the Energy Interest Group, the Environment and Development Interest Group, the Faith Environment Religion Nature Spirituality Network, the Food Student Interest Group, the Forestry Club, the Forest Stewards Guild, the Industrial Environmental Management Interest Group, the Information Technology Interest Group, the Integrated Student Development Coalition, a student chapter of the International Society of Tropical Foresters (ISTF), the Multi-Ethnic Student Association, the New England Student Interest Group, Other Voices—Alternative Perspectives on Environmental Problems, Social and Community Oriented Research on the Environment (SCORE), the Social Ecology Interest Group, a student chapter of the Society of American Foresters (SAF), the Yale chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology, the Society for Marine and Coastal Studies, the Student Advisory Committee, Special Trees in the Forest (STIF), the Western Resource Group, the Yale Environmental Health Association, and the Yale Environmental Law Association. The activities of these groups include sponsoring guest and student lectures, organizing field trips, sponsoring workshops, organizing social events, holding conferences, interacting with regional divisions of their respective societies, collaborating with the city of New Haven to hold conferences and workshops, maintaining electronic lists, organizing a first-year/second-year mentor program, holding a welcome reception prior to fall registration, planning holiday parties, conducting a spring auction, and holding weekly gatherings. Many groups also use such facilities as the Peabody Museum Field Station, with its associated salt marsh and seventeen-acre island, and the Yale-Myers Forest.

Alumni/ae Association

Alumni/ae of the School are organized into an active body known as the Alumni Association, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. This association is part of the Association of Yale Alumni, which serves all alumni/ae of the University. The association holds regular meetings at the School and hosts regional gatherings around the country and around the world, especially at annual meetings such as those of the Land Trust Alliance, the Ecological Society of America, and the Society of American Foresters. The Executive Council administers the Distinguished Alumnus Award and advises the director of Alumni/ae Affairs and the officers of the School on the Annual Fund and the Annual Reunion. The School’s journal Environment: Yale, published twice each year, keeps alumni/ae throughout the world in touch with each other and with the School. All graduates are encouraged to stay in touch with each other and the School through an electronic database maintained by Yale.

Professional Development

Career Development Office
The overall goal of the School’s Career Development Office (CDO) is to assist students in charting a course that will lead them to a career fitting their interests, skills, and abilities. Our diverse resources and services enable users to learn about themselves, determine how their accumulated experiences will translate into meaningful career goals, and how to conduct effective job searches. To meet this goal, the office offers an extensive collection of resources and programs to help students set personal and career goals, assess the natural resources market, network and conduct job searches, write resumes, interview, prepare grant proposals, seek internships, look for fellowships and other funding opportunities, and address other contemporary career-related issues. Alumni/ae seminars, career days, and recruiting fairs, as well as our worldwide alumni/ae network, provide students with an opportunity to make contacts and explore career possibilities. The CDO’s Global eRecruiting Outreach (GeO) Program links students, alumni/ae, and employers through job and internship postings and on and off campus recruiting events; see http://yalefesgeo.erecruiting.com/er/.

The Career Development Office has an extensive collection of informational aids describing federal, state, for-profit, and not-for-profit natural resource organizations and opportunities in the United States and around the world. The office subscribes to all the major job vacancy announcement publications and receives them either in paper form or in a format that is accessible to students and alumni/ae anywhere via the World Wide Web. The office’s Web site at http://www.yale.edu/fescareers/ provides much additional career information to users, including activities of graduates six months following graduation, as well as details on each year’s summer internship activities. Salary information about recent graduates is also included. Students attending the School have the most important career resources available to them on a daily basis—faculty and fellow students. Individual professors provide a wealth of information and career assistance, and the School’s student body represents an exceptional degree of experience and expertise. Students interacting with one another develop a lifetime resource of professional contacts.

The office is open to all master’s and doctoral students and alumni/ae of the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. Students’ spouses and significant others may also use the service to assist their local job searches. Yale College students and other Yale graduate and professional students seeking environmental careers may also use many of the resources.

Internships
Internships have long been an important part of the educational program at Yale. They provide a unique opportunity to combine academic knowledge with practical experience, to enhance skills, and to gain professional confidence. Students are assisted by the Career Development Office, faculty, alumni/ae, and other students in their search for internships. Attention is given to students to help them enter programs that meet their individual needs and interests.

Given the School’s strong ties with natural resource organizations worldwide, internship possibilities are virtually unlimited. Typical internships occur between the first and second years of the program; occasionally internships last for longer periods of time. The following list shows the rich and diverse experiences that F&ES students had in a recent summer. Similarly impressive lists can be found on the Web at http://www.yale.edu/fescareers/cdostud_info.htm.

Summer 2002 Internships

NGOs and Other Not-For-Profit Groups
Alaska Conservation Foundation, Intern/Technician—Wolf Management in Denali National Park and Preserve, AK
Alnwick Garden, Consultant, England
Brazilian Climate Change Forum, Intern, Brazil
Brazilian Institute for Education in Sustainable Business, Intern, Brazil
Center for Environmental Law and Policy, Intern—Watershed Analysis and Planning, WA
CERES, Intern—Accountability Programs, MA
Conservation International, Research Assistant—Resource Economics Department, DC
CORALINA, Environmental Education Intern—Marine Education, Colombia
Council on the Environment of New York City, Street Tree Surveyor—Open Space Greening Program, NY
Defenders of Wildlife, Habitat Intern—Habitat Department, DC
Fund for Animals, Researcher—International Affairs, MD
Health Effects Institute, Summer Intern, MA
Institute for Bird Populations, Volunteer Intern—Sierra Nevada Breeding Bird Survey Habitat Classification, CA
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Intern—Program on Climate Change, Japan
Institute of Ecosystem Studies (IES), Education Intern—Programs for Children and Teachers, NY
International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), Research Fellow—Agroforestry in Conservation, Uganda
Munasinghe Institute for Development (MIND), Research Fellow—Climate Change Impacts Study on Sri Lanka
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)—DC Regional Office, Intern—BioGems Program for Latin America, DC
Nez Perce Tribe, Wolf Conservationist—Nez Perce Wolf Recovery Project of Idaho, ID
Northern Rockies Conservation Cooperative, Intern, WY
Political Economy Research Center, Research Associate, MT
QLF/Atlantic Center for the Environment, Conservation Associate—Community-based Environmental Conservation, Canada
Sudbury Valley Trustees, Management Planning Intern—Stewardship, MA
Tata Energy Research Institute (TERI), Intern—Commercialization of Renewable Energy, England
The Council of Governments of the Central Naugatuck Valley, Researcher—Wetland Evaluation, CT
The Institute for Public-Private Partnerships (IP3), Intern—Water and Sanitation, DC
The Nature Conservancy—Coastal/Marine Program, Outreach Coordinator—The Oyster River Coalition Project, CT
The Nature Conservancy of Alaska, Conservation Planning Intern—Alaska Conservation Foundation’s Intern Program, AK
The Nature Conservancy of Maine, Intern, ME
The Nature Conservancy of Montana, Intern—Rocky Mountain Front Preservation Program, MT
The South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority, Land Management Intern, CT
Toxics Action Center, Intern, MA
United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Researcher/Analyst—Agrobiodiversity Conservation in the Near East, Lebanon
United Nations Economic & Social Commission for Asia & Pacific (UNESCAP), Researcher—Human Settlements Section, Thailand
United Nations Economic & Social Commission for Asia & Pacific (UNESCAP), Project Assistant—Arsenic Contamination of Groundwater, Thailand
Vermont Natural Resources Council, Mollie Beatty Intern, VT
WaterKeepers of Northern California, Policy Fellow—Water Quality Advocacy, CA/CT
Western Watersheds Project, Inc., Independent Research—The Effects of Livestock Grazing on Forest Stand Dynamics in a Watershed, ID
Wild Fund, Intern, AK
Wilderness Society, Policy Intern—National Parks Program, DC
Woods Hole Research Center, Independent Researcher—The Effects of Accidental Fires, MA
World Agroforestry Centre, Fellow—Agroforestry Extension Near the Boundary of Mount Elgon National Park, Uganda
World Bank—Jakarta Office, Assistance Officer, Indonesia
World Bank, Short Term Consultant—Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development in East Europe and Central Asia, DC
WWF—Cameroon Programme Office, Independent Researcher—Central African Program, DC/Cameroon
World Wildlife Fund—U.S., Researcher—Global Toxics, DC

Business and Industry
A2R, Associate Intern, Brazil
AMEC Earth and Environmental, Environmental Scientist I, CO
BP, Intern—Alternative Business Fuels Strategy, England
C&S Wholesale Grocers, Environmental Design Intern, VT
Consejo de Defensa del Estado, Ecologist—Environmental Unit, Chile
Cross Current Productions, Research Assistant—Livable Landscapes Project, NH
Fisher International, Inc., Eastern Block Research Manager, CT
GE Corporate—Environmental Programs, Intern—Corporate
Health and Safety Group & Hazardous/Solid Waste Group, CT
GE Wind Energy, Summer Associate, CA
JJ Degussa Chemicals, ISO OHSAS Intern, Philippines
Karlson Far East Corporation, Intern, Korea
Nikken Sekkei, Planning Assistant—Urban Planning Department, Japan
Proton Energy Systems, Inc., Business Development Assistant—Renewables and Transportation Fueling, CT
Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, Intern, CT
Tetra Tech, Inc., Intern—Environmental Sciences Division, VA (2)
UFJ Institute Ltd., Intern—Forest Management Policy Area, Japan
Winslow Management, Environmental Analyst, MA

Governmental and Public Sector Groups
Alaska Department of Natural Resources, GIS Model Developer—Alaska Land Disposal Program, AK
City of Cambridge—Community Development Department, Urban Forest Intern—Urban Forestry Canopy Assessment Project, MA
Ministry of Agriculture, Intern—Nature Conservation Division, Bhutan
National Park Service—Glacier National Park, Wildlife Technician, MT
National Park Service, Archaeological Technician—Longfellow Historic Site, MA
New York State Office of the Attorney General, Water Quality Specialist—Environmental Protection Bureau, NY
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Intern—Environmental Branch, DC
Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Intern—Environmental Department, DC
The South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority, Forestry Technician Intern—Forestry Department, CT
USDA—Forest Service, Intern—Chesapeake Bay Program, MD
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA), ECO Associate—Clean Air Markets Office, DC
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA)—Office of Policy, Economics, & Innovation, Intern—Innovation and Emerging Challenges Division, DC
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA)—Office of Policy, Economics, & Innovation, Intern—Sector Strategies Division, DC
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA)—Region 10, NNEMS Fellow, WA

Education
Queensland University—School of Life Sciences, Research Intern, Australia
Tsinghua University—Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Assistant to Director/PI—Environment & Sustainable Development Leadership Program, China
University San Carlos de Guatemala, Intern—Species Choices for Forest Incentives in Guatemala
Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies, Research Assistant—Conservation Genetics Lab—Population Genetics/Phylogenetics, CT
Yale Myers Forest, Forest Apprentice, CT (3)
Yale University—School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Intern/Researcher— Effects of Land Use on Amphibian Distribution and Abundance at Yale Myers Forest, CT
Yale University—School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Research Assistant—Industrial Ecology/IEM Program, CT (3)
Yale University—School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Research Assistant, CT
Yale University—School of Management, Intern—Entrepreneurship Program, CT
Yale Urban Resources Initiative, Community Forester—Community Greenspace Program, CT (2)

U.S. Research
Independent Research—A Study on the Ability of Herbaceous Plants to Re-colonize Areas After Disturbance, CT/MA
Independent Research—Corn and Consequences: Subsistence in Late Woodland and Contact Period Southern New England, MA
Independent Research—Principal Investigator, Newhall Landfill Community Health Study, CT
Independent Research—Revitalization of Farnham Park through Youth Participation, NJ
Yale University—School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Independent Researcher—Stocks and Flows of Copper in the Middle East, CT

Non-U.S. Research
Bhutan Trust Fund For Environmental Conservation, Independent Researcher—Deities of the Land: Sacred Landscapes of Bhutan
Independent Research—A Comparative Analysis of Water Pollution Control Federal Funding Mechanisms in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, DC/Mexico/Canada
Independent Research—Adviasi Gender Relations and Resistance Strategies, India
Independent Research—Alleviating the Human-Elephant Conflict in Simao, China via a Joint Community Development and Habitat Conservation Approach, China
Independent Research—Annual Growth Rings in Tropical Trees: Physiological Predictors of Formation, Panama
Independent Research—Assessment of Native Species Use and Preferences in Dry Agropastoral Systems of the Azuero Peninsula, Panama
Independent Research—Economic Impact of Sea Level Rise on Non-Developed Coastal Regions in Singapore
Independent Research—Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers: An Examination of the Shifting Ecological and Botanical Knowledge of the Rungus in Sabah, Malaysia
Independent Research—Harvesting Patterns and Intensity: Effects on Production and Distribution of Bamboo in Jhapa, Nepal
Independent Research—Highland Development Programs in Northern Thailand
Independent Research—Impact of Sea Turtle Conservation Projects on Nearby Communities in Southern Sri Lanka
Independent Research—Implications of Feedback Between Enso and Anthropogenic Disturbance on Ecosystem Function and Resiliency in West Kalimantan, Indonesia
Independent Research—Modeling Soil Erosion Risk in the Volcanic Chain Los Maribios, Nicaragua
Independent Research—Plantation Tree Modeling for Basis of Recommendations for Reforestation Species, Costa Rica
Independent Research—Research in Bhadra National Park on People in Protected Areas: Impacts of Village Size on Avian Biodiversity in India
Independent Research—Shifting Space: Land Allocation and Resource Use Change in Laos
Independent Research—The Impact of Forest Certification to the Management Practices of Forest Companies, Indonesia
Independent Research—Tropical Oil Palm Plantations: Carbon Storage and Uptake in a Poorly Understood Ecosystem, Indonesia
Independent Research—Understory Regeneration on Plantations in Costa Rica
Independent Research—Water Pricing and Willingness to Pay for Potable Water by Low-Income Users in Metropolitan Bangkok, Thailand
Independent Research—Who Cares About the Sao Francisco?—Mapping the Social Context of the Sao Francisco River Basin, Brazil

Compiled by the Career Development Office, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. For more information, please contact Peter Otis, Director. Tel: 203.432.8920 or e-mail: peter.otis@yale.edu

The School and its students would like to thank donors and host organizations and supervisors for making these valuable professional experiences possible.

Immediately Following Graduation

Each year our graduates enjoy employment success in environmental science, policy, and management within the United States and around the world, or they pursue admission for further academic study. Details including salary information can be found on the most recent as well as previous classes at http://www.yale.edu/cdostud_info.htm.

Following each graduation about 15 percent of the master’s students go on for further study, primarily in Ph.D. programs. The remaining graduates’ employment is split, with about a quarter of the class in NGOs and other not-for-profit groups and a quarter in business and industry (including consulting). The remainder is divided between governmental/public-sector groups and education employers.

University Services and Privileges

Housing

The Graduate Housing Department has dormitory and apartment units for a small number of graduate and professional students. The Graduate Dormitory Office provides dormitory rooms of varying sizes and prices for single occupancy only. The Graduate Apartments Office provides apartments consisting of efficiencies and one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments for singles and families. Both offices are located in Helen Hadley Hall, a graduate dormitory at 420 Temple Street, and have office hours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Applications for 2003–2004 are available online and must be downloaded from the Web site (http://www.yale.edu/graduatehousing/) and then mailed or faxed—along with your letter of acceptance from Yale—to the address on the application form. The Web site is the venue for graduate housing information and includes procedures, facility descriptions, floor plans, and rates. For more dormitory information, contact beverly.whitney@yale.edu, tel. 203.432.2167, fax 203.432.4578. For more apartment information, contact betsy.rosenthal@yale.edu, tel. 203.432.8270, fax 203.432.0177.

The University’s Off-Campus Housing service, limited to current or incoming members of the Yale community, is located at 155 Whitney Avenue, 3d floor, and is open from 8.30 a.m. to 3.30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The listings may also be accessed from any computer at Yale through the intranet at http://www.yale.edu/offcampushousing/. Call 203.432.9756 to obtain the necessary passwords to access the system from other areas.

Dining at Yale

Yale University Dining Services has tailored its services to meet the particular concerns of graduate and professional school students by offering meal plan options. “Eli Bucks,” a favorite choice based on declining points, are accepted in all campus locations in lieu of cash. Whether residents or nonresidents of University housing, students are invited to take advantage of Yale University Dining Services.

The following dining areas and snack bars are available to students: A&A Penthouse at the School of Architecture; the Divinity School Cafe on Prospect Street; the dining room of the Kline Biology Tower; Donaldson Commons at the School of Management; and Durfee’s, a traditional convenience store offering coffee, snacks, sandwiches, soft yogurt, and a variety of convenience items. Students are also encouraged to dine in any of Yale’s residential college dining rooms, where students without meal contracts may purchase “all-you-care-to-eat” meals at fixed prices for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Payment for these meals can be arranged by securing a Yale charge account from the Office of Student Financial Services at 246 Church Street.

Inquiries concerning food services should be addressed to Yale University Dining Services, 246 Church Street, PO Box 208261, New Haven CT 06520-8261; telephone 1.888.678.9837 (toll free), or 203.432.0420. Dining Services can also be found on the Web at http://www.yale.edu/dining/.

Security

As with most universities in urban settings, the security of persons and property is a primary concern of the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. The University police and the fire marshal, in cooperation with the police and fire services of the city of New Haven, strive constantly to maintain a safe environment for the Yale community. At an orientation session during the summer modules, incoming students receive detailed information on emergency communications, personal safety tips, and other ways to protect themselves, equipment, and buildings.

Health Dervices for F&ES Students

Yale University Health Services (YUHS) is located on campus at 17 Hillhouse Avenue. YUHS offers a wide variety of health care services for students and other members of the Yale community. Services include student medicine, internal medicine, gynecology, mental health, pediatrics, pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, a twenty-three-bed inpatient care facility (ICF), a round-the-clock urgent care clinic, and such specialty services as allergy, dermatology, orthopedics, and a travel clinic. YUHS also includes the Yale Health Plan (YHP), a health coverage option that coordinates and provides payment for the services outlined above, as well as for emergency treatment, off-site specialty services, inpatient hospital care, and other ancillary services. YUHS’s services are detailed in the YHP Student Handbook, available through the YHP Member Services Department, 203.432.0246.

Eligibility for Services

All full-time Yale degree-candidate students who are paying at least half tuition are enrolled automatically for YHP Basic Coverage. YHP Basic Coverage is offered at no charge and includes preventive health and medical services in the departments of Student Medicine, Internal Medicine, Gynecology, Health Education, and Mental Hygiene. In addition, treatment for urgent medical problems can be obtained twenty-four hours a day through Urgent Care.

Students on leave of absence or on extended study and paying less than half tuition are not eligible for YHP Basic Coverage but may enroll in YHP Student Affiliate Coverage. Students enrolled in the Division of Special Registration as nondegree special students or visiting scholars are not eligible for YHP Basic Coverage but may enroll in the YHP Billed Associates Plan and pay a monthly premium. Associates must enroll for a minimum of one term within the first thirty days of affiliation with the University.

Students not eligible for YHP Basic Coverage may also use the services on a fee-for-service basis. Students who wish to be seen fee-for-service must enroll with the YHP Member Services Department. Enrollment applications for the YHP Student Affiliate Coverage, Billed Associates Plan, or Fee-for-Service Program are available from the YHP Member Services Department.

All students are welcome to use specialty and ancillary services at YUHS. Upon referral, YHP will cover the cost of these services if the student is a member of YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Care Coverage (see below). If the student has an alternate insurance plan, YHP will assist in submitting the claims for specialty and ancillary services to the other plan and will bill through the Office of Student Financial Services for noncovered charges and services.

Health Coverage Enrollment

The University also requires all students eligible for YHP Basic Coverage to have adequate hospital insurance coverage. Students may choose YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage or elect to waive the plan if they have other hospitalization coverage, such as coverage through a spouse or parent. The waiver must be renewed annually, and it is the student’s responsibility to confirm receipt of the waiver form by the University’s deadlines noted below.

YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage
Students are automatically enrolled and charged a fee each term on their Student Financial Services bill for YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage. Students with no break in coverage who are enrolled during both the fall and spring terms are billed each term and are covered from September 1 through August 31. For students entering Yale for the first time, readmitted students, and students returning from a leave of absence who have not been covered during their leave, YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage begins on the day the dormitories officially open. A student who is enrolled for the fall term only is covered for services through January 31; a student enrolled for the spring term only is covered for services through August 31.

For a detailed explanation of this plan, see the YHP Student Handbook.

Waiving the YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage: Students are permitted to waive YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage by completing a waiver form that demonstrates proof of alternate coverage. Waiver forms are available from the YHP Member Services Department. It is the student’s responsibility to report any changes in alternate insurance coverage to the YHP Member Services Department. Students are encouraged to review their present coverage and compare its benefits to those available under the YHP. The waiver form must be filed annually and must be received by September 15 for the full year or fall term or by January 31 for the spring term only.

Revoking the Waiver: Students who waive YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage but later wish to be covered must complete and send a form voiding their waiver to the YHP Member Services Department by September 15 for the full year or fall term, or by January 31 for the spring term only. Students who wish to revoke their waiver during the term may do so, provided they show proof of loss of the alternate insurance plan and enroll within thirty days of the loss of this coverage. YHP premiums will not be prorated.

YHP Student Two-Person and Family Plans
A student may enroll his or her lawfully married spouse or same-sex domestic partner and/or legally dependent child(ren) under the age of nineteen in one of two student dependent plans: the Two-Person Plan or the Student Family Plan. These plans include coverage for YHP Basic Coverage and for coverage under YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage. YHP Prescription Plus Coverage may be added at an additional cost. Coverage is not automatic and enrollment is by application. Applications are available from the YHP Member Services Department or can be downloaded from the YUHS Web site (http://www.yale.edu/uhs/) and must be renewed annually. Applications must be received by September 15 for full-year or fall-term coverage, or by January 31 for spring-term coverage only.

YHP Student Affiliate Coverage
Students on leave of absence or extended study or students paying less than half tuition may enroll in YHP Student Affiliate Coverage, which includes coverage for YHP Basic and for the benefits offered under YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage. Prescription Plus Coverage may also be added for an additional cost. Applications are available from the YHP Member Services Department or can be downloaded from the YUHS Web site (http://www.yale.edu/uhs/) and must be received by September 15 for full-year or fall-term coverage, or by January 31 for spring-term coverage only.

YHP Prescription Plus Coverage
This plan has been designed for Yale students who purchase YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage and student dependents who are enrolled in either the Two-Person Plan, the Student Family Plan, or Student Affiliate Coverage. YHP Prescription Plus Coverage provides protection for some types of medical expenses not covered under YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage. Students are billed for this plan and may waive this coverage. The waiver form must be filed annually and must be received by September 15 for the full year or fall term or by January 31 for the spring term only. For a detailed explanation, please refer to the YHP Student Handbook.

Eligibility Changes

Withdrawal: A student who withdraws from the University during the first ten days of the term will be refunded the premium paid for YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage and/or YHP Prescription Plus Coverage. The student will not be eligible for any YHP benefits, and the student’s YHP membership will be terminated retroactive to the beginning of the term. The medical record will be reviewed, and any services rendered and/or claims paid will be billed to the student on a fee-for-service basis. At all other times, a student who withdraws from the University will be covered by YHP for thirty days following the date of withdrawal or to the last day of the term, whichever comes first. Premiums will not be prorated. Students who withdraw are not eligible to enroll in YHP Student Affiliate Coverage.

Leaves of Absence: Students who are granted leaves of absence are eligible to purchase YHP Student Affiliate Coverage during the term(s) of the leave. If the leave occurs during the term, YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage will end on the date the leave is granted and students may enroll in YHP Student Affiliate Coverage. Students must enroll in Affiliate Coverage prior to the beginning of the term during which the leave is taken or within thirty days of the start of the leave. Coverage is not automatic and enrollment forms are available at the YHP Member Services Department or can be downloaded from the YUHS Web site (http://www.yale.edu/uhs/).

Extended Study or Reduced Tuition: Students who are granted extended study status or pay less than half tuition are not eligible for YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage and YHP Prescription Plus Coverage. They may purchase YHP Student Affiliate Coverage during the term(s) of extended study. This plan includes coverage for YHP Basic and for the benefits offered under YHP Hospitalization/Specialty Coverage. Coverage is not automatic and enrollment forms are available at the YHP Member Services Department or can be downloaded from the YUHS Web site (http://www.yale.edu/uhs/). Students must complete an enrollment application for the plan prior to the start of the term.

For a full description of the services and benefits provided by YHP, please refer to the YHP Student Handbook, available from the YHP Member Services Department, 203.432.0246, 17 Hillhouse Avenue, PO Box 208237, New Haven CT 06520-8237.

Required Immunizations for F&ES Students

Measles (Rubeola) and German Measles: All students who were born after December 31, 1956, are required to provide proof of immunization against measles (rubeola) and German measles (rubella). Connecticut state law requires two doses of measles vaccine. The first dose must have been given after January 1, 1969, and after the student’s first birthday. The second dose must have been given after January 1, 1980. These doses must be at least 30 days apart. Connecticut state law requires proof of one dose of rubella vaccine administered after January 1, 1969, and after the student’s first birthday. The law applies to all students unless they present (a) a certificate from a physician stating that such immunization is contraindicated, (b) a statement that such immunization would be contrary to the student’s religious beliefs, or (c) documentation of a positive blood titer for measles and rubella.

Meningococcus (Meningitis): All students living in on-campus housing must be vaccinated against Meningococcal disease. The law went into effect in September 2002, meaning that all returning students who plan to live in University housing must be immunized or show proof of immunization within the last five years. Students who are not compliant with this law will not be permitted to register for classes or move into the dormitories for the fall term, 2003. Please note that the State of Connecticut does not require this vaccine for students who intend to reside off campus.

Students who have not met these requirements prior to arrival at Yale University must receive the immunizations from YHP and will be charged accordingly.

Resource Office on Disabilities

The Resource Office on Disabilities facilitates accommodations for undergraduate and graduate and professional school students with disabilities who register with and have appropriate documentation on file in the Resource Office. Early planning is critical. Documentation may be submitted to the Resource Office even though a specific accommodation request is not anticipated at the time of registration. It is recommended that matriculating students in need of disability-related accommodations at Yale University contact the Resource Office by June 1. Returning students must contact the Resource Office at the beginning of each term to arrange for course and exam accommodations.

The Resource Office also provides assistance to students with temporary disabilities. General informational inquiries are welcome from students and members of the Yale community and from the public. The mailing address is Resource Office on Disabilities, Yale University, PO Box 208305, New Haven CT 06520-8305. The Resource Office is located in William L. Harkness Hall (WLH), Rooms 102 and 103. Access to the Resource Office is through the College Street entrance to WLH. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. Voice callers may reach staff at 203.432.2324; TTY/TDD callers at 203.432.8250. The Resource Office may also be reached by e-mail (judith.york@yale.edu) or through its Web site (http://www.yale.edu/rod/).

Office of International Students and Scholars

The Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) coordinates services and support to Yale’s international students, faculty, staff, and their dependents. OISS assists members of the Yale international community with all matters of special concern to them and serves as a source of referral to other university offices and departments. OISS staff can provide assistance with employment, immigration, personal and cultural adjustment, and family and financial matters, as well as serve as a source of general information about living at Yale and in New Haven. In addition, as Yale University’s representative for immigration concerns, OISS provides information and assistance to students, staff, and faculty on how to obtain and maintain legal status in the United States. OISS issues the visa documents needed to request entry into the United States under Yale’s immigration sponsorship and processes requests for extensions of authorized periods of stay in the United States, school transfers, and employment authorization. All international students and scholars must register with OISS as soon as they arrive at Yale, at which time OISS will provide information about orientation activities for newly arrived students, scholars, and family members. OISS programs, like the monthly international coffee hours, English conversation programs, and orientation receptions for newly arrived graduate students and postdocs, provide an opportunity to meet members of Yale’s international community and become acquainted with the many resources of Yale University and New Haven.

OISS maintains an extensive Web site (http://www.oiss.yale.edu/) with useful information for students and scholars prior to and upon arrival in New Haven. As U.S. immigration regulations are complex and change rather frequently, we urge international students and scholars to visit the office and check the Web site for the most recent updates. International graduate students, postdocs, and visiting scholars can get connected with OISS by subscribing to one or both of the OISS e-mail lists. OISS-L is the electronic newsletter with important information for Yale’s international community. YaleInternational E-Group is an interactive list through which over 1,000 international students and scholars keep each other informed about events in the area. Check the Web site for more information. To subscribe to either list, send a message to oiss@yale.edu.

Spouses and partners of international students and scholars will want to know about ISPY—International Spouses and Partners at Yale. Information about ISPY and other OISS programs can be found on the OISS Web site.

The Office of International Students and Scholars, located at 246 Church Street, Suite 201, is open Monday through Friday from 8.30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The International Center

Established in 1949, the International Center of New Haven is a nonprofit community-based organization. The Center’s programs are based on the idea that both the international community in Greater New Haven and the local community can benefit from each other. The Center is located at 442 Temple Street, and the office is open from 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The work of the International Center is carried out by a small professional staff and by many volunteers in the community. The Center organizes lectures, trips, picnics, and special events, as well as English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, in addition to a number of programs including the International Host Friendship Program, ’Round The World Women, and the International Classroom Project. The International House, a large Tudor mansion located at 406 Prospect Street in New Haven, is the venue of most of the International Center’s activities and the home of sixteen students and scholars. Rooms are available for the academic year and summer. For more information on any of these programs, or on International House, telephone 203.432.6460, fax 203.432.6462, e-mail international.centernh@yale.edu, or visit the Web site at http://www.internationalcenternewhaven.org/.

Religious Resources

The religious resources of Yale University serve all students, faculty, and staff. These resources are the University Chaplaincy (located on the lower level of Bingham Hall on Old Campus); the Church of Christ in Yale University, an open and affirming member congregation of the United Church of Christ; and Yale Religious Ministry, the on-campus association of clergy and nonordained representatives of various religious faiths. The ministry includes the Chapel of St. Thomas More, the parish church for all Roman Catholic students at the University; the Joseph Slifka Center for Jewish Life at Yale, a religious and cultural center for students of the Jewish faith; several Protestant denominational ministries and nondenominational groups; and religious groups such as the Baha’i Association, the New Haven Zen Center, and the Muslim Student Association. Additional information is available at http://www.yale.edu/chaplain/.

Libraries

The Yale University Library consists of the central libraries—Sterling Memorial, Cross Campus, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript, Seeley G. Mudd—and thirty school and department libraries and special collections, including the Henry S. Graves Memorial Library. Second largest among the university libraries in the United States, the Yale Library contains more than 10.5 million volumes. The collections of all these libraries and their numerous services are available to students, and their use is actively encouraged.

In 1989, the University Library introduced Orbis, its online public catalogue, which provides electronic access to 5 million records identifying books, journals, and other library materials. In addition to bibliographic information, the system can inform users about books on order, being catalogued, or on loan.

Libraries in the Yale system which are most closely allied to the interests of Forestry & Environmental Studies students include Kline Science Library, the Government Documents Center, and the Geology, Social Science, Engineering, and Law libraries. Books requested by F&ES students from these other libraries are delivered by an express service to the Forestry library within one working day.

Computer Resources

The mission of the Office of Information and Library Systems is to support all aspects of computing for every member of the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, and to provide training in the fundamental use of computers in educational and administrative applications. Because it is our policy to focus on supporting individuals rather than specific user configurations, we use and support multiple platforms, including IBM/ Windows, Apple Macintosh, and Sun/Unix. Students are encouraged, but not required, to bring their own computers, and they may contact the director of Information Technology for advice on the selection of appropriate hardware and software. Because of the growing availability of wireless access throughout the Yale campus, students are encouraged to purchase laptops with wireless capability.

The School maintains several facilities that offer computing capabilities to students on a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week basis. The Student Cluster, located in Sage 39, contains twenty IBM and one Apple Macintosh personal computers and a high-speed printer capable of producing double-sided output. The GIS Lab, located next door in Sage 31, contains fifteen IBM computers and several printers, including a color printer capable of printing maps and graphics. All computers in both rooms access the Web, the Yale e-mail server, and the F&ES file server, which is used by students to store large files, and by faculty to distribute course materials to students. A third facility at Greeley Labs contains four IBM PCs configured for GIS and computational applications.

Information Technology Services (ITS) is the central organization at Yale for the support of all educational and administrative computing. It offers support to all members of the Yale community. The Yale library is also very active in the integration of information resources in digital format. Students and faculty have online access to a comprehensive variety of journals and databases, and the Sterling Memorial Library Map Collection now employs a full-time GIS librarian who is available to assist students in obtaining and working with GIS datasets to support their work in any part of the globe.

The School participates in two centers of the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies that have established specialized computing facilities. These are the Center for Earth Observation (CEO) and the Center for Computational Ecology (CCE).

The CEO provides its users with access to an SGI Challenge 1 Server and hard-disk archive with nine SGI workstations; four SGI workstations in the four sponsoring departments, including one in Marsh Hall; network connections to any Unix-based workstation on campus; a ten-user license for Earth Resource Mapper, a multipurpose software package for image analysis; and a small but growing collection of Landsat MSS and TM data and GOES weather satellite data. A small staff of consultants assists users in the selection, procurement, and analysis of satellite images.

The CCE, housed in Osborne Memorial Laboratory, has a full-time computer programmer to assist in developing programs for research at the center. The center has seven state-of-the-art workstations to facilitate development of computational software and ecological simulation programs.

Faculty members have also developed many special computer applications for their projects, and some of these are available for student use in the Sage computing facilities.

Cultural and Recreational Opportunities

Cultural Opportunities

A calendar listing the broad range of events at the University is issued weekly during the academic year in the Yale Bulletin & Calendar. The hours when special exhibitions and the University’s permanent collections are open to the public are also recorded in this publication. Free copies of the Yale Bulletin & Calendar are available at many locations throughout the campus, and the paper is sent via U.S. Mail to subscribers; for more information, call 203.432.1316. The paper is also available online at http://www.yale.edu/opa/yb&c/index.html.

The Yale University Art Gallery contains representative collections of ancient, medieval, and Renaissance art, Near and Far Eastern art, archaeological material from the University’s excavations, Pre-Columbian and African art, works of European and American masters from virtually every period, and a rich collection of modern art. The landmark Louis I. Kahn building will be closed for renovation for two years beginning in the summer of 2003. The hub of the museum’s activities will be the adjacent Swartwout building, housing Yale’s world-renowned collections of American paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts, as well as a selection of masterworks from all other departments.

The Yale Center for British Art houses an extraordinary collection of British paintings, sculpture, drawings, and books given to the University by the late Paul Mellon, Yale Class of 1929.

There are more than eighty endowed lecture series held at Yale each year on subjects ranging from anatomy to theology, and including virtually all disciplines.

More than four hundred musical events take place at the University during the academic year. These include concerts presented by students and faculty of the School of Music, the Department of Music, the Yale Concert and Jazz bands, the Yale Glee Club, the Yale Symphony Orchestra, and other undergraduate singing and instrumental groups. In addition to graduate recitals and ensemble performances, the School of Music features the Philharmonia Orchestra of Yale, the Chamber Music Society at Yale, the Duke Ellington Series, Great Organ Music at Yale, New Music New Haven, Yale Opera performances and public master classes, and the Faculty Artist Series. Among New Haven’s numerous performing organizations are Orchestra New England, the New Haven Chorale, and the New Haven Symphony Orchestra.

For theatergoers, Yale and New Haven offer a wide range of dramatic productions at the University Theatre, Yale Repertory Theatre, Yale Cabaret, Long Wharf Theatre, Palace Theater, and Shubert Performing Arts Center.

Recreational Opportunities

The Payne Whitney Gymnasium is one of the most elaborate and extensive indoor athletic facilities in the world. This complex includes the 3,100-seat John J. Lee Amphitheater, the site for many indoor varsity sports contests; the Robert J. H. Kiphuth Exhibition Pool; the Brady Squash Center, a world-class facility with fifteen international-style courts; the Adrian C. Israel Fitness Center, a state-of-the-art exercise and weight-training complex; the Brooks-Dwyer Varsity Strength and Conditioning Center; the Colonel William K. Lanman, Jr. Center, a 30,000-square-foot space for recreational/intramural play and varsity team practice; the Greenberg Brothers Track, an eighth-mile indoor jogging track; and other rooms devoted to fencing, gymnastics, rowing, wrestling, martial arts, general exercise, and dance. Numerous physical education classes in dance, martial arts, aerobic exercise, and sport skills are offered throughout the year. Graduate and professional school students may use the gym at no charge during the academic year and for a nominal fee during the summer term. Academic and summer memberships at reasonable fees are available for faculty, employees, postdoctoral and visiting fellows, and student spouses.

The David S. Ingalls Rink, the Sailing Center in Branford, the Outdoor Education Center (OEC), the tennis courts, and the golf course are open to faculty, students, and employees of the University at established fees. Ingalls Rink has public skating Monday through Thursday from 11.30 a.m. to 12.45 p.m. and on weekends as the training schedule permits. Up-to-date information on hours is available at 203.432.0875. Skate sharpening is available daily; however, skate rentals are not available.

Approximately thirty-five club sports and outdoor activities come under the jurisdiction of the Office of Outdoor Education and Club Sports. Many of the activities, both purely recreational and instructional, are open to graduate and professional school students. Faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as groups, may use the Outdoor Education Center (OEC). The center consists of two thousand acres in East Lyme, Connecticut, and includes cabins, campsites, pavilion, dining hall, swimming, boating, canoeing, and picnic groves beside a mile-long lake. Hiking trails surround a wildlife marsh. The OEC season extends from the third weekend in June through Labor Day and September weekends. For more information, telephone 203.432.2492 or visit the Web page at http://yale.edu/athletics/ (click on Sport and Rec, then on Outdoor Education).

Throughout the year, Yale University graduate and professional school students have the opportunity to participate in numerous intramural sports activities. These seasonal, team-oriented activities include volleyball, soccer, and softball in the fall; basketball and volleyball in the winter; softball, soccer, and volleyball in the spring; and softball in the summer. With few exceptions, all academic-year graduate-professional student sports activities are scheduled on weekends, and most sports activities are open to competitive, recreational, and coeducational teams. More information is available from the Intramurals Office in Payne Whitney Gymnasium, 203.432.2487, or at http://www.yale.edu/athletics/.

City and Countryside

Only a short bike ride away from the center of New Haven lies the countryside of a state that is over one-half forest land. Farms, parks, lakes, trails, beaches, and nature preserves all await the student seeking to spend a few hours away from his or her studies. Although much of New Haven’s countryside has been marred by sprawl, like most American cities, beautiful land still remains close to town.

The most spectacular local features are the region’s traprock ridges, the largest being East Rock, West Rock, and the Sleeping Giant. All three of these have been preserved as parks. East Rock and West Rock actually extend into New Haven, and their rusty-orange cliffs form a dramatic backdrop for the city. Sleeping Giant lies a pleasant ninety-minute bicycle ride from town.

New Haven is also surrounded by water supply forests. For a small annual fee, the Water Authority’s twenty thousand acres of woods, traprock ridges, lakes, and streams are open for hiking, cross-country skiing, and fishing.

Tucked away in pockets off the main corridors of development lie some of the country’s most fertile farmland. The Central Valley of New England, in which New Haven is situated, was once famous for its tobacco, onions, potatoes, apples, and seed growers. The remaining acres are now mostly in dairy farms and pick-your-own orchards, providing the region with rural scenery and fresh produce.

Farther out from the city, the land gets progressively hillier and less inhabited. The most dramatic region of the state is the Northwest Highlands of Litchfield County, where the School maintains its Great Mountain Forest Camp. Just a two-hour drive from New Haven, the Northwest Highlands boast the Appalachian Trail, New England’s largest caves, a portion of the Taconic Mountains, and the vibrant fall colors of the Litchfield Hills.

But there is no need to travel so far to experience nature’s bounty. New Haven itself is fortunate to have five major parks, including Edgewood Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of Central Park in New York City and also much of Boston’s and Chicago’s park systems. Seventeen percent of New Haven is parkland, a figure that few cities in the world can match.

With so much nature near at hand and foot, New Haven comes close to maintaining the elusive ideal balance of the convenience and culture of the city with the pleasures of the countryside.

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