By: Sara Santiago ’19 MF
Every summer, the staff of Yale Forests organizes the Yale-Myers Forest Summer Research Seminar Series, bringing scientists who are conducting research on the forest ecosystems of the northeast to Yale-Myers Forest Camp. Their expertise has ranged from bee ecology to silvicultural techniques to belowground mycorrhizal relationships. The camp hosts an intimate gathering of Yale Forests staff and faculty, Forest Crew members, summer researchers, and neighbors who attend the talks under the outdoor classroom’s pavilion on summer evenings.
This summer, Yale Forests and the Yale Forest Forum teamed up to bring the research seminar series directly to any curious viewer – including those who were not living at or adjacent to camp. While the talks continued to occur in the outdoor classroom with an in-person audience, new equipment was installed to livestream to the Yale Forest Forum’s broader audience of forest professionals and forest lovers as well as the School’s alums and the family and friends of the researchers.
This addition was made possible through the YFF Fund, which supports faculty, students, and staff of Centers, Programs, and Initiatives to fund forums, workshops, and events on forests and forestry. This fund, awarded to Laura Green ’18 MF (Research Forester, Yale Forests), allowed for the purchase of the needed technology – from projector to speakers to microphones and cables galore! – for successful livestreams from camp to the broader public.
We’re pleased to have offered the traditional summer series in a hybrid format to expand access to forest science and management programming by livestreaming four public seminars from the Yale-Myers Forest Camp. In case you missed it, this summer’s lineup of speakers included:
- Jenn Fair ‘10 MEM, ‘18 PhD, Research Hydrologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Eastern Ecological Science Center, presented “Images to Info: the USGS Flow Photo Explorer Tool” on June 10.
- Oswald Schmitz, PhD, Oastler Professor of Population and Community Ecology, Yale School of the Environment presented “From Local to Global: How Conserving and Restoring Wildlife Species Can Help Mitigate Climate Change” on June 24. Presentation recording is available here.
- Nat Burr ‘26 MFS, The Forest School at the Yale School of the Environment, presented “American Ginseng in the Northeast: Using Genetics to Understand a Rare and Treasured Plant” on July 8. Presentation recording is available here.
- Jeffrey T. Miller, PhD, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular, Cellular, & Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, presented “Spider Webs and Climate Resilient Forests: A New Tool for Monitoring Biodiversity and Species of Concern” on July 22.
