Harvard Forest

The Harvard Forest, a Long Term Ecological Research Site (LTERS) is located about 70 miles west of Harvard University, in Petersham, MA. Established in 1907 with funds from a gift of John S. Ames that purchased 2100 acres - the land was used as a working forest and laboratory for students in the Forestry program at Harvard until 1917. The educational aspect of the Forest shifted to graduate research with the Masters in Forest Science and related doctoral fields after financial difficulties forced the end of the traditional applied forestry program. Today, the site is designated as a LTERS by the National Science Foundation. This designation tracks long term ecological change at the forest. [See Series I for further background on Harvard Forest].