Reforestation and Existing Forests

The College is managing forests on nearly 800 acres of Hamilton-owned land in order to enhance carbon sequestration and reforest open lands by planting carefully selected trees that thrive in the area.

What is Reforestation?

Reforestation on campus accelerates the ecological development of agricultural land and helps to preserve native species and biodiversity. The Land and Stewardship Plan seeks to implement the five following guiding principles:

Promote academic teaching/research opportunities
Maximize carbon storage and sequestration from our forests and open/agricultural lands
Protect and expand the health and diversity of native flora and fauna through reforestation, invasive species management, and appropriate silvicultural practices.
Facilitate low-impact recreation and wellness opportunities
Promote biodiversity and native wildlife populations

All future work in our open and forested lands will be made with careful consideration of research, biodiversity, and sustainability goals.

Identification of Open Lands and Forests

Hamilton’s open and agricultural lands generally include those that are currently or were formerly under agricultural lease contracts with neighboring farms and certain areas vacated by the former nine-hole golf course.

Hamilton Open/Agricultural Lands

reforestation map — The majority of the 14 tracts of open/agricultural lands are on either side of Campus Road. (larger version)

reforestation map of Reservoir Road — An additional tract located off of Reservoir Road. (larger version)

Forest Lands

Hamilton's forest land — Hamilton’s forests are mostly on the contiguous fringes of the main campus to the north and south of College Hill Road. (larger version)

Land/Forest Projects and Priorities

Below, we identify specific land/ forest management strategies, examples of ongoing projects, the research/educational and sustainability (carbon) impact of each strategy.

Golf Course Reforestation

forestation project 2021 — Area B is a 2-acre parcel near the former 5th hole that Associate Professor of Biology Andrea Townsend has integrated into her fall Ecology classes since 2019. More than 200 trees have been planted with a very high survival rate.

Tract 11 Reforestation Area

protective tree tube — In 2021, 8 acres of this 17-acre tract were enclosed with fencing to exclude deer, and 250 native trees were planted (mostly in tree tubes and mostly within the fenced area).

Short-Term (5-Year) Goals for Land & Forest Management

Areas	Goal	Management Strategies	Completion Timeline
Tract 11	Reforestation	Native trees planted in fenced enclosures and deer exclusion tubes. Success of different strategies monitored/compared.	2021-23
Tracts 5 & 6	Reforestation	Native trees will be planted in deer exclusion tubes by an external company.	2022-25
Tracts 9 & 10	Managed Grassland and Shrublands	Brush-hogging on a rotating schedule in the late fall (after nesting season) every three years to reduce shrub encroachment and maintain early-successional stage.	2022
Golf Course	Reforestation	Native trees will be planted in deer exclusion tubes by students in classes and outreach events.	2019-

Get Involved in Sustainability at Hamilton

Research

Several students are involved in reforestation projects and research alongside Hamilton faculty and staff. Numerous Hamilton courses take advantage of forests and open land to support hands-on learning in activities that are integral parts of the curriculum. Ongoing projects include:

Monitoring of tree species diversity
Surveying wildlife communities (small mammal live-trapping)
Quantifying herbivory and seed predation
Measuring soil carbon in different land use
Monitoring of carbon sequestration
Measuring carbon, nitrogen, and methane cycling
Monitoring of water cycle and soil moisture

Learn about Student Research

Contact

Contact Name

Brian Hansen

Director of Environmental Protection, Safety and Sustainability

Phone

315-859-4647

bhansen@hamilton.edu

Webpage

Sustainability Working Group