Since its establishment in 1907, the Harvard Forest has served as a base for research and education in forest biology. Faculty, staff, and students seek to understand historical and modern changes in the forests of central New England resulting from human and natural disturbance processes.

The Forest is comprised of approximately 3,000 acres of land in Petersham, Mass., that include mixed hardwood and conifer forests, ponds, extensive spruce and maple swamps, and diverse plantations. From Boston the Forest is 70 miles west on Route 2, then 3 miles south of the junction of Routes 2 and 32.

The Fisher Museum which is part of the Harvard Forest, was named after the Forest's founder, Richard Thornton Fisher, A.B. 1898, who served as director from 1907 until his death in 1934. Conceived by Fisher in the late 1920s, the core exhibit at the Museum consists of 23 three-dimensional dioramas portraying the history of central New England forests, their management, and ecology. Constructed by the Guernsey and Pitman art studio in Cambridge over a 10-year period, the dioramas represent an internationally acclaimed educational and artistic achievement.

Museum hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday, year-round, and noon-4 p.m. on Saturday-Sunday, May-October.

Arrangements can be made for use of facilities or daytime accommodation for large groups by calling the Forest office.

General Information:
Location: Harvard Forest, Petersham, MA 01366
Information: (978) 724-3302
Fax: (978) 724-3595

Key e-mail addresses:
jokeefe@fas.harvard.edu (John O'Keefe, Museum coordinator, to arrange educational programs);
ellin@fas.harvard.edu (Edythe Ellin, administrator, to book the facilities);
hfapps@fas.harvard.edu (Application forms)

Web Page: http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/

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