Harvard Forest

Bullard Lecture (Cambridge): Yadvinder Mahli
2024-10-03 10:30 - 12:00 (America/New_York) | Harvard University – Cambridge
Join us in Cambridge for a lecture by the esteemed Dr. Yadvinder Mahli as he presents Tropical Forests and Planet Earth: A Macroscope View.
Registration for this event is now closed.

Public Event: Bullard Lecture: Yadvinder Mahli
2024-10-04 11:00 - 12:00 | Harvard Forest – Fisher Museum, 324 N. Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Join us in Harvard Forest’s Fisher Museum or online for Captured Sunshine: An Energetic View of Terrestrial Ecosystems, a lecture by esteemed professor Dr. Yadvinder Mahli (University of Oxford).
Registration for this event is now closed.

Public Seminar: Understanding Forest Ecosystems Through Seasonal Nonstructural Carbohydrates Dynamics
2024-10-30 11:00 - 12:00 | Harvard Forest – Main Building, 324 Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Join us for this hybrid seminar, Understanding Forest Ecosystems Through Seasonal Nonstructural Carbohydrates Dynamics, presented by Harvard Forest Bullard Fellow Maciej Zwieniecki.

Public Seminar: The PLACE Lab with Jessica Gersony
2024-11-13 11:00 - 12:00 | Harvard Forest – Main Building, 324 Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
????For this seminar, Jessica Gersony will present “The PLACE Lab: Centering community building, art, and justice in the field of plant physiology” in-person at Harvard Forest and on Zoom. ????

Public Event: Tree Rings at Harvard Forest
2025-01-25 11:00 - 12:30
Join us for a free public event and meet our Tree Ring Lab crew! ????
Together we will do a tree coring demonstration, tour Harvard Forest’s Tree Ring Lab, and learn about related research. By analyzing tree rings of old growth trees, we can better understand past events that impacted our forests. This information helps predict future impacts to our old growth forests.
RSVP not required

Public Seminar: Rooted in Truths
2025-02-12 11:00 - 12:00 | Harvard Forest – Fisher Museum, 324 N. Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Join us for this in-person event, led by Andre StrongBearHeart Gaines, Jr. (Nipmuc). Gaines will present Rooted in Truths: Restoring Balance Between Everyday Life & Traditional Values within Colonial Systems. RSVP not required.

Public Event: Seasonal Traditional Storytelling
2025-03-08 13:30 - 14:30
Join us for this public, family-friendly event. Seasonal Traditional Storytelling will be led by our Indigenous Education Specialist, Keshia DeFreece Lawrence.

Public Seminar: From Metal Mining to Data Mining: Indigenous Data Governance
2025-03-12 11:00 - 12:00 | Harvard Forest – Main Building, 324 Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Join us for a hybrid seminar from Lydia Jennings, PhD (Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Wixárika), for her talk: “From Metal Mining to Data Mining: How Indigenous Data Governance Supports Indigenous Sovereignty Within an Open Science Ecosystem.” Lydia is Assistant Professor and E.E. Just Early Career Faculty Fellow in the Dept of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College.

Public Event: Annual Ecology Symposium
2025-03-18 09:00 - 17:00 | Harvard Forest – Fisher Museum, 324 N. Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Harvard Forest’s 2025 Ecology Symposium, “Future Directions of Research and Education at the Harvard Forest,” will feature speakers from Harvard Forest, Harvard University’s Division of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, UMass Amherst, Boston University, and more. The event will include research and education tours led by Harvard Forest’s education and outreach staff, as well as a graduate student / post-doc gathering.
Schedule
In-person registration is now closed. Register to attend online

Public Seminar: Vidya Viruputoor
2025-03-26 11:00 - 12:00 | Harvard Forest – Main Building, 324 Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Join us for a hybrid seminar by Vidya Viruputoor, Multi-omics approach to terpenoid defenses in the Eastern Hemlock, threatened by the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid.
A PhD candidate at UConn, Vidya will discuss the interdisciplinary study of Eastern Hemlocks to help us understand their defenses against Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, a rampant host-specific pest in our region.

Public Seminar: Morgan Furze
2025-04-09 11:00 - 12:00 | Harvard Forest – Main Building, 324 Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Join the Harvard Forest community for a seminar by guest speaker Morgan Furze for her talk, “Physiology, ecology, and evolution of carbohydrate storage in trees.” Morgan is Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology and the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University.
This event is in-person only; seminar will occur in Harvard Forest’s Main Building (adjacent to the Fisher Museum).
RSVP not required.

Harvard University Community Bus Trip
2025-04-19 10:00 - 16:00 | Harvard Forest (Bus departs from Harvard Square)
*Note: Trip is waitlisted*
Harvard students, faculty, fellows, and staff are welcome to sign up for a free Community Bus Trip to Harvard Forest on April 19.
The 4 hours spent on site will be guided by educators and scientists at the Forest, including:

an overview of Harvard Forest’s interdisciplinary research and education programs
a brief, interactive tour of the Fisher Museum
a ~2-mile guided field walk:

explore several of the Forest’s signature climate research experiments
optional: weather-permitting, climb a 92′ research tower
learn local plant and wildlife ID
discuss the Indigenous and colonial history of the region
discuss modern efforts in climate policy, land management, environmental education, and Indigenous community collaboration

Bus trips will depart Harvard Square at 10:00am and return to campus by 6:00pm. Attendees must bring their own lunch and snacks; Harvard Forest is a rural area and there is no way to purchase food or drinks here.
Registration is first-come, first-served, except that new visitors will be prioritized over return visitors. This trip is full, but we are accepting waitlist registrations.

Public Seminar: The Business Case for Nature
2025-04-23 16:30 - 17:30 | 79 JFK St., Cambridge, MA, 79 Belfer Center (Salata Conference Room), Cambridge, MA, United States
Hosted by Harvard University’s Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability, The Business Case for Nature: Opportunities, Achievements, and Challenges in Restoring Native Tropical Forests, will be an engaging presentation and discussion on the critical role of ecological restoration in tackling the global climate and nature crises. The presentation will feature Harvard Forest Director in Residence Jonathan Thompson and Thiago Picolo, CEO of re.green, Bazil’s leading ecological restoration company.
Hear insights from a leading for-profit company in the sector, as we explore the global market for nature-based solutions. The event will highlight key achievements and lessons learned from the first three years of re.green, alongside the challenges faced in scaling the company’s impact and the broader sector.
Register for this in-person event, located in Cambridge, here.

Fisher Museum Volunteer Training Session
2025-04-30 19:00 - 20:00 | Harvard Forest – Fisher Museum, 324 N. Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Harvard Forest relies on a team of approximately 35 volunteers that assist in staffing the Fisher Museum on weekends.
Interested in becoming a volunteer? This evening training will provide information on responsibilities, including welcoming visitors, selling merchandise, and answering basic questions.
Light refreshments provided. RSVP not required. For more information, contact hf-edu@fas.harvard.edu.

Fisher Museum Volunteer Training Session & Hike
2025-05-03 09:00 - 12:00 | Harvard Forest – Fisher Museum, 324 N. Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Harvard Forest relies on a team of approximately 35 volunteers that assist in staffing the Fisher Museum on weekends.
Interested in becoming a volunteer? This weekend training will provide information on responsibilities, including welcoming visitors, selling merchandise, and answering basic questions.
Prospective volunteers are invited to an exclusive hike from 9-11am, which will include climbing one of our research towers, if desired). The training session will follow from 11am-12pm.
Light refreshments provided. RSVP not required. For more information, contact hf-edu@fas.harvard.edu.

Public Film Premiere: Views from a Woodlot
2025-05-08 19:00 - 20:30 | Harvard Forest – Fisher Museum, 324 N. Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Join us on Thursday, May 8 at 7:00pm for the premiere screening of Views From a Woodlot, a documentary short film by Chris Hardee that profiles longtime forester Bruce Spencer, who stewarded Massachusetts’ 100,000-acre Quabbin Reservation for over 40 years. Now retired, Spencer has daily visits to the 150-acre woodlot that he stewards, guided by the same low-impact forest management philosophy that he used on the job.
Following the film, there will be a Q&A with the filmmaker Chris Hardee of High Cairn Films, And Bruce Spencer, retired Chief Forester of the Quabbin Reservation and subject of the film.
For more info about the 18-minute film, visit the High Cairn Films’ Views From a Woodlot webpage.
RSVP not required. Free and open to all. This event will occur at the Harvard Forest Fisher Museum, located at 324 North Main St., Petersham, MA. For information on visiting, please click here.
The Harvard Forest welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you require visitor accommodations, please contact hfvisit@fas.harvard.edu or 978-724-3302, preferably at least one week in advance of your visit.

Public Event: Tree Identification Walk
2025-05-31 13:00 - 15:00 | Harvard Forest – Fisher Museum, 324 N. Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Come learn how to identify trees with Elodie, our Education Assistant! We will practice basic native tree ID through bark, twig, bug, and leaf while walking the trails at Harvard Forest. Not only will we become more familiar with the trees in our landscape, but we will also learn about the important research at Harvard Forest and what we are discovering about these different species.
This will include a 1.5 mile level walk on open trails. Please email Elodie at eeid@fas.harvard.edu for any questions or accessibility needs. RSVP not required.
This event will occur rain or shine; it will be canceled in the event of lightning/thunder.

Public Event: 32nd Annual Student Symposium
2025-08-07 09:00 - 16:00 | Harvard Forest – Fisher Museum, 324 N. Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Every summer, Harvard Forest’s Summer Research Program in Ecology culminates with a Student Symposium, in which each student intern discusses their research at the Forest. Join us as we celebrate their contributions to the community!
Agenda and RSVP forthcoming.

Schoolyard Ecology Summer Institute for Educators
2025-08-18 - 2025-08-19 | Harvard Forest – Fisher Museum, 324 N. Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
The Schoolyard Ecology program helps teachers get their students outside to see how climate change is affecting their schoolyards.
This 2-day professional development opportunity includes workshops throughout the day and optional trail walks. Attendees are welcome to attend one or both days.

August 18th: Participants will learn the basics of the Schoolyard Ecology program.
August 19th: Participants will take part in a workshop on using unique Schoolyard Ecology data.

Agenda and further details forthcoming.
This event is open to current and prospective Schoolyard Ecology educators. Reach out with questions to Katharine Hinkle.

Harvard Climate Action Week: Bus Trip to the Harvard Forest
2025-09-21 10:00 - 18:00 | Harvard Forest (Bus departs from Harvard Square)
Harvard Forest will be participating in the Salata Institute’s Harvard Climate Action Week. Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 21! A bus will leave from Cambridge at 10:00am and return around 6pm. The day trip will include a visit to the Fisher Museum, a brown bag lunch (BYO), and an afternoon tour of the vast field research activities that occur at the Forest.
Registration for this event is now closed.

Book Discussion: Lynda V. Mapes and Her New Book, The Trees Are Speaking
2025-09-24 19:00 - 20:30 | Harvard Forest – Fisher Museum, 324 N. Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Join us in celebration of The Trees Are Speaking: Dispatches from the Salmon Forests, a book published by Harvard Forest Associate and former Bullard Fellow Lynda V. Mapes. A journalist, nature writer, and author based in Seattle, Mapes is the author of six books of natural and cultural history, including Witness Tree: Seasons of Change of a Century-Old Oak.
The event will include a discussion of the book, including inspiration found during Mapes’ Fellowship at Harvard Forest, excerpts, and an open dialogue. For more information, click here.
RSVP is not required for this event, which will include light refreshments.
(Image above shows author Lynda V. Mapes, right, speaking with Jerry Franklin, left.)

Public Event: Charles Bullard Lecture: Sarah Hobbie (Cambridge)
2025-10-02 17:00 | Harvard University – Cambridge
Join us for a lecture, “Managing Pollution of Urban Waters: Sources and Solutions” by Sarah Hobbie in Cambridge. Details and registration information to follow!
Learn more about the Charles Bullard Lecture Series.

Public Event: Charles Bullard Lecture: Sarah Hobbie (Petersham)
2025-10-03 11:00 - 12:00 | Harvard Forest – Fisher Museum, 324 N. Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
All are welcome to join the Harvard Forest for a lecture by Dr. Sarah Hobbie: “Three Decades of Studying Nutrient Effects on Decomposition: What Have We Learned?”
The lecture will take place on Friday, October 3 at 11:00am EDT at the Fisher Museum in Petersham, Mass., or register (fast and free!) for the Zoom webcast.
Learn more about the Charles Bullard Lecture Series.

Public Seminar: Richard T. T. Forman - Town Ecology: Concord, Thoreau and Onward
2026-02-25 11:00 - 12:00 | Harvard Forest – Main Building, 324 Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Harvard Forest’s seminar series features cutting-edge research in ecology, land-use history, and climatic change, and its applications to conservation biology, environmental policy, forestry, and management of terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecosystems. Seminars occur during the fall and spring on Wednesdays from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.
Seminars are presented in hybrid format; in-person attendance is welcome and a livestream option is available via Zoom. Seminars are free and open to the public. For Zoom link and password, please contact Joshua Plisinski.

2026 Harvard Forest Ecology Symposium
2026-03-12 09:00 - 17:00 | Harvard Forest – Fisher Museum, 324 N. Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
For 35 years, the Harvard Forest has hosted an Annual Ecology Symposium to bring together research collaborators to share progress and develop synergies.
This year’s Symposium, themed New Perspectives on Temperate Forest Ecology, will be held March 12, 2026, in the Harvard Forest Fisher Museum and also streamed publicly online.
Schedule
Coming in person? Register by March 2. You will need to log in first (creating an account takes about 1 minute).
OR
Can’t make it to Harvard Forest? Register for the Zoom Webinar
We typically have around 100 people in attendance in person, including our collaborators, students, foresters, and conservation professionals.

Public Seminar: Ashley Lang - Beyond MAOM? Rethinking classifications of soil organic carbon for modeling change
2026-04-02 11:00 - 12:00 | Harvard Forest – Main Building, 324 Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Dr. Ashley Lang is a postdoctoral researcher in the USDA Forest Service- Forest Inventory and Analysis Program.
Harvard Forest’s seminar series features cutting-edge research in ecology, land-use history, and climatic change, and its applications to conservation biology, environmental policy, forestry, and management of terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecosystems. Seminars occur during the fall and spring on Wednesdays from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.
Seminars are presented in hybrid format; in-person attendance is welcome and a livestream option is available via Zoom. Seminars are free and open to the public. For the Zoom link and password, please contact Joshua Plisinski.

Public Seminar: Steve Langdon - Shingle Shanty: Research, Monitoring, and Climate Resilience in a Boreal Peatland Complex in the Adirondacks
2026-04-15 11:00 - 12:00 | Harvard Forest – Main Building, 324 Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Steve Langdon is Director of the Shingle Shanty Preserve and Research Station.
Harvard Forest’s seminar series features cutting-edge research in ecology, land-use history, and climatic change, and its applications to conservation biology, environmental policy, forestry, and management of terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecosystems. Seminars occur during the fall and spring on Wednesdays from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.
Seminars are presented in hybrid format; in-person attendance is welcome and a livestream option is available via Zoom. Seminars are free and open to the public. For the Zoom link and password, please contact Joshua Plisinski.

Evening Lecture: Bullard Fellow Research Showcase
2026-04-15 18:00 - 19:30 | Harvard Forest – Fisher Museum, 324 N. Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
A “lightning round” of brief presentations by Harvard Forest’s diverse range of visiting Bullard Fellowship scholars will include short presentations on local wildlife (coyotes and salamanders), climate signals found in tree rings, art-science collaborations, forest biodiversity, and more.
A reception with refreshments will follow.
Presenters are:
Dr. Ivy Abiem
Dr. Lisa Brooks
Nancy Lowe
Dr. Dario Martin-Benito
Dr. Ahmed Siddig
All are welcome. No RSVP is necessary.
(Photo by Scott Foster.)

Public Seminar: Iveren Abiem - The ecology of a montane forest in West Africa
2026-04-22 11:00 - 12:00
Iveren Abiem is a Lecturer in the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology at the University of Jos in Nigeria.
Harvard Forest’s seminar series features cutting-edge research in ecology, land-use history, and climatic change, and its applications to conservation biology, environmental policy, forestry, and management of terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecosystems. Seminars occur during the fall and spring on Wednesdays from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.
Seminars are presented in hybrid format; in-person attendance is welcome and a livestream option is available via Zoom. Seminars are free and open to the public. For the Zoom link and password, please contact Joshua Plisinski.

Public Seminar: Rebecca Snell - From Seeds to Stands: Modelling Regeneration Processes in Forest Ecosystems
2026-04-29 11:00 - 12:00 | Harvard Forest – Main Building, 324 Main St, Petersham, MA, 01366, United States
Rebecca Snell is Associate Professor & Graduate Chair in Environmental and Plant Biology at the Ohio State University.
Harvard Forest’s seminar series features cutting-edge research in ecology, land-use history, and climatic change, and its applications to conservation biology, environmental policy, forestry, and management of terrestrial, aquatic, and marine ecosystems. Seminars occur during the fall and spring on Wednesdays from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Eastern Time unless otherwise noted.
Seminars are presented in hybrid format; in-person attendance is welcome and a livestream option is available via Zoom. Seminars are free and open to the public. For the Zoom link and password, please contact Joshua Plisinski.
