Woodland Academy: Forest Diseases Facing Connecticut’s Woodlands at Great Mountain Forest
Landowners, conservation professionals, municipal staff, and forest managers can gain valuable insight into the health challenges facing Connecticut’s forests during Forest Diseases Facing Connecticut’s Woodlands on September 25 from 9 am to 4 pm at Great Mountain Forest.
This full-day Woodland Academy course explores the insects, diseases, and environmental stressors that are affecting forests across the state, while also examining emerging threats that may impact woodlands in the future. Participants will learn how to identify signs of disease and pest damage, understand how these threats spread through forest ecosystems, and explore practical management strategies that can improve long-term forest resilience.
The program combines classroom instruction with field observations, providing opportunities to examine real-world examples and discuss current research and monitoring efforts. Experts from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Connecticut DEEP, and Great Mountain Forest will share guidance designed to help landowners and land managers make informed decisions about forest health.
Instructors include Dr. Eli Ward, Assistant Agricultural Scientist II with The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station; Dr. Robert Marra, Associate Scientist and Forest Pathologist with The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station; Starling Childs, Consulting Forester and Great Mountain Forest Board Member; and Kate Regan-Loomis, Forester at Great Mountain Forest.
The course has been approved for two Connecticut Forest Practitioner continuing education credits. Participants should be prepared for outdoor field activities that include walking on uneven terrain and standing for extended periods.
Coffee, tea, water, and snacks will be provided. Participants should bring their own lunch.
The workshop will be held at the historic Yale Camp within Great Mountain Forest, accessed through the forest’s West Gate on Chattleton Road off Canaan Mountain Road in Falls Village, CT. Detailed directions will be provided to registered participants.
Registration is $25 per person.
For registration and additional information, visit https://greatmountainforest.org/forest-diseases-facing-connecticuts-woodlands/.
