Living Classrooms 

What Sets Us Apart?

 

Ithaca College is lucky enough to be in possession of 560 acres of undeveloped natural areas, 432 acres of which directly borders the campus and 128 acres which is ten miles down the road in Newfield, but all of the land is used in some way! As a department, we attempt to utilize these areas in the best and most sustainable way possible through what we call our living classrooms. These are designated areas in which classes such as sentinels, the tracking class, gardening principles, and the non-timber forest products class go out and learn about nature in nature. Whether we are going out to harvest what the forest naturally has to offer or are going out to learn how to identify trees we do so with the intention of never taking more from the forest than the ecosystem can sustain and leaving it to the best of our ability as it was when we first arrived.

 

Research is conducted in these areas through programs like theAmerican Chestnut Reintroduction Program. Students also learn about conservation and preservation and help in such efforts through the Ithaca College Natural Lands' intern training program and the volunteer stewards program. They also assist in giving back to the community through helping with Retirees in Service to the Environment (RISE).