Viewed across the landscape, the forests covering our hillsides and valleys seem as though they have always been there. A different story emerges, however, when you walk along a trail and discover evidence of human impact on the land from earlier generations. The resilient Connecticut forest has undergone dramatic changes over the past 400 years and earlier. This talk will cover the changes in our forests since the ice age, and what the future forest may look like.

Presenter Dr. Jeffrey Ward has expertise in identification and life histories of native trees and shrubs, forest management, invasive shrub control, plantation establishment, and forest nursery operation. He is knowledgeable about the natural history of Connecticut, landscape maintenance, and methods of reducing deer browse damage.