State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry
Encyclopedia
The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) is an American specialized doctoral-granting institution located in the University Hill
neighborhood of Syracuse, New York
, immediately adjacent to Syracuse University
. ESF also operates several regional campuses across central New York, including the New York State Ranger School
in Wanakena, New York
. The College's curricula focus on the understanding and management of the environment and natural resources. It is currently commemorating its centennial.
Governor John Alden Dix
. The previous year, Governor Hughes
had vetoed a bill authorizing such a college. Both bills followed the state's defunding, in 1903, of the New York State College of Forestry at Cornell
. Originally a unit of Syracuse University
, in 1913, the College was made a separate, legal entity.
Syracuse native and constitutional lawyer Louis Marshall, a prime mover for the establishment of the Adirondack and Catskill Forest Preserve (New York)
, became a Syracuse University Trustee in 1910. He confided in Chancellor James R. Day
his desire to have an agricultural and forestry school at the University, and by 1911 his efforts resulted in a New York State bill to fund the project: the aforementioned appropriation bill signed by Governor Dix. Marshall was elected president of the college's Board of Trustees at its first meeting, in 1911; at the time of his death, eighteen years later, he was still president of the Board.
The first dean of the College was William L. Bray
, a Ph.D., graduate from the University of Chicago, botanist, plant ecologist, biogeographer and Professor of Botany at Syracuse University. In 1907 he was made head of the botany department at Syracuse, and in 1908 he started teaching a forestry course in the basement of Lyman Hall. Bray was an associate of Gifford Pinchot
, who was the first Chief of the United States Forest Service
. In 1911, in addition to assuming the deanship of forestry, Bray organized the Agricultural Division at Syracuse University. He remained at Syracuse until 1943 as chair of botany and Dean of the Syracuse Graduate School.
In 1915, the same year that Dr. Bray published The Development of the Vegetation of New York State, he became one of the founding members, along with Raphael Zon
and Yale School of Forestry's second dean, James W. Toumey, of the Ecological Society of America
. In 1950, the 1917 "activist wing" of that Society formed today's The Nature Conservancy
.
Most of the professors, in the early years of the College of Forestry at Syracuse and the Department of Forestry at Cornell's New York State College of Agriculture were educated in forestry at the Yale School of Forestry. The forestry students at Syracuse but not at Cornell were referred to as "stumpies" by their classmates probably up until woman were admitted to the college.
Fifty-two students were enrolled in the school's first year, the first 11 graduating two years later, in 1913. One of the hallmarks of the College, its research, dates back to 1912, beginning with a study on what firms were using lumber in the state of New York as well as the wood species and quantities. In 1912, the College opened its Ranger School
in Wanakena, New York
, in the Adirondacks. The College began enrolling women as early as 1915, but the first women to complete their degrees—one majoring in landscape engineering and two in pulp and paper—graduated in the late 1940s.
In January 1930, Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt
, recommending an allocation of $600,000 towards construction of the college's second building, in honor of Louis Marshall, recently deceased, noted that: "under [Marshall's] leadership and the leadership of its late dean, Franklin Moon
, the School of Forestry made giant strides until it became recognized as the premier institution of its kind in the United States". The cornerstone of Louis Marshall Memorial Hall was laid in 1931 by former Governor and presidential candidate Alfred E. Smith who was elected to assume the presidency of the college's Board of Trustees.
With the formation of the State University of New York (SUNY) in 1948, the College became recognized as a specialized college within the SUNY system, and its name was changed to State University College of Forestry at Syracuse University. In 1972, the College's name was changed yet again to State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Unlike other state-supported degree-granting institutions which had been created at private institutions in New York State, the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University was an autonomous institution not administratively part of Syracuse University. In 2000, SUNY System Administration established ESF's "primacy" among the 64 SUNY campuses and contract colleges for development of new undergraduate degree programs in Environmental Science and Environmental Studies.
Bray Hall, Marshall Hall, Illick Hall, and Moon Library border the quad. The college's new student dormitories, dubbed "Centennial Hall" after the institution's 100th anniversary, opened up for business on August 24, 2011. There are also a maintenance and operations building, garage, and greenhouse converted to office space. Among new buildings being planned is a new research support facility.
The historical Robin Hood Oak is located behind Bray Hall. The tree is said to have grown from an acorn brought back by a faculty member from the Sherwood Forest in England. It was the first tree to be listed on the National Registrar of Historic Trees in the United States.
, as it is simply called, to earn an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in forest technology or surveying. The campus is situated on the Oswegatchie River that connects to Cranberry Lake
, in the northwestern part of the Adirondack Park. It includes the 3000 acres (12.1 km²) James F. Dubuar Memorial Forest.
, meaning that curricula focus primarily on one field, the College's being environmental management and stewardship. Students supplement their education with courses taken at Syracuse University. ESF has academic departments in the fields of chemistry; construction management and wood products engineering; environmental and forest biology; environmental resources and forest engineering; environmental science; environmental studies; forest and natural resources management; landscape architecture; and paper and bioprocess engineering. Interdepartmental environmental science programs offer students integrative degrees across the natural sciences.
ESF is considered a very competitive school. Admission is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 43.1 percent for fall 2009. ESF is ranked at 34th, tied with Michigan State University, and Miami-Ohio, and ahead of all other SUNY schools in the 2011 US News & World Report rankings of the top public national universities. Furthermore, ESF is ranked 79th in the 2011 US News & World Report list of the best National Universities (both public and private), also ahead of all other SUNY schools. The Washington Monthly College Guide has ranked ESF No. 26 among the nation's top service-oriented colleges and universities.
Forbes Magazine ranked SUNY-ESF #23 in its listing of “America’s Best College Buys” for 2010. Forbes.com has also ranked SUNY-ESF at No. 3 on its 2010 list of the 20 best colleges for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). SUNY-ESF is listed at No. 2, ahead of top programs like Duke, Cornell and Yale, among the best college environmental programs in the nation by Treehugger.com, a website devoted to sustainability and environmental news. DesignIntelligence magazine has ranked ESF's undergraduate and graduate programs in "Landscape Architecture", respectively at No. 12 and No. 9 in the United States.
Students at the Syracuse campus enjoy many activities on and off campus. There are a number of student clubs and organizations at ESF, including the Undergraduate Student Association, Graduate Student Association, Woodsmen Team, Bob Marshall
Club, Alpha Xi Sigma Honor Society, Soccer Club, Sigma Lambda Alpha
Honor Society, The Knothole (weekly newspaper), Papyrus Club, The Empire Forester (yearbook), Landscape Architecture Club (formally the Mollet Club), Forest Engineers Club, Environmental Studies Student Organization, Habitat for Humanity, Ecologue (yearly journal), the Bioethics Society, Green Campus Initiative, and Baobab Society. Wanakena students have their own woodsmen and ice hockey teams. A number of professional organizations are also open to student membership, including the Society of American Foresters
, Wildlife Society, Conservation
Biology club, American Fisheries Association, and the (currently defunct) American Water Resources Association.
ESF has an agreement with adjacent Syracuse University
that allows ESF students to enjoy many amenities offered by SU. ESF students take courses at their sister institution, can apply for admission to concurrent degree and joint certificate programs, and may join any SU organization except for NCAA sports teams. SU students are also welcome to enroll in ESF classes. Because of this, students feel a certain degree of integration with the Syracuse University community. Every May, ESF holds a joint commencement ceremony with Syracuse University in the Carrier Dome
. ESF's baccalaureate diplomas bear the seals of both the State University of New York and Syracuse University.
Students also enjoy a variety of shops, restaurants, museums, and theaters in Syracuse
, and nearby Marshall Street
and Westcott Street.
at Syracuse University, under the leadership of Syracuse University Trustee Louis Marshall, with the active support of Syracuse University Chancellor Day. Its founding followed the Governor's veto of annual appropriations to a separate New York State College of Forestry at Cornell
.
ESF is an autonomous institution, administratively separate from Syracuse University, even while some resources, facilities and infrastructure are shared. The two schools share a common Schedule of Classes; students take courses at both institutions, and baccalaureate diplomas from ESF bear the Syracuse University seal along with that of the State University of New York. A number of concurrent degree programs and certificates are offered between the schools, as well. The college receives an annual appropriation as part of the SUNY budget and the state builds and maintains all of the college's educational facilities. The state has similar relationships with five statutory college
s that are at Alfred University
and Cornell University
.
ESF faculty, students, and students' families join those from Syracuse University (SU) in a joint convocation ceremony at the beginning of the academic year in August, and combined commencement exercises in May. ESF and SU students share access to libraries, recreational facilities, student clubs, and other activities at both institutions, except for the schools' intercollegiate sports teams, affiliated with the NCAA and NAIA, respectively.
and soccer playing are encouraged on the Quad.
Eustace B. Nifkin, ESF's previous mascot, is an unofficial student. He first appeared in the 1940s after a group of students summering in the Adirondacks thought him up. Ever since, he has appeared on class rosters, written articles for The Knothole, and sent mail to the College from around the world. He has a girlfriend, the lesser-known Elsa S. Freeborn. SUNY granted him a bachelor's degree in 1972. The Alumni Lounge in Marshall Hall is dedicated to Nifkin.
Another well known legend is that of Chainer or Chainsaw who supposedly graduated in 1993.
Traditional events include:
The accomplishments of additional outstanding ESF alumni are documented at: http://www.esf.edu/success/.
University Hill, Syracuse
University Hill is a neighborhood in Syracuse, New York, located east and southeast of downtown, on one of the larger hills in Syracuse. It is the major educational and medical district of Syracuse, as well as an important business district, with three of the top ten employers in the Syracuse...
neighborhood of Syracuse, New York
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, immediately adjacent to Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
. ESF also operates several regional campuses across central New York, including the New York State Ranger School
New York State Ranger School
The New York State Ranger School in Wanakena, New York, was founded in 1912 under the administration of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University, to train forest rangers and other personnel for the still-young Adirondack Park....
in Wanakena, New York
Wanakena, New York
Wanakena is a hamlet located on the shore of Cranberry Lake in the town of Fine in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. Tourism is a major industry in the area; a small year-round population is supplemented by an influx seasonal residents each Summer...
. The College's curricula focus on the understanding and management of the environment and natural resources. It is currently commemorating its centennial.
Founding
The New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University was established in 1911 through a bill signed by New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Governor John Alden Dix
John Alden Dix
John Alden Dix was the 38th Governor of New York from January 1911 to December 1912.-Life:Born in Glens Falls, Warren County, New York, Dix attended Cornell University, but never graduated. He was an initiated member of the Beta Charge of the Theta Delta Chi fraternity...
. The previous year, Governor Hughes
Charles Evans Hughes
Charles Evans Hughes, Sr. was an American statesman, lawyer and Republican politician from New York. He served as the 36th Governor of New York , Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States , United States Secretary of State , a judge on the Court of International Justice , and...
had vetoed a bill authorizing such a college. Both bills followed the state's defunding, in 1903, of the New York State College of Forestry at Cornell
New York State College of Forestry at Cornell
The New York State College of Forestry at Cornell was a statutory college established in 1898 at Cornell University to teach scientific forestry. The first four-year college of forestry in the country, it was defunded by the State of New York in 1903, over controversies involving the college's...
. Originally a unit of Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, in 1913, the College was made a separate, legal entity.
Forest Preserve (New York)
New York's Forest Preserve is all the land owned by the state within the Adirondack and Catskill parks, managed by its Department of Environmental Conservation. These properties are required to be kept "forever wild" by Article 14 of the state constitution, and thus enjoy the highest degree of...
, became a Syracuse University Trustee in 1910. He confided in Chancellor James R. Day
James Roscoe Day
James Roscoe Day was an American educator.-Biography:He was born in Whitneyville, Maine on June 7, 1845. He studied at Bowdoin College, and was in 1872 ordained a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church...
his desire to have an agricultural and forestry school at the University, and by 1911 his efforts resulted in a New York State bill to fund the project: the aforementioned appropriation bill signed by Governor Dix. Marshall was elected president of the college's Board of Trustees at its first meeting, in 1911; at the time of his death, eighteen years later, he was still president of the Board.
The first dean of the College was William L. Bray
William L. Bray
William L. Bray, Ph.D. University of Chicago, botanist, plant ecologist, biogeographer and Professor of Botany at Syracuse University, was the first dean of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University, from 1911-12....
, a Ph.D., graduate from the University of Chicago, botanist, plant ecologist, biogeographer and Professor of Botany at Syracuse University. In 1907 he was made head of the botany department at Syracuse, and in 1908 he started teaching a forestry course in the basement of Lyman Hall. Bray was an associate of Gifford Pinchot
Gifford Pinchot
Gifford Pinchot was the first Chief of the United States Forest Service and the 28th Governor of Pennsylvania...
, who was the first Chief of the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
. In 1911, in addition to assuming the deanship of forestry, Bray organized the Agricultural Division at Syracuse University. He remained at Syracuse until 1943 as chair of botany and Dean of the Syracuse Graduate School.
In 1915, the same year that Dr. Bray published The Development of the Vegetation of New York State, he became one of the founding members, along with Raphael Zon
Raphael Zon
Raphael Zon was a prominent U.S. Forest Service researcher.- Early Life :Raphael Zon was born in Simbirsk in the Russian Empire in 1874, to parents Gabriel Zon and Eugenia Berliner. A classmate of Lenin's, he fled Russia in 1896 while on bail following arrest for organizing a trade union...
and Yale School of Forestry's second dean, James W. Toumey, of the Ecological Society of America
Ecological Society of America
The Ecological Society of America is a professional organization of ecological scientists. Based in the United States, ESA publishes a suite of publications, from peer-reviewed journals to newsletters, fact sheets and teaching resources. It holds an annual meeting at different locations in the...
. In 1950, the 1917 "activist wing" of that Society formed today's The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
.
Most of the professors, in the early years of the College of Forestry at Syracuse and the Department of Forestry at Cornell's New York State College of Agriculture were educated in forestry at the Yale School of Forestry. The forestry students at Syracuse but not at Cornell were referred to as "stumpies" by their classmates probably up until woman were admitted to the college.
Fifty-two students were enrolled in the school's first year, the first 11 graduating two years later, in 1913. One of the hallmarks of the College, its research, dates back to 1912, beginning with a study on what firms were using lumber in the state of New York as well as the wood species and quantities. In 1912, the College opened its Ranger School
New York State Ranger School
The New York State Ranger School in Wanakena, New York, was founded in 1912 under the administration of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University, to train forest rangers and other personnel for the still-young Adirondack Park....
in Wanakena, New York
Wanakena, New York
Wanakena is a hamlet located on the shore of Cranberry Lake in the town of Fine in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. Tourism is a major industry in the area; a small year-round population is supplemented by an influx seasonal residents each Summer...
, in the Adirondacks. The College began enrolling women as early as 1915, but the first women to complete their degrees—one majoring in landscape engineering and two in pulp and paper—graduated in the late 1940s.
In January 1930, Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, recommending an allocation of $600,000 towards construction of the college's second building, in honor of Louis Marshall, recently deceased, noted that: "under [Marshall's] leadership and the leadership of its late dean, Franklin Moon
F. Franklin Moon
Frederick Franklin Moon was Dean of the New York State College of Forestry from 1920-27. He was a graduate of Amherst College , and Yale University . From 1912-20, he was Professor of Forest Engineering at the New York State College of Forestry.-Reference:...
, the School of Forestry made giant strides until it became recognized as the premier institution of its kind in the United States". The cornerstone of Louis Marshall Memorial Hall was laid in 1931 by former Governor and presidential candidate Alfred E. Smith who was elected to assume the presidency of the college's Board of Trustees.
With the formation of the State University of New York (SUNY) in 1948, the College became recognized as a specialized college within the SUNY system, and its name was changed to State University College of Forestry at Syracuse University. In 1972, the College's name was changed yet again to State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Unlike other state-supported degree-granting institutions which had been created at private institutions in New York State, the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University was an autonomous institution not administratively part of Syracuse University. In 2000, SUNY System Administration established ESF's "primacy" among the 64 SUNY campuses and contract colleges for development of new undergraduate degree programs in Environmental Science and Environmental Studies.
Main campus
The Syracuse campus is ESF's main campus, and is where most academic and administrative activity takes place. It is made up of seven main buildings:- Baker Laboratory: Named after Hugh P. BakerHugh P. BakerHugh Potter Baker was a graduate of the Michigan State College of Agriculture; Yale's School of Forestry ; and the University of Munich...
, Dean of the College from 1912–1920 and again 1930-33. The building is the location of several computer clusters and auditorium-style classrooms. It is home to the Department of Construction Management and Wood Products Engineering, and the Department of Environmental Resources and Forest Engineering. The building recently underwent a $37 million overhaul; providing updated space for the Tropical Timber Information Center and the Nelson C. BrownNelson C. BrownNelson Courtlandt Brown graduated from Yale University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Master of Forestry degree .-Early Career:...
Center for Ultrastructure Studies. When the renovation is complete, Baker Lab will be the site of ESF's NASA-affiliated Research Center. Baker Laboratory houses two multimedia lecture halls, a "smart" classroom outfitted for computer use and distance learning, and two construction management and planning studios. It also has a full-scale laboratory for materials science testing, including a modern dry kiln, a wood identification laboratory, shop facilities (including portable sawmill) and wood preservation laboratory. - Bray Hall: The building is the oldest on campus, completed in 1917, the largest building devoted to Forestry at the time. It is named after William L. BrayWilliam L. BrayWilliam L. Bray, Ph.D. University of Chicago, botanist, plant ecologist, biogeographer and Professor of Botany at Syracuse University, was the first dean of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University, from 1911-12....
, a founder of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University and its first Dean, 1911-12. It is the location of most administrative offices, and the Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management. - Illick Hall: The building was completed in 1968, and is home to the Department of Environmental and Forest Biology. It is named after Joseph S. IllickJoseph S. IllickJoseph S. Illick was Dean of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University, from 1944-51. He was a graduate of Lafayette College , and the Biltmore Forest School ; he studied at the University of Munich, as well. Prior to coming to New York, Illick was State Forester, in...
, a dean of the State University College of Forestry at Syracuse University. There is a large lecture hall (Illick 5) in the basement. Several greenhouses are located on the fifth floor. The Roosevelt Wildlife Museum is also located in the building. All of the bathrooms in this buildings mysteriously smell horrid, despite being very clean. - Jahn Laboratory: Named after Edwin C. Jahn, a dean of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University. The building is the newest on the campus, completed in 1997. Home to the Department of Chemistry.
- Marshall Hall: Named after Louis Marshall, one of the founders of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University. Home to the Landscape Architecture and Environmental Studies departments. The Alumni (Nifkin) Lounge, Gallery (snack bar), Campus Bookstore, and Marshall Auditorium are located within. Twin brass plaques in the entryway commemorate the contributions of Marshall and his son, alumnus Bob MarshallBob Marshall (wilderness activist)Robert "Bob" Marshall was an American forester, writer and wilderness activist. The son of wealthy constitutional lawyer and conservationist Louis Marshall, Bob Marshall developed a love for the outdoors as a young child...
. - Moon Library: Dedicated to F. Franklin MoonF. Franklin MoonFrederick Franklin Moon was Dean of the New York State College of Forestry from 1920-27. He was a graduate of Amherst College , and Yale University . From 1912-20, he was Professor of Forest Engineering at the New York State College of Forestry.-Reference:...
, an early dean of the College. Completed in 1968, along with Illick Hall. A computer cluster and student lounge are located in the basement. - Walters Hall: Named after J. Henry WaltersJ. Henry WaltersJohn Henry Walters was an American lawyer and politician. He was President pro tempore of the New York State Senate from 1919 to 1920.-Life:...
, who served on the College's Board of Trustees. Completed in 1969. Home to the Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering. The pilot plant in the building includes two paper machines and wood-to-ethanol processing equipment. - Gateway Building: Currently under construction: "The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) broke ground Friday, Aug. 6, 2010, for construction of the new Gateway Building, a $28.3 million project that will showcase the college's commitment to sustainability through a sophisticated array of renewable energy technologies." The new building will be a showcase for green infrastructure and development. "The Gateway Building's design and construction sets a new standard for LEED buildings, producing more renewable energy than it consumes," said ESF President Cornelius B. Murphy, Jr. The building is expected to be completed with LEED Platinum certification.
Bray Hall, Marshall Hall, Illick Hall, and Moon Library border the quad. The college's new student dormitories, dubbed "Centennial Hall" after the institution's 100th anniversary, opened up for business on August 24, 2011. There are also a maintenance and operations building, garage, and greenhouse converted to office space. Among new buildings being planned is a new research support facility.
The historical Robin Hood Oak is located behind Bray Hall. The tree is said to have grown from an acorn brought back by a faculty member from the Sherwood Forest in England. It was the first tree to be listed on the National Registrar of Historic Trees in the United States.
Wanakena campus
Students in the forest and natural resources management curriculum spend an academic year (48 credits) or summer at the Ranger SchoolNew York State Ranger School
The New York State Ranger School in Wanakena, New York, was founded in 1912 under the administration of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University, to train forest rangers and other personnel for the still-young Adirondack Park....
, as it is simply called, to earn an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in forest technology or surveying. The campus is situated on the Oswegatchie River that connects to Cranberry Lake
Cranberry Lake
Cranberry Lake is a lake on the Oswegatchie River in the Adirondack Park in New York in the United States. It is the third largest lake in the Adirondack Park Cranberry Lake is a lake on the Oswegatchie River in the Adirondack Park in New York in the United States. It is the third largest lake in...
, in the northwestern part of the Adirondack Park. It includes the 3000 acres (12.1 km²) James F. Dubuar Memorial Forest.
Other campuses
- Cranberry LakeCranberry LakeCranberry Lake is a lake on the Oswegatchie River in the Adirondack Park in New York in the United States. It is the third largest lake in the Adirondack Park Cranberry Lake is a lake on the Oswegatchie River in the Adirondack Park in New York in the United States. It is the third largest lake in...
Biological Station: Located in the Adirondack Park, it is the site of the College's summer field program in environmental and forest biology. - Huntington Wildlife Forest: A 6,000 hectare (15,000 acre) field station in the central Adirondack MountainsAdirondack MountainsThe Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
located near Newcomb, New YorkNewcomb, New YorkNewcomb is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 481 at the 2000 census.The Town of Newcomb is at the west border of the county. It is southwest of Plattsburgh, southwest of Burlington, VT, northeast of Utica, NY, north-northeast of Albany, NY, and ...
. It includes the Adirondack Ecological Center the Arbutus Great Camp, bunkhouses, and a dining center, among other facilities. - Tully Campus: Location of the Heiberg Memorial Forest and Genetic Field Station.
- Warrensburg Campus: Location of the Charles Lathrop PackCharles Lathrop PackCharles Lathrop Pack , a third-generation timberman, was "one of the five wealthiest men in America prior to World War I". He owed his good start in life to the success of his father, George Willis Pack, and grandfather, George Pack in the forestry sector. Growing up on Lake Huron in Michigan's...
Demonstration Forest and NYS Department of Environmental ConservationNew York State Department of Environmental ConservationThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for the conservation, improvement, and protection of natural resources within the U.S. state of New York. It was founded in 1970, replacing the previous Conservation Department...
's Environmental Education Camp. - Thousand Islands Campus: Situated in the Thousand IslandsThousand IslandsThe Thousand Islands is the name of an archipelago of islands that straddle the Canada-U.S. border in the Saint Lawrence River as it emerges from the northeast corner of Lake Ontario. They stretch for about downstream from Kingston, Ontario. The Canadian islands are in the province of Ontario, the...
are the Thousand Islands Biological Station and Ellis International Laboratory. - Forest Experimental Station: Located in the City of Syracuse.
Academics
The ESF mission statement is "to advance knowledge and skills and to promote the leadership necessary for the stewardship of both the natural and designed environments." ESF is a "specialized institution" of the State University of New YorkState University of New York
The State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
, meaning that curricula focus primarily on one field, the College's being environmental management and stewardship. Students supplement their education with courses taken at Syracuse University. ESF has academic departments in the fields of chemistry; construction management and wood products engineering; environmental and forest biology; environmental resources and forest engineering; environmental science; environmental studies; forest and natural resources management; landscape architecture; and paper and bioprocess engineering. Interdepartmental environmental science programs offer students integrative degrees across the natural sciences.
ESF is considered a very competitive school. Admission is more selective, with an acceptance rate of 43.1 percent for fall 2009. ESF is ranked at 34th, tied with Michigan State University, and Miami-Ohio, and ahead of all other SUNY schools in the 2011 US News & World Report rankings of the top public national universities. Furthermore, ESF is ranked 79th in the 2011 US News & World Report list of the best National Universities (both public and private), also ahead of all other SUNY schools. The Washington Monthly College Guide has ranked ESF No. 26 among the nation's top service-oriented colleges and universities.
Forbes Magazine ranked SUNY-ESF #23 in its listing of “America’s Best College Buys” for 2010. Forbes.com has also ranked SUNY-ESF at No. 3 on its 2010 list of the 20 best colleges for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). SUNY-ESF is listed at No. 2, ahead of top programs like Duke, Cornell and Yale, among the best college environmental programs in the nation by Treehugger.com, a website devoted to sustainability and environmental news. DesignIntelligence magazine has ranked ESF's undergraduate and graduate programs in "Landscape Architecture", respectively at No. 12 and No. 9 in the United States.
Campus life
Many students identify themselves as a "Stumpy" (or "Stumpie"). The nickname was given to students by their neighbors at Syracuse University, probably in the 1920s, and most-likely refers to forestry "stump jumpers". Although originally used as an insult, today, most students embrace the nickname with pride.Students at the Syracuse campus enjoy many activities on and off campus. There are a number of student clubs and organizations at ESF, including the Undergraduate Student Association, Graduate Student Association, Woodsmen Team, Bob Marshall
Bob Marshall (wilderness activist)
Robert "Bob" Marshall was an American forester, writer and wilderness activist. The son of wealthy constitutional lawyer and conservationist Louis Marshall, Bob Marshall developed a love for the outdoors as a young child...
Club, Alpha Xi Sigma Honor Society, Soccer Club, Sigma Lambda Alpha
Sigma Lambda Alpha
Sigma Lambda Alpha ', Sorority, Inc. is a Latina based Greek-lettered sorority of college-educated women, dedicated to the ideals of community service, academic achievement, and cultural awareness of the different Hispanic cultures and traditions...
Honor Society, The Knothole (weekly newspaper), Papyrus Club, The Empire Forester (yearbook), Landscape Architecture Club (formally the Mollet Club), Forest Engineers Club, Environmental Studies Student Organization, Habitat for Humanity, Ecologue (yearly journal), the Bioethics Society, Green Campus Initiative, and Baobab Society. Wanakena students have their own woodsmen and ice hockey teams. A number of professional organizations are also open to student membership, including the Society of American Foresters
Society of American Foresters
The Society of American Foresters is a scientific and educational 501 non-profit organization, representing the forestry profession in the United States of America...
, Wildlife Society, Conservation
Conservation biology
Conservation biology is the scientific study of the nature and status of Earth's biodiversity with the aim of protecting species, their habitats, and ecosystems from excessive rates of extinction...
Biology club, American Fisheries Association, and the (currently defunct) American Water Resources Association.
ESF has an agreement with adjacent Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
that allows ESF students to enjoy many amenities offered by SU. ESF students take courses at their sister institution, can apply for admission to concurrent degree and joint certificate programs, and may join any SU organization except for NCAA sports teams. SU students are also welcome to enroll in ESF classes. Because of this, students feel a certain degree of integration with the Syracuse University community. Every May, ESF holds a joint commencement ceremony with Syracuse University in the Carrier Dome
Carrier Dome
The Carrier Dome is a 49,250-seat domed sports stadium located on the campus of Syracuse University in the University Hill neighborhood of Syracuse, New York, USA. It is home to the Syracuse Orange football, basketball, and lacrosse teams. High school football championships are also held in "The...
. ESF's baccalaureate diplomas bear the seals of both the State University of New York and Syracuse University.
Students also enjoy a variety of shops, restaurants, museums, and theaters in Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, and nearby Marshall Street
Marshall Street
Marshall Street is a street in the University Hill neighborhood in Syracuse, New York, adjacent to Syracuse University. It is the main off-campus commercial street for students at the university. Often referred to as "M" Street, Marshall street has a number of popular student bars including...
and Westcott Street.
Affiliation with Syracuse University
ESF was founded in 1911 as the New York State College of ForestryHistory of the New York State College of Forestry
The New York State College of Forestry, the first professional school of forestry in North America, opened its doors at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, in the autumn of 1898. After just a few years of operation, it was defunded in 1903, by Governor Benjamin B. Odell, in response to public...
at Syracuse University, under the leadership of Syracuse University Trustee Louis Marshall, with the active support of Syracuse University Chancellor Day. Its founding followed the Governor's veto of annual appropriations to a separate New York State College of Forestry at Cornell
New York State College of Forestry at Cornell
The New York State College of Forestry at Cornell was a statutory college established in 1898 at Cornell University to teach scientific forestry. The first four-year college of forestry in the country, it was defunded by the State of New York in 1903, over controversies involving the college's...
.
ESF is an autonomous institution, administratively separate from Syracuse University, even while some resources, facilities and infrastructure are shared. The two schools share a common Schedule of Classes; students take courses at both institutions, and baccalaureate diplomas from ESF bear the Syracuse University seal along with that of the State University of New York. A number of concurrent degree programs and certificates are offered between the schools, as well. The college receives an annual appropriation as part of the SUNY budget and the state builds and maintains all of the college's educational facilities. The state has similar relationships with five statutory college
Statutory college
In American higher education, particular to the state of New York, a statutory college or contract college is a college or school that is a component of an independent, private university that has been designated by the state legislature to receive significant, ongoing public funding from the state...
s that are at Alfred University
Alfred University
Alfred University is a small, comprehensive university in the Village of Alfred in Western New York, USA, an hour and a half south of Rochester and two hours southeast of Buffalo. Alfred has an undergraduate population of around 2,000, and approximately 300 graduate students...
and Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
.
ESF faculty, students, and students' families join those from Syracuse University (SU) in a joint convocation ceremony at the beginning of the academic year in August, and combined commencement exercises in May. ESF and SU students share access to libraries, recreational facilities, student clubs, and other activities at both institutions, except for the schools' intercollegiate sports teams, affiliated with the NCAA and NAIA, respectively.
Traditions
The best known tradition among ESF students is that walking across the quad is shunned. The tradition most likely started in the 1980s or 1990s to inhibit tracks being worn into the grass. Hecklers have been known to yell and even tackle people walking across the quad. However, other activities such as FrisbeeFrisbee
A flying disc is a disc-shaped glider that is generally plastic and roughly in diameter, with a lip. The shape of the disc, an airfoil in cross-section, allows it to fly by generating lift as it moves through the air while rotating....
and soccer playing are encouraged on the Quad.
Eustace B. Nifkin, ESF's previous mascot, is an unofficial student. He first appeared in the 1940s after a group of students summering in the Adirondacks thought him up. Ever since, he has appeared on class rosters, written articles for The Knothole, and sent mail to the College from around the world. He has a girlfriend, the lesser-known Elsa S. Freeborn. SUNY granted him a bachelor's degree in 1972. The Alumni Lounge in Marshall Hall is dedicated to Nifkin.
Another well known legend is that of Chainer or Chainsaw who supposedly graduated in 1993.
Traditional events include:
- Earth Week events
- Spring Banquet
- December Soiree
- Friends and Family BBQ
- Coffee Haus
- Festival of Places
- Paper run
- Donut Hours
- Waste Audit
- Free Movies Nights
- Insomniacs
- Woodsmen Team (Forestry Club)
Alumni
More than 18,000 have graduated from ESF since its founding in 1911. The college's Alumni Association was founded fourteen years later, in 1925. Notable alumni include:- Reginald E. BalchReg BalchDr. Reginald Ernest Balch was a Canadian photographer and scientist.-Biography:He was born in Sevenoaks, England, the son of the Rev. Alfred Earnest Balch and Sarah Hawkes. He was educated at Bedford Grammar School and Kingswood School...
, MS '28, Canadian photographer and scientist - Bruce C. Bongarten, BS '73, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, SUNY-ESF
- Joseph Buongiorno, MS '69, Class of 1933 Bascom Professor of Forest Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Roger H.C. Donlon
- Frank Edwin EglerFrank Edwin EglerFrank Edwin Egler was an American plant ecologist and pioneer in the study of vegetation science. He is of historical significance through his assistance to Rachel Carson in preparing Silent Spring....
- Sol Feinstone, '15, historian, businessman, conservationist
- Jean FrechetJean FrechetProfessor Jean M.J. Fréchet is the Henry Rapoport Chair of Organic Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley...
, MS '69, Ph.D.'71, Henry Rapoport Chair of Organic Chemistry and Professor of Chemical Engineering, UC Berkeley - Dendritic Polymers: Dendrimers - Stephen Kay, BLA '73
- Edwin Ketchledge, beloved SUNY ESF Professor emeritus of botany and dendrology dies at age 85, June 30, 2010
- Michael KudishMichael KudishMichael Kudish is an author, railroad historian, forester, and retired professor. He received his Ph.D. in 1971 from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse. His dissertation, on the history of Catskill forests, was the beginning of a lifelong...
, PhD '71 - Moshe LevyMoshe Levy (chemist)Moshe Levy is an Israeli professor of Chemistry at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel.-Birth and Education:Moshe Levy was born on December 8, 1927 in Thessaloniki, Greece. In 1933 his father, Eliyahu, decided to immigrate to Palestine, then under British occupation...
, PhD '55 - Bob MarshallBob Marshall (wilderness activist)Robert "Bob" Marshall was an American forester, writer and wilderness activist. The son of wealthy constitutional lawyer and conservationist Louis Marshall, Bob Marshall developed a love for the outdoors as a young child...
, BS '24 - Clarence PettyClarence PettyClarence Adelbert Petty was a supervising forest ranger in the Adirondack Forest Preserve, conservationist, and avid outdoorsman well-known for his advocacy of protection of the Adirondack Park....
, BS '30 - Harry Frederick RecherHarry Frederick RecherProfessor Harry Frederick Recher is an Australian ornithologist who was born, and grew up in, the United States of America. He studied at the State University of New York College of Forestry and received his B.S. in 1959 from Syracuse University. He received a Ph.D...
- Bruce ShelleyBruce ShelleyBruce Campbell Shelley is a computer game designer who helped design Sid Meier's Civilization and Railroad Tycoon with MicroProse and the 1997 hit real-time strategy game Age of Empires with Ensemble Studios. He is currently working with Zynga, best known for Farmville, and had helped develop...
, BS '70 - Earl Lewis Stone, Jr., BS '38; In 1948, he became the first endowed Charles Lathrop Pack Professor of forest soils at Cornell University. Retired 1979
- Lissa Widdoff, '92, Executive Director, Robert and Patricia Switzer Foundation
The accomplishments of additional outstanding ESF alumni are documented at: http://www.esf.edu/success/.
Environmental Leadership
From soon after its founding, ESF affiliated individuals have been responsible for establishing and leading prominent scientific and advocacy organizations around the world focused on the environment. Others have provided leadership to governmental environmental agencies.- Adirondack Council -- Clarence PettyClarence PettyClarence Adelbert Petty was a supervising forest ranger in the Adirondack Forest Preserve, conservationist, and avid outdoorsman well-known for his advocacy of protection of the Adirondack Park....
, '30, co-founder, 1975, director - Adirondack Park AgencyAdirondack Park AgencyThe Adirondack Park Agency was created in 1971 by New York Governor Nelson Rockefeller as a governmental agency that performs long-range planning for the future of the Adirondack Park. It oversees development plans of private land-owners as well as activities within the Adirondack Forest Preserve...
-- Ross S. WhaleyRoss S. WhaleyRoss S. Whaley was the second President of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, in Syracuse, New York, from 1984-99. An economist by training, Dr. Whaley had previously been Director of Forest Economics Research at the United States Forest Service...
, former ESF President, chair, 2003–07 - Association for the Protection of the Adirondacks -- Louis MarshallLouis B. MarshallLouis Marshall was an American corporate, constitutional and civil rights lawyer as well as a mediator and Jewish community leader who worked to secure religious, political, and cultural freedom for all minority groups...
, President, ESF Board of Trustees, trustee; Paul Schaefer , Trustee and V.P. for 50 years - Ecological Society of AmericaEcological Society of AmericaThe Ecological Society of America is a professional organization of ecological scientists. Based in the United States, ESA publishes a suite of publications, from peer-reviewed journals to newsletters, fact sheets and teaching resources. It holds an annual meeting at different locations in the...
-- Dean William L. BrayWilliam L. BrayWilliam L. Bray, Ph.D. University of Chicago, botanist, plant ecologist, biogeographer and Professor of Botany at Syracuse University, was the first dean of the New York State College of Forestry at Syracuse University, from 1911-12....
, and Professor Charles C. AdamsCharles Christopher AdamsCharles Christopher Adams was an American zoologist, born at Clinton, Illinois on July 23, 1873, and educated at Illinois Wesleyan University, Harvard, and the University of Chicago....
, co-founders, 1915 - Finger Lakes Land Trust -- Summer 2011: Cornelius B. Murphy, Jr.Cornelius B. Murphy, Jr.Cornelius B. Murphy, Jr. is the third President of the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 2000- . He has a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Syracuse University. Previously, he was president and chief executive officer of O'Brien & Gere, a large environmental...
named to Advisory Council along with Lynn Leopold, widow of A. Carl LeopoldA. Carl LeopoldAldo Carl Leopold was an American academic and plant physiologist. His father was Aldo Leopold, renowned ecologist and employee of the United States Forest Service, and his mother was Estella Leopold....
, Founding President - National Parks AssociationNational Parks Conservation AssociationThe National Parks Conservation Association is the only independent, membership organization devoted exclusively to advocacy on behalf of the National Parks System...
-- Bob MarshallBob Marshall (wilderness activist)Robert "Bob" Marshall was an American forester, writer and wilderness activist. The son of wealthy constitutional lawyer and conservationist Louis Marshall, Bob Marshall developed a love for the outdoors as a young child...
, '24, board member, 1930s - The Nature ConservancyThe Nature ConservancyThe Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
-- Dean William L. Bray, co-founder, 1950 - Onondaga Environmental Institute — Ed Michalenko, PhD '91, President
- Society of American ForestersSociety of American ForestersThe Society of American Foresters is a scientific and educational 501 non-profit organization, representing the forestry profession in the United States of America...
-- Ross S. Whaley, former ESF President, president, 1991 - Taiwan Environmental Action Network -- Wen-ling Tu, MS '96, co-founder
- Union of Concerned ScientistsUnion of Concerned ScientistsThe Union of Concerned Scientists is a nonprofit science advocacy group based in the United States. The UCS membership includes many private citizens in addition to professional scientists. James J...
-- Howard "Bud" Ris, Jr., MLA '75, executive director, president, 1984-2003 - United States Society for Ecological Economics -- Dr. Karin Limburg, ESF faculty member, president, 2006–07
- The Wilderness SocietyThe Wilderness Society (United States)The Wilderness Society is an American organization that is dedicated to protecting America's wilderness. It was formed in 1935 and currently has over 300,000 members and supporters.-Founding:The society was incorporated on January 21, 1935...
-- Bob MarshallBob Marshall (wilderness activist)Robert "Bob" Marshall was an American forester, writer and wilderness activist. The son of wealthy constitutional lawyer and conservationist Louis Marshall, Bob Marshall developed a love for the outdoors as a young child...
, '24, co-founder, 1935
Related Pages
- History of the New York State College of ForestryHistory of the New York State College of ForestryThe New York State College of Forestry, the first professional school of forestry in North America, opened its doors at Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York, in the autumn of 1898. After just a few years of operation, it was defunded in 1903, by Governor Benjamin B. Odell, in response to public...
- List of heads of the New York State College of Forestry
- State University of New YorkState University of New YorkThe State University of New York, abbreviated SUNY , is a system of public institutions of higher education in New York, United States. It is the largest comprehensive system of universities, colleges, and community colleges in the United States, with a total enrollment of 465,000 students, plus...
- Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...