This award provides funds for construction of new housing intended to serve the needs of graduate students at the Louis Calder Center, a forested preserve located just 45 km north of the center of New York City. The Center is one of a relatively few, well-equipped field stations near a major metropolitan area. The primary missions of the Calder Center have been the provision of research opportunities in relatively undisturbed ecosystems near an urban center and the creation of opportunities for urban students to explore the natural world first hand. Consistent with these missions, a wide variety of research and educational projects are conducted at the station. These extend from field studies of Lyme disease to studies of the impact on forested ecosystems of urbanization and of introduced invasive species. All such studies involve students in their planning and execution. The Center provides infrastructural support for students, staff, educators, and visiting scientists who study at the station and its adjacent ecosystems. To strengthen research, training and educational opportunities for students, it is imperative to provide year-round housing on site, as this ensures the kinds of "on-the-spot" studies that distinguish field stations as special institutions for learning. Housing of students near the station is difficult as the Center lies in a region that is among the most expensive in the nation for temporary housing. In the past, lack of affordable nearby housing has required students using the station to commute up to 3 hours daily. The funds will provide partial support for construction of three cabins, each able to accommodate four students year-round. The project will improve educational opportunities for students by enabling full time access to field-based research.
