Visiting Scientists and Research Associates
Hawk Mountain’s conservation science program is housed at the Acopian Center for Conservation Learning. The Center offers overnight accommodations to visiting scientists and collaborators from around the world as well as access to the Julian Hill library.
Hawk Mountain's 2,500 acres of sanctuary forest is an ideal site for conducting long term monitoring and research. Visiting scientists and research associates have established research sites on Hawk Mountain, examining various aspects of Appalachian ecology. Some biologists have worked on-site for decades. Studies include oak regeneration and role of small mammals in acorn dispersal, mammal densities over time, chickadee genetics and breeding success, mountain laurel pollination biology, bat abundance and diversity, and timber rattlesnake movements.
Research associates are scientists involved in collaborative research with Hawk Mountain scientists either on site or off site. We currently partner with research associates around the globe, including but not limited to sites in South Africa, Germany, Canada, Norway, Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, Georgia, Portugal, and the UK. Their publications become part of the Hawk Mountain Conservation Science Contribution Series.