Students Tracking Science: The Salamander Health Detectives
This summer, a group of rising juniors and seniors from Riverdale Country School spent a week living in Black Rock Forest as part of the Lisman Molecular Ecology Summer Science Research Program. After three weeks of field training, protocol development, and proposal writing on Riverdale’s campus, students arrived at the forest fully prepared to put their research into action.
Their primary goal was to contribute to the SNAPS (Student Network for Amphibian Pathogen Surveillance) network through DNA sampling of salamanders found under natural cover objects, in order to test for the presence of fungal pathogens (Bd and Bsal, short for Batrachochytrim dendrobatidis and B. salamandrivorans). To support ongoing monitoring, the students installed seven coverboard arrays and set up a METER microclimate weather station with soil sensors to continuously track environmental conditions and stressors relevant to amphibian health. The focus was on the Upper Site at Black Rock Forest—chosen for its high elevation, shallow soils, and open canopy—while additional coverboards were also placed within newly enclosed Beech Tree Plots to support long-term research on beech leaf disease and biodiversity recovery. Over the week, the team collected, sampled, and released 18 salamanders representing six unique species. Fortunately, all 18 samples came back negative for infectious amphibian pathogens!
By living in the forest, these students were able to advance a long-term pathogen surveillance initiative and unlocked future opportunities to explore how abiotic factors, like soil moisture and temperature, influence amphibian communities. Through hands-on work, real-time problem solving, and rigorous data collection, they demonstrated the transformative potential of student-led science, ecological stewardship, and an authentic, experiential education.
—Danny Gentile, PhD, Riverdale Country School
Roots in the Past, Branches to the Future
As an evolutionary ecologist, I use contemporary experiments and observations in combination with genetics to understand how species have historically adapted to climate and how they might continue to do so in the future. At Black Rock Forest, I spent two years characterizing tree phenology across 553 individuals, collecting leaf samples and measuring photosynthetic rate to understand how individual trees respond to environmental variation. Back in the lab, I extracted DNA from these samples to test whether consistent early or late phenological timing—when trees leaf out in spring or drop their leaves in fall—was linked to genetic variation. Our findings show that these phenological “personalities” are remarkably consistent across years and associated with genetic differences, suggesting that timing is an inherited trait influencing how forests cope with changing climates.
Past responses to climate leave signatures in DNA, shaping how species adapt today. Thanks to the meticulous efforts of naturalists and collectors who preserved plants in herbariums, my future has me traveling back in time by extracting DNA from century-old specimens. By comparing genetic data from modern trees with historical samples, I can see how genetic diversity has shifted through time and how past climate events influenced adaptation. This temporal perspective, combined with contemporary field and genomic data, helps us predict how species will respond to future climate change.
As my postdoctoral fellowship at Black Rock Forest comes to an end, my next steps are to expand this work across the full range of sugar maple. Beginning in January 2026, I’ll join the University of Virginia’s Environmental Institute as a Climate Fellow, combining evolutionary genetics, tree physiology, and stakeholder engagement to translate genomic insights into practical conservation strategies. My work is expanding not only across geography but also through time—using herbarium specimens to trace the evolutionary and ecological story of forests. In fact, while visiting the New York Botanical Garden’s Herbarium, I came across a sugar maple specimen collected at Black Rock Forest in the 1930s—a powerful reminder that the past and present are deeply connected in the forests we study today and the lasting legacy of Black Rock Forest.
—Dr. Hanna Makowski,
Former Postdoctoral Fellow at Black Rock Forest
The Forest Almanac
New York state due to habitat loss, killing, and illegal collecting. Photograph by Dr. Jennifer Wall.
This season at Black Rock Forest was defined by extremes. In May, wet and humid weather fueled lush growth. Many plants thrived, and the spongy moth outbreak that peaked in 2024 showed signs of decline. Although some oaks were impacted, most recovered quickly with new leaves thanks to ample spring rainfall.
Over the summer, however, the story changed quickly. After an average June, there was little rainfall in July, August, and September. It was hot and humid in July–we had 8 days above 90°F at the Science Center. By October, creeks have run dry, and we are anxious about the threat of forest fires. As of this writing, the US Drought Monitor lists our region in moderate drought.
Spotted lanternflies were more abundant than ever this year—many landing on the shirts and hats of our hikers, staff, and students. Beech leaf disease has advanced rapidly over the last few years. Once-shaded areas are now filled with light as mature and young beech trees decline. Worryingly, we’ve also seen increased mortality among chestnut and red oaks, though the causes remain uncertain. We found few to no acorns in our annual acorn surveys.
We are actively working to support the forest. Our goal is to use our own data to guide our decisions and employ robust monitoring efforts to track our successes and failures. This summer we expanded forest monitoring efforts, planted new species in stands impacted by beech leaf disease, built exclosures to protect seedlings, and removed invasive plants. Data from our forest monitoring plots suggests that we need to continue to do more to support native forest regeneration. We are excited to launch our new 10-year Forest Management Plan that will help us to prioritize and focus our restoration efforts on areas that need it most.
Despite the challenges these extremes pose for our forest, observations of our native wildlife seem remarkably high. Visitors, students, and staff have reported frequent black bear sightings, active grey squirrels, and encounters with timber rattlesnakes. In fact, staff have witnessed more timber rattlesnakes with snakelets than usual—perhaps still benefiting from a high acorn yield in 2023.
Whether these sightings are due to higher populations or to wildlife more actively searching for limited resources remains to be seen–hopefully via our annual camera surveys this winter. Looking ahead, we hope for rain.
Forecasts suggest a warm fall and winter, which could add stress to already vulnerable trees. Managing a forest in a changing climate is increasingly complex, but through careful monitoring, science-based action, and community support, we’re working to keep Black Rock Forest resilient, diverse, and beautiful for generations to come.
STAY CONNECTED
Preserving History, Protecting the Future
At Black Rock Forest, every day brings new discoveries and renewed hope for the future. Our mission is simple yet profound: to advance scientific understanding of the natural world.
This year, more than 8,000 students explored the Forest, their hands muddy from planting trees and their eyes wide with wonder as they measured streams or spotted a red eft on the trail. Researchers, graduate students, and college students spent months doing field work and science. Over 30,000 hikers found refuge and inspiration under our canopy. Together, our staff, students, and volunteers helped restore trails, protected threatened beech trees, and monitored wildlife and plant populations in the Forest each act a reminder of how connection to nature fuels discovery and stewardship.
But this work has never been more urgent. Across the country, funding for science, conservation, and education is under siege. In a time of climate disruption, biodiversity loss, and shrinking support for learning, places like Black Rock Forest are more essential than ever. As we approach our 100th anniversary, we need your help to ensure our Forest continues to inspire, educate, and endure.
These woods also hold a deeper story. For centuries, indigenous stewards shaped the landscape long before the birth of our nation. Later, these same ridges and valleys became part of a critical Revolutionary War route linking Washington’s Headquarters in Newburgh to West Point and Fort Montgomery. In the centuries that followed, homesteaders settled here, carving out a life in the rugged Highlands, and in 1927, Dr. Ernest Stillman established Black Rock Forest as a place where science, education, and conservation could grow together. More recently, the lands of Black Rock Forest were central to the controversy of the Storm King power plant and the birth of the environmental movement. As we approach the 250th anniversary of American independence, we’re reflecting on these many layers of history—of resilience, connection, and care for the land. Through archaeological digs, archival preservation, and student fieldwork, we’re uncovering and honoring these stories—because learning from our past helps protect our future.
Your gift this year will:
• Support new history programming and curriculum that connect science and heritage,
• Fund essential repairs to the historic fire tower and Stone House, and
• Sustain our research, education, and conservation work for generations to come.
Your generosity ensures that Black Rock Forest remains a place where young people fall in love with science, where history lives in the landscape, and where the lessons of the past guide the discoveries of tomorrow.
Please give today to preserve this extraordinary legacy—and help protect the wonder, knowledge, and hope that thrive here.
With Gratitude,
Dr. Isabel Ashton
Executive Director
I hope you will consider renewing your annual gift to Black Rock Forest today!
