Bousson Forest

Bousson Contact

Matthew Venesky
mvenesky@allegheny.edu
(814) 332-2195

Bousson Faculty

Biology – Matthew Venesky
Environmental Science – Rich Bowden, Ben Haywood, Beth Choate, Casey Bradshaw-Wilson

Allegheny’s Bousson Environmental Research Reserve is 283 acres of woodlands, ponds, streams, wetlands, and native wildlife.  Located just a couple miles east of campus, this forest is reserved for research and limited recreational use.  Professors engage students in research including investigations into soil organic matter, aquatic habitats, hydrology and soil types.

Find more detailed information on the land-use and glacial history, vegetation, hydrology, soil characterization and chemistry, recent environmental research, and many maps at A Characterization of Bousson Forest.

Students have created many geographical information systems (GIS) maps over the years as part of the curriculum, including those of Bousson highlighted below.  To learn more about the GIS program at Allegheny College, visit the GIS website.

Bousson Trails and Ecological Features
Source: Brandon Goeller ’10, Allegheny College, 2009.

Bousson Topographic Map  Source:  Digital Raster Graphics (DRG) 1:24,000 scale: U.S. Geological Survey, 1996.

Bousson Land Cover Map  Source:  National Land Cover Dataset (NLCD) 2006: U.S. Geological Survey, 2011.

Bousson Aerial Photo Map  Source:  PAMAP Program 2005 Color Orthophotos: PA DCNR, 2006.