Harvard Forest General Reflection January 21 Monday
Tristan Wang
Coming into the forest is by far an incredible treat. Something, however, about the New England forest comes off to me as a bit foreign especially in the dead of winter despite much experience with plant life back at home. Maybe because the forests back then reflect more on a chaparral environment while forests here seem to be so much more full of life and change. At home the most prominent view is of dust and cracked clay in LA’s forests and if you were lucky enough, you could encounter a grove of 20 some oak trees, but it is a rare privilege to be encased by leaves from all sides of you. Thus, being enclosed by life is something special. Surprisingly, distinguishing plants doesn’t convey that sense of home to me but rather how trees are placed around me. I don’t have to bring a palm tree to Boston to feel at home.
Specific Reflection
Of today, one of the most awe-inspiring moments experienced was when we crossed the “golf course” of Harvard Forest. Stepping onto the white plain of snow stole my breath away if struggling to stay afoot with the rest of the group didn’t. Around this expanse of snow was absolutely nothing. In fact, other than a few twigs and a couple of lone pines poking out of the white, this could be considered one of the most unforesty parts of the forest and I loved it. Of course this doesn’t mean that I disliked trees but rather I found the contrast to the towering pines to be almost sublime. Finding ourselves viewing the forest from afar gave a sense of being an outsider despite being placed in the middle of the forest. The forest seemed so much more of grand experience because it reminded me how expansive and diverse the forest was. We were surrounded by forest by all sides yet there weren’t even a dozen trees in reach. It makes me question that if the forest could have such a field as an integral part of the experience, then what else is out there? Sometimes, it’s easy to lose your sense of distance trekking through the trees.
Reflection January 22 Tuesday
Climbing onto the tower today was absolutely an incredible moment. Trees seem much smaller when you match their height but the experience I will take away won’t be the grand view from atop but on the smaller scale examining the adelgid insects on the wild hemlock leaves. Seeing insects latch themselves onto the leaves of trees that we were brushing up against was revealing of how the smallest of things can make such an influence. Absolutely, when we were hiking through the woods yesterday, it was easy to imagine what the view would look like upon a tower, but the thought never crossed my mind of how the underside of leaves would appear like.
Reflection January 23 Wednesday
If there was any moment that defined how this group from Harvard worked, I would have said it happened today during the creative writing with Clarisse. When we were sharing our pieces, the diversity of this group finally hit me after hearing so many different pieces. Yes, while the structure of each piece varied from poetry to long narratives to descriptions to memoirs, everyone successfully happened to integrate their personality or history into the writing, something that wasn’t even asked of us. In fact, the prompt was rarely even used that goes to indicate even how creative everyone was. I feel like I could relate to each person who shared even more so. Particularly, finding myself outside on the patio with Saad during the writing process was very rewarding with company in the cold. I’m always on the lookout for people who were willing to try things outside their comfort zone and I’m glad I found this group.
Reflection January 24 Thursday
At this point, the coming of Friday seems imminent with both new experiences but also with the end of this remarkable week. Either way, I’m looking forward to new and lasting memories in the Harvard Forest. Today was particularly expressive with sessions of wait for it…botanical drawings! Plants! This also included a very useful session of how to photography and video taking, something I feel I can apply very easily when we get back to school. Seeing plants and the forest landscape from a very individualized perspective through art reveals just how multi-faceted both subjects. Drawing that leaf of the Boston fern gave me the feeling of understanding and knowing the plant for something more than just a plant. While my hand was unsteady during the drawing, I understood that I didn’t want to misrepresent the beauty of the plant, which of course we were told to not worry about but still was telling.
P.S. I didn’t realize until today just how many plant biologists there were over here! Never have I seen such a concentration of such fascinating people, but of course they didn’t have to be botanists for me to say that. Foster, Orwig, Hart and Farnsworth are all inspiring people with their interest and knowledge of plants and yet they’re all doing something very different from plants now. If I was worried before how specific a plant biology track was before, I’m not anymore. I feel like I’m at home.
Reflection January 25 Friday
What a perfect transition before we get back into school! As a part of our field trip today, we visited cities today, both small and large, and explored the ecological and community related designs—something to think about Cambridge when we get back. I’ve never heard of a very environmentally friendly large city but after today, I can see how cities can get closer to that. It really makes me realize how deliberate city designs, and since the start of the week, experiments are set up.
This experience has been such a privilege for the past week that I wish it didn’t end. Saad was right when he felt that “this is what college should be like” and I can see the purpose of the forest very well now. Spreading experience about ecology and the environment is completely important, especially at a time like this. But while I’m sad to leave, I’m more glad that we got this chance for this experience and there’s much to take away from this week. This truly is something every student should experience before graduation. Huge thanks to the Harvard Forest!!!
Tristan Wang
Coming into the forest is by far an incredible treat. Something, however, about the New England forest comes off to me as a bit foreign especially in the dead of winter despite much experience with plant life back at home. Maybe because the forests back then reflect more on a chaparral environment while forests here seem to be so much more full of life and change. At home the most prominent view is of dust and cracked clay in LA’s forests and if you were lucky enough, you could encounter a grove of 20 some oak trees, but it is a rare privilege to be encased by leaves from all sides of you. Thus, being enclosed by life is something special. Surprisingly, distinguishing plants doesn’t convey that sense of home to me but rather how trees are placed around me. I don’t have to bring a palm tree to Boston to feel at home.
Specific Reflection
Of today, one of the most awe-inspiring moments experienced was when we crossed the “golf course” of Harvard Forest. Stepping onto the white plain of snow stole my breath away if struggling to stay afoot with the rest of the group didn’t. Around this expanse of snow was absolutely nothing. In fact, other than a few twigs and a couple of lone pines poking out of the white, this could be considered one of the most unforesty parts of the forest and I loved it. Of course this doesn’t mean that I disliked trees but rather I found the contrast to the towering pines to be almost sublime. Finding ourselves viewing the forest from afar gave a sense of being an outsider despite being placed in the middle of the forest. The forest seemed so much more of grand experience because it reminded me how expansive and diverse the forest was. We were surrounded by forest by all sides yet there weren’t even a dozen trees in reach. It makes me question that if the forest could have such a field as an integral part of the experience, then what else is out there? Sometimes, it’s easy to lose your sense of distance trekking through the trees.
Reflection January 22 Tuesday
Climbing onto the tower today was absolutely an incredible moment. Trees seem much smaller when you match their height but the experience I will take away won’t be the grand view from atop but on the smaller scale examining the adelgid insects on the wild hemlock leaves. Seeing insects latch themselves onto the leaves of trees that we were brushing up against was revealing of how the smallest of things can make such an influence. Absolutely, when we were hiking through the woods yesterday, it was easy to imagine what the view would look like upon a tower, but the thought never crossed my mind of how the underside of leaves would appear like.
Reflection January 23 Wednesday
If there was any moment that defined how this group from Harvard worked, I would have said it happened today during the creative writing with Clarisse. When we were sharing our pieces, the diversity of this group finally hit me after hearing so many different pieces. Yes, while the structure of each piece varied from poetry to long narratives to descriptions to memoirs, everyone successfully happened to integrate their personality or history into the writing, something that wasn’t even asked of us. In fact, the prompt was rarely even used that goes to indicate even how creative everyone was. I feel like I could relate to each person who shared even more so. Particularly, finding myself outside on the patio with Saad during the writing process was very rewarding with company in the cold. I’m always on the lookout for people who were willing to try things outside their comfort zone and I’m glad I found this group.
Reflection January 24 Thursday
At this point, the coming of Friday seems imminent with both new experiences but also with the end of this remarkable week. Either way, I’m looking forward to new and lasting memories in the Harvard Forest. Today was particularly expressive with sessions of wait for it…botanical drawings! Plants! This also included a very useful session of how to photography and video taking, something I feel I can apply very easily when we get back to school. Seeing plants and the forest landscape from a very individualized perspective through art reveals just how multi-faceted both subjects. Drawing that leaf of the Boston fern gave me the feeling of understanding and knowing the plant for something more than just a plant. While my hand was unsteady during the drawing, I understood that I didn’t want to misrepresent the beauty of the plant, which of course we were told to not worry about but still was telling.
P.S. I didn’t realize until today just how many plant biologists there were over here! Never have I seen such a concentration of such fascinating people, but of course they didn’t have to be botanists for me to say that. Foster, Orwig, Hart and Farnsworth are all inspiring people with their interest and knowledge of plants and yet they’re all doing something very different from plants now. If I was worried before how specific a plant biology track was before, I’m not anymore. I feel like I’m at home.
Reflection January 25 Friday
What a perfect transition before we get back into school! As a part of our field trip today, we visited cities today, both small and large, and explored the ecological and community related designs—something to think about Cambridge when we get back. I’ve never heard of a very environmentally friendly large city but after today, I can see how cities can get closer to that. It really makes me realize how deliberate city designs, and since the start of the week, experiments are set up.
This experience has been such a privilege for the past week that I wish it didn’t end. Saad was right when he felt that “this is what college should be like” and I can see the purpose of the forest very well now. Spreading experience about ecology and the environment is completely important, especially at a time like this. But while I’m sad to leave, I’m more glad that we got this chance for this experience and there’s much to take away from this week. This truly is something every student should experience before graduation. Huge thanks to the Harvard Forest!!!