Scientific Use Policy

All research participants will honor guidelines in this section and all other guidelines and rules of etiquette in the Visitors Guide, as well as those in the Hitchcock Woods Foundation’s brochures and maps.
Follow instructions on all “yield” signage as described in this document.
The Hitchcock Woods Foundation encourages the use of the Hitchcock Woods for any and all forms of legitimate scientific research and educational activities, particularly those forms of research and educational activities that could provide a better understanding of the natural ecological resources present on the Hitchcock Woods property and therefore provide for their more effective management.
Such research might include, but is not limited to, the following fields: archaeology, botany, environmental chemistry, basic ecology, entomology, forestry, geology, herpetology, hydrology, ichthyology, limnology, mammalogy, meteorology, ornithology, and invertebrate zoology.
All research must be approved in advance by the Hitchcock Woods Foundation Board of Trustees or any group so authorized by the Board.
Individuals or institutions wishing to conduct research and/or educational activities in the Hitchcock Woods will provide a brief proposal that will be evaluated by the appropriate committee of the Board of Trustees.
Such a proposal may be sent out for independent anonymous peer review, which may be considered in making recommendations to the Board for final approval or denial of the request.
Research or educational proposals will provide a brief but clear statement of the goals of the proposed activity and the particular benefits which might ensue from the results which are expected to be produced.
A brief outline of methodology will also be included, along with appropriate biographical materials and/or professional vitas of all staff who will be directly involved in the work and/or will be responsible for the analysis of the results produced.
Upon completion of the activity, a brief summary of the results obtained will be provided to the Hitchcock Woods Foundation.
Any publication of results from studies in the Hitchcock Woods will acknowledge the Hitchcock Woods Foundation for permission to work in the Hitchcock Woods.
All results of research conducted will be made available to the Hitchcock Woods Foundation for use as the Board of Trustees sees fit.
The Hitchcock Woods Foundation will retain a royalty-free copyright to the use of any published findings that might result from any research undertakings.
The Hitchcock Woods Foundation will be named to share in any financial benefits that result from and accrue to the research and/or the researcher/s home institution/s as a consequence of using the Woods property. The amount of such revenue sharing, if any, will be negotiated at the time of evaluation of the proposal by the appropriate committee and before research actually begins.
Any scientific study or educational activity that involves the Hitchcock Woods property will meet any and all requirements for scientific research that might be instituted and required by the home institution of the investigator/s. Such requirements might include, but are not limited to, the home institution’s requirements for safety, confidentiality, and animal use certification.
All flora and fauna studies will be conducted in such a manner as to cause minimal disturbance to the Woods.
If possible, all research will be conducted in areas of infrequent use.
Research sites that must be flagged will be done so in a manner as to minimize unsightliness.
Any research or educational activity conducted by students on the Hitchcock Woods property must be under the direct supervision of a responsible teacher and/or researcher whose credentials must be provided for the Board’s approval.
Research sites must be returned to a natural state upon completion of the study.
A teacher who is supervising a student conducting a research or educational activity agrees to deduct points from the student’s grade if the research site is not returned to its natural state upon completion of the study.
Any person or group granted permission to undertake research and/or educational activities on the Hitchcock Woods property will also be required to execute an appropriate Hold Harmless agreement on behalf of the Hitchcock Woods Foundation and its Board of Trustees.

See guidelines for related topics / issues:

Field Trips (Educational), Etiquette / Behavior, Exotics, Metal Detectors, Pedestrians, Prohibited Uses, Trails