Roland Roth Ecology Woods
Roland Roth Ecology Woods is a 35-acre urban forest on CANR’s Newark campus. The tranquil woodland offers opportunities to study wildlife, ecosystems, and the effects of habitat fragmentation just steps from the classroom. The area is a remnant of a larger woodland and has been isolated from other forests since 1937. With sections of woodland more than 150 years old, this forest fragment offers a unique opportunity to contribute to and learn from long-term data related to the challenges faced by contemporary forests and ecosystems.
For the past 60 years, Blue Hens have gathered data, performed critical research and made inspiring observations in Ecology Woods. Students and faculty from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources have researched birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects and plant life in Ecology Woods. In 1972, Ecology Woods became an active research site for faculty emeritus Dr. Roland Roth’s study of the breeding ecology of the wood thrush, a migratory songbird that returns to this site every April.
History
Ecology Woods is located on the southern edge of UD’s Newark Farm, adjacent to Route 4 and the UD Athletics Complex. The area has provided a unique site for ecological research, conservation, and student learning since the 1960s. The Department of Entomology and Applied Ecology’s (now the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology) 1965 research report, titled “Wildland Ecology and Urban Impact,” helped to pave the way for conserving Ecology Woods. The report included a survey of the flora and fauna of the woods along with related research and cited a growing “national public concern of the quality of appearance and rate of disappearance of our natural landscape.”
That same year the woods were preserved as a teaching and research area through the efforts of E. Paul Catts of the Department of Entomology and Applied Ecology, with the support of Dale Bray, department chair, Robert Jones, assistant professor, and Jerry Longcore, research associate. Roland Roth assumed oversight of Ecology Woods when he joined the faculty in July 1971.
Throughout his tenure, Roth worked tirelessly to preserve Ecology Woods. In the spring of 1975, an eight-foot chain-link fence topped by barbed wire was installed around the woods to protect the ecosystem from trespassers. In the late 1970s, the widening of nearby Route 4 threatened to shrink Ecology Woods’ footprint. A citizen committee that included Roth and Catts successfully fended off the threat.
Today, Ecology Woods remains a pristine living laboratory. Researchers continue to add to decades of collected data, and students have the unique opportunity to study an ecosystem over time.
-
To The Bat Cave
December 03, 2024 | Written by Molly SchaferRebekah Kading, associate professor at Colorado State University, studies vector-borne pathogens and emerging arboviruses. The UD alumna says her teaching methodology is influenced by the months she spent in UD’s Ecology Woods, assisting Professor Emeritus Roland Roth with his famous study of the wood thrush. -
Turtle power
September 11, 2024 | Written by Molly SchaferThe discovery of a 60-year-old turtle shell in UD’s Ecology Woods reveals a web of Blue Hen connections. -
In memoriam: Roland Roth
June 26, 2024 | Written by UDaily StaffRoland Roth, one of the world's top experts on wood thrush, and a professor emeritus in the UD Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, died on June 22, 2024. Roth studied wood thrush for more than three decades, working with many students to study their breeding ecology and demographics. -
UD junior interns with Delaware Forest Service to track invasive insects
October 11, 2022 | Written by Lauren BradfordHannah Slesinski, a wildlife ecology and conservation major with a minor in environmental humanities, spent months interning with the Delaware Forest Service to identify invasive species, regularly checking traps for insects that cause destruction to trees across the state.
Current courses connected to Roland Roth Ecology Woods
In their first term, wildlife ecology and conservation students learn basic field skills and exposure to the careers, opportunities, and expectations for an ecologist.
Students learn the basic principles of ecology. In this course, Blue Hen scholars study ecological and sociological problems and solutions in the conservation of biodiversity.
This course focuses on Eastern native United States and broad-leaf and coniferous plants used in the landscape. Topics include native habitat, ornamental features, potential pest problems and taxonomy using cut samples as well as landscape specimens.
Through field trips, dissection and experiments, students study insect structure, physiology, behavior, taxonomy, evolution and ecology. Insect collection (with identification to orders) is required.
Wildlife ecology and conservation students gain hands-on experience in techniques and fieldwork critical for their future wildlife careers, including navigation, animal capture and handling and vegetation sampling. Faculty overview the variety of careers open to ecologists.
Students learn sampling techniques for insect survey or biodiversity studies while gaining field experience. The course includes instruction in research design, data preparation, analysis and interpretation.
This course is designed as a conceptual and practical introduction to medical entomology, which is the study of arthropods of human medical importance. Students learn about arthropods of medical importance in addition to exploring questions and ideas around the interaction between humans and their pests. Through assignments, field trips, and class activities, students will, in addition to becoming medical entomology researchers, sharpen their abilities to extract key information from scientific papers and hone their skills in science communication.
An introduction to basic principles and methods of wildlife habitat management in forests, grasslands, wetlands, agriculture, and urban areas. Labs include field trips to visit various habitats and learn about habitat management directly from local wildlife professionals.
Ornithology students study the natural history of birds and learn to identify taxa by sight and sound. The class consists of lectures, labs and frequent field trips and covers avian biology: diversity, evolution, form and function, behavior and communication, reproduction and development, and conservation.
Students learn the biology, physiology and systematics of aquatic insects with emphasis on the fauna of North America. Students visit local streams to identify insects at the family level, understand water quality and the importance of insects as bio-indicators.
Support the Roland Roth Ecology Woods
It was Dr. Roland Roth, a faculty member in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology, who protected and nurtured this space for nearly 35 years, safeguarding it from threats and engaging generations of students in meaningful, hands-on ecological study. His work with long-term projects, like his pioneering studies of Wood Thrush and box turtles, stands as a testament to the power of dedication and the impact of immersive, field-based learning.
Without Dr. Roth’s tireless commitment, the Ecology Woods would not exist today as the rich, biodiverse forest that it is.
His legacy has left an indelible mark on the University and the conservation community, inspiring countless of folks. The following video, featuring his daughter, Karen, gives a glimpse of this work.
Each April, the Wood Thrush return to our region and the Ecology Woods. Many who knew him think of Dr. Roth whenever a Wood Thrush sings.
Your investment will help preserve Dr. Roth’s work and ensure that future generations of students can benefit from the transformative learning experiences he made possible.
Video: Roland Roth Ecology Woods Fund: youtube.com/watch?v=XerEWeOfx3A