Department of Forestry
Department of Forestry
Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, the Berea College Forest is among the oldest privately managed forests in the United States.
In 1897, Silas Mason, the first College Forester, purchased the original tracts of land for the Forest with help from a generous benefactor, Miss Sarah Fay. Although much of the purchased land had been exhausted by overuse, Mason imagined a restored, healthy forest that would give Berea College clean water, timber for carpentry, and rest and recreation, while teaching both students and the surrounding community about forestry.
The Forest Today
The conservation challenges and opportunities we face today have changed since 1897, but the original vision for the Berea College Forest remains compelling: Forestry that tends to the spiritual, intellectual, material, and ecological needs of a local community can become a model of stewardship that reaches beyond the borders of the Forest.
Contact Us
Berea College | 2047 Big Hill Rd. | Berea, KY 40403 | Email