Environmental Profile of Robert T. Leverett

Environmental-Forest Research Organizational Affiliations

Current:

Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest

Cofounder (1993), President, and principal old growth forest ecologist

for this federally recognized non-profit environmental organization and an officially recognized Friends organization to the state forests and parks of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Eastern Native Tree Society (ENTS)

Cofounder, executive director, and principal mathematician of ENTS –

a forest and tree advocacy organization with 380 members devoted to scientific research, tree modeling and measurement, education, and general enjoyment of forests and trees. Membership consists of academics, government scientists, professional foresters, arborists, research scientists in environmental organizations, and ordinary citizens. The core of ENTS is an advanced tree measuring group, which develops methods for measuring trees to a high level of accuracy.

Ancient Eastern Forest Conference Series

Principal architect, and presenter.

Conferences held on eastern old growth forest sites bring together academics, resource managers, and environmental activists to share information on eastern old growth and present technical papers. Conferences held at University of North Carolina; Williams College, MA: University of Arkansas(2 events): Clarion University of Pennsylvania: University of Minnesota, Harvard University-Harvard Forest, Sweet Briar College, VA, and the University of New Hampshire, Eastern Kentucky University.

Forest Summit Lecture Series

Cofounder with Professor Gary Beluzo

Sponsored annually by Holyoke Community College, Holyoke, Massachusetts as a public service. Six conferences held to date. Conferences present updated information of old growth forests in the East. Leverett is the primary presenter on Massachusetts old growth sites.

Eastern Old Growth Forest Clearing House - Georgetown, KY

Advisor and consultant

to this organization dedicated to accumulating and archiving information on eastern old growth forests

Past:

500 Year Forest Foundation, Lynchburg, VA

Chairman of the Special Advisory Board.

Organization is dedicated to establishing old growth preserves in Virginia.

White Pine Society of Ely, Minnesota

Member and contributor. Organization was formed to preserve the remaining white pine sites in Minnesota to include those with old growth. Collaborated with Dr. Lynn Rogers on roll and importance of old growth white pines as habitat for wildlife.

Forest Steward’s Guild

Member and program presenter.

Massachusetts Forestry Association

Member of and advisor on old growth forests in Massachusetts.

Wild Earth Publication

Editorial Advisor.

New York State Natural Heritage Program

Contributor to location of old growth sites in Adirondack Park.

Writing & Publications

Books

‘Eastern Old Growth Forests-Prospects for Rediscovery and Recovery’

A co-conceptualizer of the book with Dr. Mary Byrd Davis. An assistant editor and a coauthor of this widely received book on eastern old growth forests. A publication of Island Press (1996).

‘Stalking the Forest Monarchs-A Guide to Measuring Champion Trees’

Coauthor of. self-published book on how to measure champion trees (1997). Included new measurement techniques.

‘Old Growth In The East, A Survey’

Wrote forward and lead essay for Dr. Mary Davis's publication seminal publication on the old growth sites in the East, 1993. Provided the data for southern New England and selected sites in northern New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and the southern Appalachians. Assisted Mary Davis with the 1996 update.

‘Wilderness Comes Home: Rewilding the Northeast’

Christopher McGrory Klyza, ed. A coauthor of the book.  and wrote lead chapter entitled "Old-Growth Forest of the Northeast." Published by University Press of New England, 2001.

‘Sierra Club Guide Book to Ancient Forests of the Northeast’

Coauthor with Bruce Kershner of this 2004 book on old growth sites in the Northeast.

‘American Indian Places – A Historical Guidebook’

Contributor to this book organized by Frances Kennedy. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008

Book in Progress

‘Dendromorphometry- The Art and Science of Measuring Trees in the Field’: Currently coauthoring this seminal work on tree measuring with Dr. Lee Frelich (UMN), Dr. Robert Van Pelt (UWA), Dr. Don Bragg (U.S.F.S), and Will Blozan (President of ENTS).

Magazine Articles

Wild Earth Publication

Numerous articles on tree species and old growth forests to include definitions.

Wildflower, North America's Wild Flora Magazine

Articles on historic trees and old growth forests.

The Woodland Steward, Berkshire Magazine

Articles for the Massachusetts Forestry Association’s primary publication,

Spiritearth

Article on old growth forests for Association of Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics,

Trees For Life -Findhorn Journal-Scotland

Author of article on old growth forests for this prestigious publication.

Eastern Old Growth Forest Clearing House

Regular contributor to ‘Old Growth Notes,’ the publication of the Clearing House.

Studies

Survey of Old-growth Forest in Massachusetts

Coauthor with Dr. Peter F. Dunwiddie, Mass Audubon Society, published by RHODORA, Vol. 98, No. 896, pp. 419-444, 1996. This is one of the two authoritative scientific inventories and studies of old growth forests of Massachusetts.

Roles (past and present)

Consultant/Advisor

Advised and assisted Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation in delineating the boundaries of nine major forest reserves amounting to 50,000 acres in the state of Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program on old growth forests.

Forest Inventory and Research

Inventory, study, and GPS-GIS map all old growth forest stands on the state lands on Massachusetts. Inventory is being performed for the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under a special use permit from DCR. (current)

Assist Trustees of Reservations map and document old growth forest on William Cullen Bryant Homestead and other Trustees properties. (current)

Ecological and tree growth studies in second growth and old growth areas of Mohawk Trail and other state forests. (current)

Special research permit from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as part of general ENTS research program entitled Tsuga Search. Study and document old growth hemlocks in the National Park. (current)

Special research permit from Congaree Swamp National Park as part of general ENTS forest research program. (current)

Inventory, study, and GPS-GIS map old growth forest stands on the property of the City of Springfield Water Department.

Contract Interpretive Forest Ecology Instructor

Walnut Hill Tracking and Nature Center (current),

Hitchcock Center for the Environment (current)

Paul Rezendes Programs in Tracking

New England Wild Flower Society

Harvard University-Arnold Arboretum

Volunteer Interpretive Forest Ecology Instructor

Massachusetts Audubon Society (current),

Trustees of Reservations, and other environmental organizations (current).

Sierra Club

Appalachian Mountain Club, Sierra Club,

Educator

Principle program coordinator for interpretive programs for Mohawk Trail State Forest sponsored by Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest. Developing trail maps and guidebooks for Mohawk Trail State Forest. (current)

Assistant to Cook Forest State Park, PA, Educational Coordinator and Naturalist on tree measuring work shops. (current)

Other

By agreement with Dr. David Foster, Director, provides Harvard Forest with the results of old growth forest research for collaboration, publishing, and archival purposes. (current)

Special advisory board to American Forests for improvement of National Register of Big Trees.

Special Recognitions

Recognized by Wild Earth publication as the East's “premier old growth forest evangelist”.

1993 conservation award of the year from New England Wild Flower Society.

Numerous articles have been written about Leverett in prominent magazines, national and local papers, on national public television, on National Public Radio (Living On Earth Series). For example, in April '92 escorted Fumi Hiko Yoshida of ASAHI SHIMBUN, Japan's 3rd largest newspaper on old-growth tour of the Berkshires. Article appeared in June '92. Leverett's work and role is being covered in several books.

Nominated for the Ester C. Cunningham Award by Western North Carolina Alliance “for outstanding community service in conserving our natural resources.”

Recognized by Great Smoky Mountain National Park as an expert in old-growth identification (Keith Langdon, Natural Resource Specialist, Feb 2, 1993).

Cited as expert on old-growth forest and assisted in Identification of Multi-spectral and Textural Signatures of old-growth forests from remotely sensed digital imagery of Northwestern Massachusetts - A Thesis Presented by Donald Ross Bertolette. University of Massachusetts, Dept of Forestry and Wildlife.

Featured on WQED National Public Television's program The Web of Life --aired April 3rd, 1995.

Is a guest lecturer at numerous colleges and Universities and forestry organizations on Old-growth forests, big and/or historic trees.

Recognized by the Massachusetts Natural Heritage Program as the discoverer of most of 50+ old growth stands in Massachusetts.

Recognized for the Massachusetts Audubon Society for their highest citizen conservation award.

Recognized by U.S. Forest Service in ‘Information About Old Growth for Selected Forest Type Groups in the Eastern United States. General Technical Report NC – 197. Forest Service recognized definitions of old growth forest and data contributed by Leverett.

Recognized in a variety of publications as an expert on old growth forests. Three examples are:

‘The Appalachian Forest’ by Chris Bolgiano (1998)

Yankee Magazine Article: ‘Defenders of the Forest’, October 2005

Massachusetts Audubon Article: ‘The Evangelist of Old Growth’ by Tom Conuel, Jan/Feb

1994

Other Biographical Information

Retired Military, USAF

Retired President of Management & Planning Systems Inc. - a management and computer consulting corporation of Springfield, MA. Position as Executive Vice President for 15 years. President for 7 years (past).

Adjunct Instructor of Computer Science at Holyoke Community College. Position held for 24 years (retired). Other teaching positions with American International College and Elms College (past).

Management and Systems Analyst and former computer consultant for Sisters of Providence Health Systems, a subsidiary of Catholic Health East (retired).

Formal Education: Industrial Engineering and Management B.S., Georgia Institute of Technology. Graduates studies in Economics, University of South Dakota State, graduate studies in Business Administration and Computer Science, University of Wyoming.