Suggestions for how to prepare for your trip to campus.
1. For directions, please refer to the Stonehill homepage.
2. Wear clothing suitable for the outdoors. Long pants, good shoes, and a hat are essential, especially during the warmer months.
3. Bring a variety of taxonomic field guides such as those used to identify trees, shrubs, flowers, insects, etc. There are some excellent general guides to New England flora and fauna. Also pack several light weight rulers.
4. Poison ivy is everywhere on campus. If you are not sure what it looks like, click here. Everyone gets poison ivy, although the severity of the reaction varies. Some people go from being only slightly effected to being severely affected in a very short period of time, so don't assume that you won't get it because you've never had it.
5. During the warmer months of the year, mosquitoes, ticks and deer flies are extremely common on campus. Insect repellant is a very good idea. Both mosquitoes and ticks transmit a number of diseases that are very serious. An ounce of bug repellant is worth a ton of treatment after the fact. It may actually save your life. If you would like to read more on the diseases transmitted by these organisms, click on one of the following links:
Lyme Disease http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/lyme/index.htm
West Nile Virus http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/mosquito/westnile.html
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/index.htm
Eastern Equine Encephalitis http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/arbor/eeefact.htm
6. Please tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. Although campus is not that large, some of the trails are not used regularly; you can't assume that someone will be along the trail soon to help you. If you twist an ankle, it can be a very slow painful walk to get help. If you have a cell phone, take it with you into the woods. The campus police number is 508 565 5555, in case you need emergency assistance.
7. If you are bringing a group onto campus, please call Professor Roger Denome (508 565 1196) and make sure that your trip doesn't conflict with some other activity (like a cross county or mountain bike race).
8. Take a map of campus with you. The trails that are OK to use are on the map. Please don't go off of those trails. You will encounter many very narrow and poorly defined wildlife tracks (mostly made by deer). Attempting to follow these is messy work and will frequently get you no where (or worse). Staying on the main trails will make the visit much more enjoyable.
9. Please leave campus as you found it. The flower that you pick cannot be enjoyed by others. If you are interested in collecting samples while you are here, please contact Roger Denome prior to your visit.