Prexy’s Ridge is the informal name for the hill across from Sylvan Dorms, the one with the old observatory on the top, the old orchard on the eastern slopes towards East Pleasant Street, and the steep hill covered in trees between the observatory and the main part of campus. It got that name in the mid-20th century when UMass Amherst had a President who lived on campus in the house now called the Chancellor’s House.

Hundreds of students walk past it or through it every day; few realize that this little forest includes some very old trees. Judging from the age of the trees, at least the steep part was never cut over, although it might have been a wood lot in UMass’ earlier days. It’s a treasure. And it needs our help.

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photos on the blog

Here are some photos I’ve taken over the years. I hope you enjoy them, and then go do some exploring on your own.

First, two views of the hill from near Worcester Dining Commons, in the fall. The top picture is toward the northern end of the hill, where it slopes down to Eastman Lane across from Sylvan.

The bottom picture is more due-east, showing the top of the hill.

As this display of autumn foliage shows, the forest is surprisingly diverse. It includes old white oaks, red oaks, eastern hemlocks, white pines, sugar maples, black birches, American beeches, and hop hornbeams. There are also white birches, at least one American elm, and some non-natives (black locust and larch) as well as, unfortunately, some invasive plants (such as a grape vine climbing all over one of the old black birches).

The biggest threats to the forest are the University’s expansion plans and the hemlock wooly adelgid, which is killing the old hemlocks (a picture taken this fall would not have shown such dense green in the hemlocks).