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KEANmag
A Woodland
Sanctuary for
Sustainability
Studies
A “living laboratory” located in New Jersey’s Passaic county, Kean
Highlands spans 41-acres of pristine forest, providing immersive
research and educational opportunities for students. Site work and
renovation of the property’s existing 20,000-square-foot structure are
now underway, part of a plan to develop the site into an environmental
education center. New instructional spaces and an elevated tree canopy
walkway through the surrounding forest are currently in the final design
phases.
The new facility will house Kean’s School of Environmental and
Sustainability Sciences (SESS). With programs in Union, Costa Rica
and China, SESS prepares students to solve the environmental and
sustainability problems facing the world today.
“The campus is a great resource not only for Kean’s students but also
for the Highlands community due to its natural beauty as well as its
preserved environmental setting,” said Feng Qi, Ph.D., SESS executive
director. “We have been using it as an outdoor laboratory and classroom
to teach students practical skills to analyze and better conserve the
environment, and we hope it does the same for the local community.”
Kean Highlands began offering courses in environmental biology to
undergraduate students in 2013 and launched a pre-college summer
program in Earth and environmental science in 2014. The Kean
Highlands pre-college summer program primarily serves students from
urban school districts, where environmental blight has the most impact
on communities. The camp provides high school students with valuable
opportunities to explore local flora and fauna, while studying ecology,
sustainability, conservation and the impact of climate change.
“The NY-NJ Highlands protects and promotes some of the region's
most remarkable natural and cultural resources,” said Kean University
President Dr. Dawood Farahi. “Research and study undertaken in this
outdoor education center will provide exceptional opportunities for
Kean University students.”
A joint initiative between Kean and the N.J. Department of
Environmental Protection, Kean Highlands will preserve many acres of
forest and utilize the surrounding landscape as an instructional tool and
inspiration for generations to come. Students and visitors alike will have
access to facilities that include a large lake, an outdoor amphitheater, an
observatory and an extensive network of hiking trails.
Kean’s Highlands Campus
Builds New Facility
KEANews
