Connecticut College Goodwin-Niering Center for Conservation Biology and Environmental Studies

The Center is a natural outgrowth of a series of traditions dating to the establishment of the Connecticut College Arboretum in 1931. Now encompassing over 750 acres of College property, the Arboretum's surrounding natural areas have nurtured generations of faculty and students in ecology, environmental teaching and field research. "Connecticut College's Environmental Roots" (Article previously printed in the Fall 2003 issue of CC: Connecticut College Magazine).

In 1969 the College established one of the nation's first environmental majors, Human Ecology, now called Environmental Studies. With the addition of many field-orientated majors in Botany and Biology, the corps of environmentally concerned students continued to grow. The Center was formed in 1993 to help coordinate and facilitate the college's many environmental endeavors.

How the Center Got Its Name

The Goodwin-Niering Center was endowed in May 1999 with a generous lead gift from Connecticut College alumna and former trustee Helen Fricke Mathieson '52 and husband Drew Mathieson. It was their wish that the center be named to honor Richard H. Goodwin, Katharine Blunt Professor Emeritus of Botany, and William A. Niering, Lucretia L. Allyn Professor Emeritus of Botany.

Niering and Goodwin have collectively given over 100 years of service to Connecticut College. Both have made enormous contributions to the field of ecology and conservation of natural areas in the state of Connecticut and across the nation.

The Center is a direct outgrowth of the early ecological studies pioneered largely by Goodwin and Niering, much of it taking place in the college's own Arboretum. "It's very significant that they've been here this long, "said Glenn Dreyer, Executive Director of the Center as he described the pair. "It's helped define the very essence of the Center by having such continuity in long-term ecological studies."

For more information on the Center naming and Drs. Richard H. Goodwin and William A. Niering, check out the Spring 1999 issue of Environmental Connections, the Center's newsletter.

A lasting tribute to Dr. William A. Niering, teacher, scientist and conservationist.
Harkness Memorial State Park, New London, Connecticut

Photograph taken by Diana Whitelaw
Goodwin-Niering Center Associate Director

Memorial for Dr. William A. Niering

The Center's Original Logo
As the Center began to take shape, a design was needed in order to increase awareness of the Center both off and on campus. Art major Deanna Nelson '98 developed the bold and simple design. The logo started with a variation of a Celtic knot-work pattern. The green background circle is symbolic of the Earth and the continuous ribbon within the circle suggests the interconnectedness of the biological and physical systems of the planet. The four outer loops suggest the cardinal points of the compass and might also suggest the four "elements" of the ancients: earth, air, fire, and water.

The Center's New Logo
In 2003 we decided it was time for an updated version of the logo to go along with the new look of the web site. Susan Lindberg, Publication Designer for the College, came up with a new and improved image for the Goodwin-Niering Center: