Overview
The Experimental Ponds Facility is available through rental agreements for both short and long term research projects. The facility is primarily used by Cornell University affiliated teaching and research faculty and staff, although it can be rented by other non-profit, educational and research organizations provided these uses are compatible with the other users.
Policies and Procedures
Rental options include:
- Researchers may rent individual or groups of Ponds at an approximate rate of $500 per pond per year. Ponds may be drained and refilled, raked of vegetation, filtered, nutrient/herbicide/ piscicide applications, stocked with fish, etc., depending on the requirements of the experiment.
- Researchers may rent terrestrial areas of the ponds for studies that do not require the use of ponds. Rates are scaled to the scope of the proposed project, and its requirements from the facility. A good example of this is illustrated by the long term study of Tree swallows. Hundreds of nest boxes have been monitored in a variety of ways over the years. The ponds provide habitat for insect food sources, and foraging areas, but the ponds themselves aren’t manipulated in this particular research.
- Some of the ponds were designed to study emergent wetland vegetation. They may include shallow standing water, or a high water table, depending on the pond. These ponds may also be rented and would be appropriate for studies in this ecological community. These ponds may also be modified, tilled, or replanted dependent on the research goals and your available research funding.
- There is plentiful indoor covered storage space for research equipment (unconditioned barns) as well as a 15’ by 50’ office trailer with restroom, heat, AC, computer hookups, desks, and hi-speed Internet.
- Researchers may propose other uses of the uplands on the property provided they are compatible with current management strategies. Provisions may need to be included to return modified areas to their prior condition.
- Depending on the complexity of a research project and its implementation plan, the facility manager may be involved at varying levels of support. Some of this support may require additional rental fees depending on the scope of work involved on the part of the facility manager.
