Where Research, Learning and Service Come Together 

At Susquehanna, we are committed to sustainability and there is no greater testament to that commitment than our Center for Environmental Education & Research (CEER) — our on-campus field station.

The 87-acre CEER is home to our beehives, Freshwater Research Institute, solar array, ecology research plots, walking trails and riparian buffer restoration site.

At the CEER, you can:

  • Say hello to the flock of sheep that help keep our 14-acre, 12,000-panel solar array in working order.
  • Protect pollinators by caring for the honeybees in our apiary. You can even enjoy some honey!
  • Intern or conduct research on watershed health at the Freshwater Research Institute or with one of our many partner organizations.
  • Plant trees to maintain our riparian buffer, which is helping to keep sediment out of the Susquehanna River upstream of the Chesapeake Bay.
  • Participate in outdoor labs during your ecology or environmental science course.

Susquehanna and the CEER are walking distance from the Susquehanna River — the Chesapeake Bay’s largest tributary and the longest river on the east coast. We are also surrounded by some of the best farmland and forests Pennsylvania has to offer.

Take a tour of the Center for Environmental Education and Research  

Come take a look at over 80-acres of reclaimed farmland right next to campus that serves as a living laboratory for our students, faculty and staff.

Explore the CEER

Chesapeake Conservancy

Susquehanna partners with the Chesapeake Conservancy on precision conservation, an approach to restoration on agricultural land that uses high-resolution, geospatial analysis to target and implement on-the-ground agricultural and conservation tactics. The program relies on landowners to open their land to restoration projects that will improve the health of small streams and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay.

Beehives

We use our beehives as a hands-on learning opportunity for our students to not only learn about the life cycle of these important pollinators, but to learn how to care for and protect them. And we’ve harvested hundreds of pounds of honey since first welcoming our buzzy friends to campus. Now that’s sweet!

Pawpaw Trees

Pawpaws are the largest fruit native to North America, and we’ve planted over 75 trees at the CEER to stabilize the nearby stream bank and demonstrate how these trees can be cultivated. First cultivated by Native Americans, pawpaws are a tangible connection between displaced tribes and their ancestral lands. They are also delicious, with a flavor that is usually described as a cross between a banana and a mango.

Freshwater Research Institute

Susquehanna’s Freshwater Research Institute provides a supportive and student-centered experience that equips students with the skills, knowledge, and professional networks to achieve their personal career goals in the research, conservation, and restoration of near- and in-stream habitats.

Learn More

Freshwater Research Institute

Solar Array

Our 14-acre, 12,000 panel solar array provides 30% of the university’s electricity and when installed in 2018, was the largest university-sponsored solar array in Pennsylvania. Over 30 sheep from Owens Farm in Sunbury serve as our lawn mowers around the solar panels.

Learn More

Solar Array

See More of the CEER


Latest News

Climbing Temperatures Adversely Impact Brook Trout

Recent research from Susquehanna University’s Freshwater Research Institute finds that water temperatures affect certain behaviors in a cold-water predator, especially when in the presence of one that prefers warmer waters.

Susquehanna Included Among Nation’s Top Green Colleges

Susquehanna is one of the nation’s most environmentally responsible colleges, according to The Princeton Review. One of 420 colleges in the Guide to Green Colleges, Susquehanna was selected based on a survey regarding institutions’ sustainability-related policies, practices and programs.

Native Plants Aid Campus Wetland Restoration

Students and faculty, along with members of the Chesapeake Conservancy and Chesapeake Conservation Corps, gathered to restore a wetland meadow to improve water management and increase biodiversity on campus.

Brood X Cicadas Are Here!

Brood X cicadas have begun emerging from their 17-year slumber and Susquehanna’s Matt Wilson urges us to sit back and enjoy the ride.

Follow Along on Instagram


Contact Us

Center for Environmental Education and Research

514 University Ave.
Selinsgrove, Pa. 17870

Get Directions

Location

Freshwater Research Laboratory
1250 W. Sassafras Street
Selinsgrove, PA 17870

Campus Map

Phone & Email

Matthew Wilson, director of Freshwater Research Institute & CEER field station
570-372-4722
wilsonmatt@susqu.edu