Yale Graduate Students Working on Clinical Project Focused on Natural Diversity Database Plant and Animal Species

In association with the Yale School of the Environment’s spring 2026 course ‘Strategies for Land Conservation’, graduate students Salma Huque and Jacob Frame have begun working with Avalonia on an important clinical project.  They join part of a larger ongoing effort to develop an inventory of state listed plants and animals on our preserves. Over the course of the spring semester, they will perform research and draft requests for CT DEEP biologist’s to review the State’s Natural Diversity Database (NDDB) with a view towards determining if there are State threatened, endangered or species of special concern on a priorotized subset of our stewarded lands.  These reviews/determinations will inform  new and existing preserve management plans and help  us to balance ecological, cultural, and recreational values.  Relevant data and associated recommendations can be applied to trail creation/retention and other infrastructure improvements, forestry treatments, invasive plant management, and restoration efforts.

There will be an opportunity this coming May to meet Salma and Jake, as plans are afoot to ground truth some of the NDDB determinations on selected Avalonia preserves.  Stay tuned!

Meet the Students

Salma is a Master of Environmental Management candidate (’27) interested in water management, public land use, and conservation in the American West. In her free time, she enjoys cycling, knitting, and watching hockey. 

Jacob is a joint Master of Forestry and Master of Business Administration candidate (‘26) interested in the restoration, conservation, and stewardship of temperate woodlands, with particular emphasis on balancing mixed uses with ecological health. After graduation, Jacob intends to work as a land manager in the private sector. In his free time, he enjoys playing ice hockey, indoor rock climbing, and reading any book with a map in it.