Dr. Jeffrey S. Ward was raised in Milan, Ohio, the birthplace of Thomas A. Edison. He received his BS (forest biology) and MS (silviculture) at Ohio State University, and after a stint in the Peace Corps (Guatemala), his PhD (forest ecology) at Purdue University.

Both his PhD dissertation and early research in Connecticut focused on long-term population dynamics of woody plants in unmanaged forests. Both studies were begun in 1926 and have continued through the present. His work has shown that disturbances such as fire affect the composition of our forests for at least sixty years. His more recent work has included controlling invasive species such as barberry, causes of deer/vehicle collisions, examining the impact of deer damage on landscape plantings, methods of reducing deer damage in natural forests and forest plantations, alternative forest management practices, urban tree populations, and use of prescribed fire to maintain oak.

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