OEC Policies, Guidelines, Advisories, & FAQs

Guideline and Policy Statement 

The Yale University Department of Campus Recreation encourages and embraces the diverse recreation, leisure, and wellness needs of our community.  Our support of and ability to permit activities and behaviors may be limited and impacted by the following:

• The health and safety of both the individual(s) and/or others.
• The impact on others and their ability to enjoy, utilize or access our facilities, programs, and services. 
• The impact or damage to our facilities and/or equipment.

The Department of Campus Recreation reserves to make final judgments for any activities, issues, or behaviors not directly addressed in the guidelines and policies below.  Indiviudals can e-mail oec@yale.edu for additional information or clarification as to if their activity is permitted at the OEC.

Members, day-pass users, guests, visitors, group rentals must follow direction of the Outdoor Education Staff and obey all posted signage and information.

The Department of Campus Recreation reserves the right to update, alter, or add guidelines and policies at any time. It is the responsibility of our Members, day-pass users, guests and visitors to comply with the information listed below.

General Safety Policies & Guidelines

The speed limit throughout the OEC is 8 MPH.

Motorcycles, ATVs, and motorized scooters are prohibited. 

Drones, fireworks, kites, firearms, and weapons are prohibited. 

Pets are prohibited. We welcome service animals who are wearing their indentification vests.

To preserve the enjoyment of all overnight rentals, we require all guests to observe quiet hours between 10pm and 8am. Music, singing, shouting, excessive noise, etc. is not permitted.

Charcoal briquettes only in barbecue grills.  Grilling on decks is prohibited. 

Campfires may be prohibited during droughts, staff decision. All fires must only burn low.

Drone Policy

Yale’s drone/unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) policy applies to “the operation by any person of an UAS on or above University property,” which includes the Outdoor Education Center

http://ehs.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/unmanned-aerial-systems-pollicy.pdf

All drone/UAS activities must be reviewed and authorized by the Environmental Health & Safety Department and the Office of Risk Management.  Purely personal use of any drone/UAS is prohibited.  If a professional person is looking to fly a drone/UAS for an OEC event (such as a wedding) he/she must complete the flight Request Form.  The request will be reviewed, and then approved or denied.

Firearms/Hunting Policy

Firearms of any type, loaded or unloaded, are not permitted on Yale OEC property or trails.

Hunting, by any method, is not permitted on Yale OEC property or trails.

Firewood Policy

The woodlands surrounding our dirt roads and campsites are littered with small downed trees and tree limbs. You may harvest any of this dead or fallen wood for campfires (only in provided campfire pits), no cutting of live trees is allowed. No chainsaws or axes are allowed due to risk of severe injury. Persons age 16 and older may use hatchets or pruning saws to harvest or cut up wood, and protective eyewear and gloves must be worn. When walking the woods, please take normal precautions against ticks and poison ivy. Professionally split and seasoned firewood is available in limited daily quantities from the Outdoor Center staff.  A complimentary lakefront campfire is provided on most nights by our staff; everyone is welcome to attend. All fires must be attended to at all times and extinguished or allowed to die out before bedtime due to risk of forest fire. Only charcoal briquettes may be used in barbecue grills. State law prohibits transporting firewood from New Haven County due to infestation.

Wildlife Advisory   

Part of the attraction of the OEC is its wilderness setting. You may be lucky to see many forms of wildlife, especially if you’re overnighting, including racoon, skunk, opossum, coyote, red fox, bobcat, wild turkey, deer, squirrel, chipmunk, turtles, non-poisonous snakes, and even the remote possibility of a black bear. We’ve spotted bald eagles and ospreys over the lake! You should appreciate all wildlife from a distance and not engage with or bother it. Please do not feed any wildlife, and do not leave ANY foodstuffs out at night or dropped on the ground
 

Fishing 

The lake is state owned. A license is required for persons 16 or older fishing in the lake.  Fishing is permitted on the boat dock when not crowded – please be cautious of boaters. No fishing from the swim dock, beach, or gazebo. For license information visit the CT DEEP website.

Bears – Do’s and Don’ts

Bears in natural settings normally leave an area once they sense a human. if you see a bear, enjoy it from a distance. aggression by bears towards humans is exceptionally rare.

• DO make your presence known by making noise while walking. Hike in a group. If you see a bear, make noise, and wave your arms so the bear is aware of your presenceDO back away slowly if you surprise a nearby bear.
• DON’T approach or try to get close to a bear to take a photo or video.
• DON’T come between a bear and her cubs.
• DON’T run or climb a tree. If possible, wait in a vehicle or building until the bear leaves the area.
• DO be offensive if the bear approaches you. Make more noise, wave your arms, and throw objects at the bear. Black bears rarely attack humans. If you are attacked, do not play dead. Fight back with anything available (rocks, sticks, pocketknife, keys, cellphone, bear spray, etc.).
• DON’T cook food inside your tent or camp shelter. Instead, keep food in a secure vehicle (windows closed) or use rope to suspend it between two trees. Bring and use a “bear-proof” heavy-duty cooler to store food (outside of your tent or camp shelter).
• DO empty nearby trash bins daily. We provide dumpsters and trash bags. Don’t leave food stuffs in trash bins overnight. Don’t throw used foodstuffs (chicken bones, fish carcasses, barbecue ribs, corn cobs, etc.) in the woods. Don’t feed bears.
• DO bring and spray your barbeque grill grates with household bleach cleaner (like “Clorox Cleaner & Bleach”) to eliminate bear-attracting food smells after cooking.
• DO use a flashlight after sunset.

Ticks - What do I need to know about tick-borne disease? 

(Information below from www.ct.gov/dph)

• Avoid tall grass and over-grown, brushy areas.
• Stay in the middle of the trails when hiking in the woods.
• Wear light-colored clothing so the ticks can be easily seen.
• Wear long pants to provide a better barrier than shorts.
• Tuck pants into socks creates a barrier and ticks will not be able to get to your skin.
• Wear long-sleeved shirts and closed shoes when in tick infested areas.
• Use insect repellent to significantly reduce the chance of tick bites and the transmission of Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases.
• DEET is the primary active ingredient in most tick repellents and is considered the most effective. It must be used as directed on the container.
• Examine yourself, your children, and pets for ticks when returning indoors.
• Remove crawling and feeding ticks as soon as possible. 
• When returning indoors, shower using a wash cloth or buff to remove walking ticks on your body. Ticks have a tendency to walk on the body before biting and feeding.
• The sooner ticks are removed from the body the less likely you will get a disease.
• Most people with Lyme disease do not remember being bitten by a tick because a tick bite is not felt; unlike mosquito bites. Ticks are very small and difficult to see, and many people do not get the expanding red rash that resembles a bull’s eye and identifies Lyme disease or other infections.

Consumption of alcohol by individuals 21 years of age an older is permitted.

Mass distribution containers such as kegs, beer balls, etc. are prohibited. 

Cans and cups are highly encouraged in lieu of glassware throughout the OEC grounds. Glassware and glass bottles are prohibited within the waterfront area. 

Group Rentals: A licensed/certified bartender is required for all alcohol service. 

7. Lost, damaged or stolen items: Neither Yale University nor the OEC is responsible for lost, damaged or stolen items. Please keep valuables locked in your car, and remember to remove your cellphone/wallet/car keys from your pocket before swimming or paddling. Use caution over speed bumps on our gravel roads to prevent damage to the underside of your vehicle.