Dr. Frank Egler named his lands Aton Forest after the pharaoh Akhenaton, who created a renaissance in Egypt in the 14th century BC. Upon his death, Akhenaton’s enemies tore down his statues, his name was erased as a ruler and the society reverted to its previous unenlightened form. Egler meant the name Aton Forest, therefore, to signal a cautionary tale.


Frank Egler 1964

Frank Egler: Biographical Information

Magnificent Failure: Frank Egler and the Greening of American Ecology
An Epistolary Biography by William Dritschilo

Our Mission

The goals of Aton Forest are:

· To preserve, protect and increase the lands of Aton Forest , Norfolk , Connecticut.

· To manage AF lands as
a) Natural Areas, kept as free as possible from human interference; and
b) Semi-natural Management Areas, where human manipulation may be appropriate.

· To conduct scientific research, especially interpretive, long-term, low-key Natural History and Total Landscape Ecosystem studies inspired by Dr. Frank E. Egler, on the lands of AF and elsewhere.

· To conduct conservation education activities based on ecological science.

· To preserve and make use of Dr. Egler ’s written records, including research notes, manuscripts,correspondence, and publication collections.

· To preserve and manage portions of Dr. Egler ’s house and some of its contents as a museum.