news Fall 2021
contents College News
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Forestry program receives top ranking
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Board of Regents tour new Beef Center
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Dr. David Creech named International Plant Propogators’
Society Fellow
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Dr. I-Kuai Hung receives national award for forestry
education
Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture
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Dr. Hans Williams elected president of the Texas Forestry
Association
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Drs. Yanli Zhang, Jared Barnes receive Teaching
Excellence Awards
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New Faculty Member
Student News
Sarah Fuller, outreach coordinator fullersa@sfasu.edu
419 East College St. P.O. Box 6109 Nacogdoches, TX 75962 (936) 468-3301 Office email:
ATCOFA@sfasu.edu
Send photos or news to:
fullersa@sfasu.edu
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Student chapter of the Society of American Foresters
receives national recognition
Forestry graduate student awarded Best Poster at SFA
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Graduate Research Conference
Forestry minor represents SFA at Texas Undergraduate
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Research Day
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Students win top honors at statewide ecology symposium
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College hosts virtual undergraduate research showcase
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Field station journal
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Summer Internships
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Undergraduate Research
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Graduate Research
Feature
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75 years of forestry at SFA
Alumni News
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Alumni Spotlight
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ATCOFA at a glance
from the
dean
Dear alumni and friends, In January 1946, the newly created
Department of Forestry began offering classes at Stephen F. Austin State University. During the past 75 years, the forestry program has earned a national reputation for producing technically sound professionals. This is due to the selfless dedication of program leaders, faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends. For all of our academic programs, achieving excellence in education, student professional development, scholarship and outreach will continue to be our mission. In 25 years, I look forward to celebrating the 100th anniversary of the forestry program. As you will read, there were many college highlights during the past academic year. The Beef Farm building is complete. Instruction in cattle science and management is occurring, and many activities are being planned for this new and larger facility. The forestry, environmental science and geospatial science academic advisors planned and implemented the first summer camp for high school students. The Department of Agriculture faculty hosted a similar camp this summer for high school students from under-represented populations. We hope these camps become a reoccurring summertime activity that will encourage high school students to attend SFA and pursue a career in a natural resource related profession.
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Also, please take time to read about the many achievements and honors received by our college faculty members and students. They continue to bring outstanding recognition to SFA and the college for their contributions to the profession and excellence in teaching and research. Dr. Anusha Shrestha joined the forestry faculty this fall as our new assistant professor of forest economics. Dr. Shrestha earned a doctoral degree from Mississippi State University and completed post-doctorate work at The Ohio State University. We welcome Dr. Shrestha to the ATCOFA family.
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Please enjoy all the college stories and updates in this latest addition of the newsletter. As always, you are invited to contact us, or visit us on campus, anytime. Wishing you all the best!
-Hans Williams
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College News Forestry program receives top ranking In its 2021 Global Rankings, education technology firm Plexuss has recognized SFA as having the top forestry program in Texas. “I believe this ranking is a testament to the passion our faculty members share for the profession of forestry, as well as their dedication to ensuring our students succeed,” said Dr. Hans Williams, dean of SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. “The recognition is especially meaningful as we celebrate the 75-year anniversary of the forestry program at SFA.” More than six million students utilize the Plexuss online platform to connect with their peers, build professional networks, and research colleges and universities. In 2018, Microsoft recognized the company as one of the top 26 startup companies to contribute to machine learning and data science. Plexuss determines university and program rankings through extensive input from education partners, data scientists, employers, parents and high school counselors.
Conservation Careers Camp hosted at SFA ATCOFA hosted the college’s first Conservation Careers Camp June 20 to 24 on the SFA campus. The camp targets students ages 14 to 17 who are interested in exploring career opportunities in natural resource management through engaging, hands-on experiences led by SFA professors and industry professionals. “The vision of the Conservation Careers Camp is to have fun while connecting high school students to the forest and natural world,” said Chanelle Svehla, academic advisor in SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. “Through hands-on learning programs, campers gain knowledge about environmental stewardship, land ethics and forest health.” Camp activities focused on air and water quality monitoring, unmanned aerial vehicle operation, timber cruising, wildlife identification and management techniques, and more. Field trips also introduced campers to surrounding national forests, as well as properties managed by SFA. To learn more about the camp, visit www.sfasu.edu/cccamp.
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Board of Regents tour new Beef Center The SFA Board of Regents toured the university’s new Beef Center facility located at the Todd Agricultural Research Center. Dr. Scott Gordon, SFA president, said the new facility will greatly benefit SFA students and ensure the university remains competitive among other agricultural programs in the state. The 20,000-square-foot facility, equipped with an arena, classroom and office space, sits on the footprint of the previous facility destroyed by a fire in November 2018. replacement barn at a projected cost of $900,000.
In January 2020, the SFA Board of Regents approved the construction of a
“Additional donations from private industry, alumni and friends continue to assist in outfitting the new facility with state-of-theart equipment that will not only benefit current students, but also the surrounding community,” Gordon said. Each year, SFA’s Department of Agriculture hosts an array of workshops and clinics for area producers in addition to high school agriculture competitions and community outreach events, such as Breakfast on the Farm, according to Dr. Joey Bray, chair of SFA’s Department of Agriculture. “This is an upgrade from the previous facility and will increase the department’s ability to provide instruction in areas such as food science and food safety,” Bray said. Despite the setback of losing a key structure and adapting to coursework amid a global pandemic, student enrollment increased in the ATCOFA — an achievement Dr. Hans Williams, dean of the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, attributes to the dedication and hard work of faculty and staff members.
Department of Agriculture hosts Ag in the Pineywoods camp The SFA Department of Agriculture hosted 35 students from nine high schools throughout the region during its first Ag in the Pineywoods Camp. The camp, funded by a U.S. Department of Agriculture Non-Land Grant Colleges of Agriculture Grant, is a partnership between Sam Houston State University and SFA to expand opportunities in agriculture for underrepresented populations. Students toured the Todd Agricultural Research Center and received guidance in the college admissions process.
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Faculty and staff highlights Dr. David Creech named International Plant Propagators’ Society Fellow Dr. David Creech, SFA professor emeritus of agriculture and director of SFA Gardens, received the Southern Region of the International Plant Propagators’ Society Fellow Award during a virtual conference held in October 2020. The award honors individuals for ongoing contributions to the nursery industry and plant propagation in the Southern region. Creech has been a member of the International Plant Propagators’ Society for more than 30 years and previously received the Sidney B. Meadows Award, which is the highest honor bestowed by the organization. “While I’m a member of several societies, there is no doubt the International Plant Propagators’ Society is my favorite, simply because it is a blend of academics and industry,” Creech said. According to Creech, the organization has long served SFA students through professional development and employment opportunities offered during the organization’s annual conference. “Many students have made great contacts and found jobs with some of the most progressive nurseries and landscape firms across the Gulf South,” Creech said. “Because of our students, we put SFA on the map, and the friendships I made in the organization have lasted for decades.” The International Plant Propagators’ Society is a global network of plant production professionals that aims to improve the knowledge, skills and professionalism of its members through educational conferences, field days, seminars and a vast library of horticultural knowledge.
Dr. Daniel Scognamillo named Educator of the Year by Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society Dr. Daniel Scognamillo, associate professor of forest wildlife management and faculty advisor for the SFA student chapter of The Wildlife Society, was named Educator of the Year by the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society, recognizing his dedication and service to the SFA student chapter and students enrolled in his courses. “I am so pleased to see the time and effort invested by our wildlife faculty members — specifically Dr. Scognamillo — recognized at the state level,” said Dr. Hans Williams, dean of SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. “The professional and community service of our faculty members and students is outstanding, and they consistently serve as great ambassadors for SFA and our college.”
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Faculty and staff highlights Dr. I-Kuai Hung receives national award for forestry education Dr. I-Kuai Hung, Lacy H. Hunt Professor of geospatial sciences, was awarded the 2021 Carl Alwin Schenck Award from the Society of American Foresters during the virtual SAF National Convention held in November 2021. The national award recognizes individuals who display a notable and sustained record of excellence in forestry education through outstanding service to the field and the development of dynamic, personal teaching methods. “As my career developed, I discovered the most rewarding job I can possibly get — teaching,” Hung said. “Today, it is my students and my colleagues who keep me moving forward.” Hung is one of four SFA forestry professors who have earned the prestigious award. Dr. David Kulhavy, Laurence C. Walker professor of forest entomology, received the award in 2010; Dr. Brian Oswald, Joe C. Denman Distinguished Professor of fire ecology, received the award in 2002; and Dr. Daniel Unger received the award in 2019. “I would be surprised if there is another forestry program in the country that could ever claim to have four Schenck award winners on its active faculty,” said Dr. Hans Williams, dean of the ATCOFA. “It’s hard to imagine a better recognition of the innovation and effectiveness of the teaching and learning provided by our faculty members.” Carl Alwin Schenck, the award’s namesake, was a German-born and educated forester who founded the first forestry education program in the U.S. in 1898.
Dr. Brian Oswald receives top recognition from alma mater Dr. Brian Oswald, Joe C. Denman Distinguished Professor of Forestry at SFA, received the Dwight Patterson Alumnus of the Year Award from Northern Arizona University in recognition of the outstanding success he has achieved throughout his professional career. Oswald joined SFA in 1995, and since that time has built a career exemplified by domestic and international teaching and research. During the past nine years, he has led SFA forestry undergraduate and graduate researchers in collecting fire fuel load data on behalf of public safety agencies in the Netherlands. This key information continues to assist the country as it develops wildfire spread models that can predict wildfire behavior. Closer to home, Oswald leads additional restoration, fuel loading and monitoring research throughout the U.S. national forests and grasslands. Oswald is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Association for Fire Ecology Presidential Award, the Society of American Foresters’ Carl A. Schenck Award for Outstanding Forestry Education, the SFASU Foundation’s Faculty Achievement for Research, and he has held the title of Regents Professor, the highest honor SFA may bestow upon a faculty member. Additionally, Oswald served as president of the Association for Fire Ecology and actively contributes to the organization. He received a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Michigan State University, a Master of Science in Forestry from Northern Arizona University and a doctoral degree in forestry from the University of Idaho.
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Fall 2021
Faculty and staff highlights Dr. Hans Williams elected president of the Texas Forestry Association Dr. Hans Williams, dean of ATCOFA, was elected president of the Texas Forestry Association during the organization’s virtual meeting in October 2020. “Dr. Williams brings a unique set of qualifications to his role as president at TFA,” said Rob Hughes, TFA executive director. “He has 27 years of experience in leading discovery and understanding about trees and silviculture as an educator. This expertise will help guide the TFA and its members during an unprecedented time.”
Texas’ forest resources.
The association serves as the voice for the forest industry, promoting an economic, social and political climate that advances forestry in Texas through education, political action and public relations. It also serves the broad needs of forest landowners, producers and consumers with the goal of enhancing and perpetuating
Williams holds a doctoral degree from Auburn University with an emphasis in forest ecophysiology and seedling quality. His achievements and awards include the Kenneth Watterson Teaching Excellence Award and Kenneth Nelson Distinguished Professorship.
Professor’s research featured in Stormwater magazine Dr. Christopher Schalk was interviewed by Stormwater magazine regarding his research investigating snake entanglement in erosion control blankets commonly used on construction sites. The magazine’s cover story focused on the growing trend of transportation departments switching to biodegradable erosion control blankets to prevent snake mortality and plastic waste in waterways. Schalk’s research has found that natural fiber blankets are the best option for preventing snake entanglement. “Because natural fiber blankets are loose-weave without joints, snakes are able to move through them,” Schalk said. “The big problem is the fused corners in plastic, which makes the netting less flexible.” Stormwater specializes in surface water quality and is considered a premier resource for professionals involved in the design, control and management of stormwater runoff and erosion control.
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Faculty and staff highlights Drs. Yanli Zhang, Jared Barnes receive Teaching Excellence Awards Drs. Yanli Zhang and Jared Barnes received SFA’s 2020 and 2021 Teaching Excellence Awards, respectively. Zhang joined SFA’s ATCOFA faculty in January 2009. He earned a bachelor’s degree in forestry engineering from Beijing Forestry University and a doctoral degree in forestry from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. “I am extremely honored to receive the Teaching Excellence Award, and I am earnestly grateful for the guidance, support and help I have received from my great colleagues and our dean of the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture,” Zhang said. “Only within this warmest academic family could I reach this stage, and I am very humbled.” Zhang completed postdoctoral work and served as a visiting assistant professor at the University of Northern Iowa. He teaches geospatial science and land survey courses. Additionally, he actively mentors undergraduate research and serves as a research advisor to graduate students in forestry and environmental science who are specializing in geospatial science. Zhang’s research interests include geospatial analysis, geographic information systems application in natural resources management, drone application, and 3D modeling and printing. Dr. Jared Barnes, associate professor of horticulture, joined the ATCOFA in 2014. His teaching and research interests include connecting people with plants; fruit and vegetable production nursery management; plant breeding; southern perennials; and the ecology, cultivation and design of naturalistic plantings. “I am so honored to receive this teaching award,” Barnes said. “I love cultivating minds by sharing the wonders of the plant world, and having my passion recognized is very touching for me.” Barnes’ outreach and contributions in the field of horticulture are locally and nationally recognized. In 2016, he was named the Perennial Plant Association’s Young Professional of the Year, as well as a member of Greenhouse Product News’ Class of 40 Under 40. In 2017, he received the Keep Nacogdoches Beautiful Sustainability Award. Most recently, he was honored with the Perennial Plant Association’s Academic Award. Barnes received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Tennessee at Martin and master’s and doctoral degrees in horticulture science from North Carolina State University. When he is not in the classroom, he can be found mentoring students and working with plants in the SFA Plantery and Sprout Garden located behind the Department of Agriculture Building on the SFA campus. SFA’s Teaching Excellence program is an opportunity to recognize outstanding faculty members for their contributions to the university through excellence as teachers. Each of the university’s six colleges selects a member of its faculty to receive an award.
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Fall 2021
New ATCOFA faculty member Dr. Anusha Shrestha Dr. Anusha Shrestha joined the ATCOFA faculty in fall 2021 as assistant professor of forest economics. Shrestha brings a diversity of research specialties and interests to the college, including forest economics and management; economic impact analysis of forest management activities; econometric models of private forest landowners; valuation of nonmarket forest goods and services; human dimension of natural resource management; forest fuel management and GIS application in natural resource management. “I am interested in studying the relationship between various stakeholders and forest resource management,” Shrestha said. “Analyzing data from stakeholders is necessary to identify significant factors influencing their awareness, attitudes and support for forest resource management.” In addition to teaching forest economics, Shrestha looks forward to developing curriculums, mentoring students, conducting interdisciplinary research and participating in service activities at SFA. Shrestha said she plans to create a welcoming and engaging classroom environment that encourages students to ask questions and participate in group discussions and activities related to the course materials. “Learning is a process, which involves understanding fundamental concepts, identifying and analyzing the problems and methods to solve them, and interpreting and discussing the results,” Shrestha said. “As a teacher, I aim to guide students throughout this entire learning process.” Prior to joining the ATCOFA faculty, Shrestha was a postdoctoral scholar at The Ohio State University where she conducted research, prepared forestry-related extension materials, and taught and mentored students. Shrestha earned a doctoral degree in forest resources from Mississippi State University, a Master of Science in forest resources at the University of Arkansas at Monticello and a Bachelor of Science in Forestry from Nepal’s Tribhuvan University.
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Student News Student chapter of the Society of American Foresters receives national recognition for second consecutive year For the second consecutive year, the Society of American Foresters recognized the SFA student chapter among the top three in the nation during the organization’s virtual conference held in October 2020. “Winning this award for the second year in a row is very gratifying,” said Jacob Muggeridge, forestry major and president of the SFA student chapter. “I hope we can continue the tradition this upcoming year with further events and engagement in the spring semester.” The recognition is based on the accomplishments of the student chapter, as well as its service to the community. Muggeridge said that with the guidance of Dr. Rebecca Kidd, assistant professor of forest ecology and SAF student chapter faculty advisor, the chapter actively built and maintained relationships with local groups, such as the Angelina-Nacogdoches Forest Landowners Association, and conducted a number of service projects with Mission Tejas State Park and the Pineywoods Native Plant Center. “Through Dr. Rebecca Kidd’s leadership, student members of the SFA student chapter of the SAF have developed an exemplary record of service to the forestry profession and the East Texas community,” said Dr. Hans Williams, dean of SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. “They are outstanding ambassadors for the SFA forestry program and deserving of this national recognition.”
Student chapter of The Wildlife Society named state and national Student Chapter of the Year for second consecutive year For the second consecutive year, SFA’s student chapter of The Wildlife Society was named Student Chapter of the Year by the Texas Chapter of The Wildlife Society, as well as the national office of The Wildlife Society. “It’s a great feeling of satisfaction,” said Cassandra Kapp, SFA forestry student and student chapter president. “We worked so hard and didn’t think it was possible to win it again.” Kapp credits winning the award to the chapter’s ability to recruit, engage and retain members despite complications from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. During the previous year, chapter members conducted a number of volunteer and professional development activities, including spotlight surveys for alligators and deer to help determine population density, as well as habitat improvement projects on private properties. “This national recognition for the second year in a row is not only a testament to the hard work and passion of our students but also is a reflection of the quality of the forest wildlife management program at SFA,” said Dr. Jessica Glasscock, SFA assistant professor of forest wildlife management and faculty advisor.
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Student News Forestry graduate student awarded Best Poster at SFA Graduate Research Conference Ashley Wahlberg, a Houston native and doctoral student in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, won best poster for her dissertation, “Mechanisms of Establishment of the Non-Native Brown Widow Spider (Latrodectus geometricus) into a Native Spider Community.” Her advisor was Dr. Christopher M. Schalk, assistant professor of forest wildlife management. “Winning this award has given me satisfaction in knowing that my hard work is paying off,” Wahlberg said. “I have a full-time job on top of my research and classes, and it gets to be overwhelming at times.” Wahlberg’s dissertation and the poster she created for it discusses how the non-native brown widow spider fits into the local spider community. Specifically, she explores the mechanisms that allowed the brown widow to establish itself in East Texas and how its presence affects native species. “The conference is a great place for faculty members from all across the university to see what research is being done in other departments,” Wahlberg said. “It also provides students a place to practice presenting in a formal setting and receiving feedback from students and advisors, which is very helpful when preparing to attend larger conferences.” To view all 2021 GRC presentations, visit sfasu.edu/grc2021.
SFA Sylvans take top honors during Louisiana Forest Festival Following more than a year hiatus in competing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the SFA timbersports team, the Sylvans, made a triumphant return during the Louisiana Forest Festival, winning the collegiate portion of the event’s timbersports competition. “Our team did a great job representing SFA and our programs,” said Dr. Jeremy Stovall, professor of forestry and Sylvans faculty advisor. The team took first place in the Jack and Jill crosscut, ax throwing, log chopping and single buck crosscutting events. The team earned second place in men’s crosscut, women’s bowsawing and men’s bowsawing. Established in 1979, the Louisiana Forest Festival takes place in Winnfield, Louisiana, and celebrates the timber industry’s contributions to the state.
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Forestry minor represents SFA at Texas Undergraduate Research Day Kasey Jobe represented SFA at the 2021 Texas Undergraduate Research Day held virtually at the state Capitol Feb. 23 and 24. Jobe, pursuing a Bachelor of Science in biology with a minor in forestry, worked with Dr. Christopher Schalk, assistant professor of forest wildlife management at SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, to investigate how installation methods affect snake entanglement in erosion control blankets. His work is one of only 100 research projects from across the state selected to participate. “Erosion control blankets are installed at construction sites to mitigate against soil loss and promote plant growth,” Jobe said. Previous research conducted by Jobe found that particular types of erosion control blankets — small-diameter polypropylene mesh with fixed intersections and multiple layers — are more likely to cause wildlife entanglement, especially among snakes. With this knowledge, Jobe and his collaborators moved forward to determine if the installation method of these blankets could reduce instances of entanglement and subsequent mortality. They found that burying the edges of the installed erosion control blankets led to a significant decline in snake entanglement. “No snakes became entangled in the buried edge treatment, supporting our hypothesis that modifying the installation technique for erosion control blankets is effective at reducing behavior that leads to entanglement,” Jobe said. “An exposed edge increased the number of attempts, which is a precursor to entanglement.” Jobe is a co-author on three peer-reviewed scientific papers focused on snake entanglement research conducted at SFA. “Involving undergraduates in research is a rewarding process, as they are involved in every step in the scientific method and experience the challenges of designing and addressing questions in science,” Schalk said. “It also allows students to see that we as faculty members do not have the answers ahead of time, but we are interpreting these results together.” Funding for this project was provided by the Texas Department of Transportation, the state agency responsible for numerous large and complex transportation projects that require the use of erosion control mats. The research findings were presented to the agency. Texas Undergraduate Research Day, coordinated by the Council of Public University Presidents and Chancellors and the Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas Inc., showcases the experiences of undergraduate students engaged in research that positively impacts Texas and Texans.
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Student News SFA students win top honors at statewide ecology symposium Three SFA students received first place honors for their research presentations at the annual Ecological Integration Symposium. Jordan Griffin and Zachary Hutchens, both SFA biology majors, won first place in the symposium-wide undergraduate poster contest for their project investigating potential impacts of the non-native Sheepshead minnow on the Red River Pupfish, a species native to Texas. Connor Adams, an SFA forestry graduate student, won first place in the symposium’s graduate student division that focused on fish and reptiles with his oral presentation titled “Trophic and Community Structure of Snake Assemblages in Shortleaf Pine Forests with Different Management Regimes.” The annual symposium, which generally draws leading scientists and students from across the fields of ecology, evolutionary biology and conservation to the Texas A&M College Station campus, was held virtually this year as a result of health restrictions in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. “These results show our students are producing high-quality research that is valued by their colleagues,” said Dr. Christopher Schalk, SFA assistant professor of forest wildlife management. “It also shows they can effectively disseminate their results and communicate their ideas using distance-learning platforms.”
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College hosts virtual undergraduate research showcase Thirteen ATCOFA students presented posters and discussed their research virtually with faculty and staff during the college’s Undergraduate Research Showcase held in December 2020. “These students should be congratulated for their hard work and enthusiastic participation despite the disruptions caused by the pandemic,” said Dr. Sheryl Jerez, professor of environmental science and chair of the research showcase committee.” The top eight finalists were chosen following an interview by the factulty-led research committee. The eight finalists selected represented the college at the university-wide Undergraduate Research Conference, which also was held virtually.
Undergraduate Research Showcase Top Eight 1. “Song Diversity in East Texas Bachman’s Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis)” Kasey Jobe 2. Relational Database for SAF Certified Forest Management Bachelor’s Programs in the U.S.” Keenon Lindsey 3. “Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Texas FFA Building Excellence Conference” Jordan Stanford 4. “Microplastics: Nacogdoches County’s Hidden Threat Jordan Stanford, Sydney Matlock, Samantha Montes and Courtney Sims 5. “Impact of COVID-19 on Course Presentation and the Efficacy” Madison Gartman 6. “Do Tropical Storms Have an Effect on Water Quality in Nacogdoches?” Emmie Schubert, Paige Graham, Amy Rambo, Jacqui Murguia and Breanna Duran 7. “Accuracy Assessment of Pecan Tree Locations” Andrew Fenley and Reid Viegut 8. “Comparison of Particulate Matter Concentrations in the Miller Science and STEM Buildings” Chance Robinson, Alexander Hanks, Cameron Lane and Dane Hopson
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Student News
Field station 2021 2021 field station alumnae Taylor McDaniel and Madison Litzenberger share their personal accounts of ATCOFA’s six-week field station course. Taylor McDaniel
hypothetically construct a pond dam.
The masks came off, the vans were loaded, and the boots hit the ground for forestry field station 2021. To say I was excited to see all the faces of my classmates and professors once again was an understatement. It also is kind of hard to fully appreciate the sarcastic roasts I get on a daily basis from Drs. Stovall and Oswald when I can’t see their whole face!
Week three was timber cruising week. We spent each day walking tracts at various timber stands creating either pointsample or fixed-radius plots. Estimating tree heights and diameter at breast height became second nature. Mr. Winston and his dog also showed us several stands at different stages of rotation so we could get a good eye for estimating basal area. On the last day, each crew was responsible for coming up with a bid for the timber we had just cruised and presenting it to the seller, Jason Grogan. Grogan taught us a lot this week about cruising timber, but I will never forget the time he crunched down on a carpenter ant and said it tasted like lemon. I guess I don’t need to pack a lunch in the field anymore — there were plenty of ants and blackberries to go around!
During week one, we conducted telephone surveys with 10 different people to ask them questions about how the COVID-19 pandemic affected their recreational habits. Although we literally walked to the park to observe people recreate as well, this week was no walk in the park. With so many assignments and unanswered questions, Maklemore’s, a restaurant located near campus, started expecting us on our lunch break. The highlight of this week was no vans were stuck or equipment broken. On the other hand, during geographic information systems week, we got vans stuck left and right — and we won’t talk about broken equipment. We spent the majority of the week at the SFA Experimental Forest where no amount of bug spray was able to prepare us for the number of mosquitoes we experienced. The Gaia app became our new best friend to take points, lines and polygons — unless you had an Android. If you had an Android, your new best friend was Advil when it came time to upload the data into ArcGIS. We also learned how to use the staff compass, range finder and auto-level to survey the hiking trails and streams within the forest. The last day was spent at the SFA Ag Farm where we used our skills to
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Field station 2021
Madison Litzenberger During wildlife week, we learned different techniques for trapping and marking wildlife. Many specimens were trapped. One of the more exciting moments was pulling a trap out of the lake containing a three-toed amphiuma. To my surprise, our professor said the amphiuma would become a specimen, as it was a county record.
But after receiving a steroid shot, the swelling and itching dissipated, and I began to see how much fun it had been. Sure, I would see most of these people next semester, but would we have a class together? Would I ever get the van stuck, swim in a waterfall, explore an old-growth forest or throw little pieces of foliage at these people again?
Who really understands what silviculture is? It is such a difficult concept to fully grasp. There are no clear answers, just like there are no clear answers in art. We were educated on different types of disturbances. I couldn’t help but wonder, are 60 field station students trampling through the forest considered a disturbance? Students either looked forward to or dreaded the endless dendrology quizzes. The week was topped off with the beautiful sight of a cow meandering through shortleaf pines in a silvopasture. The final week was spent touring different mills, power plants, as well as harvesting sites and container facilities. The amount of lumber produced in the Southeast was really put into perspective. Can you believe Angelina Forest Products produces 1 million board feet per day? Safety was a major topic at each site we visited. The final day of field station was spent doing lumber recovery on a log. This was actually very exciting. As a team we decided the most efficient way to complete the task. The final week was bittersweet. With my eye swollen closed from poison ivy, I couldn’t help but want it all to be over with.
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Summer ’21 Internships
Ashley Broadhurst
Environmental science senior Ashley Broadhurst completed a 12-week internship at the Houston office of Terracon Consultants Inc., a 100% employee-owned consulting engineering firm. As an environmental planning intern, Broadhurst worked directly with clients to generate and execute proposals based on their needs. Field work, including wetland delineations, threatened and endangered species surveys, as well as archeological field tests, was a key component of the internship. Broadhurst was then responsible for writing the subsequent reports outlining the findings and also created a wide array of preliminary data maps, such as topographic, LiDAR, National Wetland Inventory and soil maps. “My favorite part of the internship was learning how the industry works on every level, whether that be the field work, the proposal and report writing, or the business development and finance-related aspects of client interaction,” Broadhurst said. Broadhurst also credits Dr. I-Kuai Hung, SFA Lacy H. Hunt Professor of geospatial sciences, with encouraging her to learn ArcGIS Pro, as it greatly benefited her throughout the internship. “I feel that my 12 weeks with Terracon greatly developed me both as a student and as a future environmental professional,” Broadhurst said. “I look forward to utilizing what I learned through graduation and beyond.”
Kristen McCaslin Kristen McCaslin, a junior agriculture major, completed an 11-week internship with Dr. Erin Brown, SFA professor of agriculture, at the SFA Beef Center during the 2021 spring calving season. Throughout the internship, McCaslin researched beef cattle reproduction while also monitoring the calving process. This included maintaining comprehensive records and completing thorough health evaluations of the calves following birth. “Most importantly, I made sure the calf is healthy and able to nurse,” McCaslin said. “Some additional duties included assisting cows in calving by pulling calves, bottle and tube feeding calves, and monitoring veterinary-assisted care.” Given McCaslin’s goal of becoming a veterinarian, she considers the hands-on nature of this internship and SFA’s agriculture program in general to be extremely valuable. “SFA has done a great job at including ample amounts of hands-on experience for pre-veterinary students,” McCaslin said. “This experience will allow me to have a topic of discussion in my veterinary school interviews and allow my application to stand out. It is important to have reinforcement of knowledge outside of the textbook, and this internship has allowed me to grow my network of connections, agriculture-related terminology, and basic understanding of cattle operations.”
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Jake Speckhals
Urban forestry senior Jake Speckhals completed an internship with Redden Farms, a tree farm located north of Dallas. Speckhals completed a host of duties to help ensure tree health and proper operations on the farm, including creating high-quality soil containing macro and micronutrients, pest control, plant propagation, installing irrigation and electrical lines to greenhouses, as well as habitat construction for waterfowl and largemouth bass. “This experience has benefited my undergraduate career because I have gained a lot of practical skills and learned how to apply what I have learned in the forestry program,” Speckhals said. “My favorite part about the internship was the people I worked with and being outside.”
Summer Pritchett
Summer Pritchett, a senior horticulture major, completed a three-month internship with the Denver Botanic Gardens where she worked directly with the head horticulturalist for the Rock Alpine Garden Collection. “I have learned quite a bit about Colorado and alpine plants, as well as the impacts of climate change and invasive plants on the environment,” Pritchett said. “This is important to my career because I have an interest in native and invasive plants.” In addition to planting and caring for the diverse plant species within the collection, Pritchett also worked on the database for the gardens, entering photos of plants into the Denver Botanic Gardens database. “My favorite part of the internship was going on the educational hikes and field trips where we learned about Colorado environments and native flora and fauna,” Pritchett said. “We also learned how to identify plants that are native to the Rocky Mountain Region, which was very interesting and an important skill.”
If you have news or images you would like to share, email Sarah Fuller, outreach coordinator, at fullersa@sfasu.edu. Fall 2021
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Undergraduate Research
Agriculture Madison Gartman Madison Gartman assessed the efficacy of teaching styles employed by professors in the Department of Agriculture following the cancellation of inperson classes during the spring 2020 semester as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “With the change of modality, some students and faculty members who had limited experience with online classes were forced to conquer the entirety of their course load and instruction online,” Gartman said. “However, with this abrupt change arose some creative teaching techniques that aided students’ remote academic success for the remainder of the spring 2020 semester.”
Gartman distributed a survey to all registered students in SFA’s Department of Agriculture, collecting demographic data, as well as feedback on the content, style and efficacy of the online courses taken. “The faculty members provided a wide array of teaching styles to present course material,” Gartman said. “The most prevalent teaching style employed was a screen-shared lecture, followed by a pre-recorded activity demonstration.” Gartman said creative delivery, including the use of podcasts with accompanying slides, were among some of the most effective teaching methods used. “Given the uncertainty of times during the COVID-19 pandemic, students benefit from an adaptable nature of instruction,” Gartman said.
Environmental Science Chance J. Robinson, Alexander Hanks, Cameron Lane and Dane Hopson The Environmental Protection Agency defines particulate matter as the mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. While some, such as soot or smoke, are large enough to be seen with the naked eye, others are so small they can only be detected with an electron microscope. This environmental research team sought to compare the air quality of SFA’s Miller Science Building and the Cole STEM Building using PM10 and PM2.5 as measures of air quality. PM10 are inhalable particles with diameters that are generally 10 micrometers and smaller, while PM2.5 are fine inhalable particles with diameters 2.5 micrometers and smaller. Using a particulate matter detector, the researchers collected readings in the buildings for two weeks at 15-minute intervals every other hour between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays.
tion of particulate matter was higher in the Miller Science Building, the air quality within both buildings remained within healthy levels. “The concentration of particulate matter is higher in the Miller Science Building because of usage and age,” said Chance Robinson. “The STEM building will likely run into this problem when it becomes older, regardless of what preventative methods take place.”
Following analysis, the team found that while the concentra-
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Undergraduate Research
Geospatial Science Andrew Fenley Andrew Fenley’s research compared the positional accuracy of different forms of geospatial technology by surveying pecan trees located in Nacogdoches’ Pecan Park. “Today, the park has large, mature pecan trees and some young saplings across an area of 23 acres,” Fenley said. “Among them, 30 trees were selected and surveyed in situ with a total station referenced to a permanent monument. This gave us the true geographic coordinates of each tree.”
Fenley then documented the geographic coordinates of each of the 30 trees as they are listed by Google Earth Pro, What3Words, Pictometry and a DJI Phantom drone. These coordinates were then compared to the true geographic coordinates in order to determine the positional error of each technology. Fenley found that Pictometry, a patented aerial image capture process, is the most accurate, while Google Earth Pro was the least reliable due to the high variance caused by the difficulty of precisely locating each tree on a computer screen.
Environmental Science Jordan Stanford, Sydney Matlock, Samantha Montes and Courtney Sims This environmental science research team assessed the presence of microplastics in Bonita and Lanana Creeks located in Nacogdoches. “Microplastics and their threat to marine environments are well known, but studies in freshwater environments are few and far between,” said Jordan Stanford. The team collected multiple sediment samples at accessible points along both creeks and used multiple techniques to filter the samples in the lab. A compound microscope and a reference guide were then used to identify any microplastics present in the samples.
Lanana Bayou, then the Angelina River and finally Sam Rayburn Reservoir,” Microplastics found in data analysis Stanford said. “Education and awareness on microplastics and their presence in Nacogdoches County should continue to be of utmost importance.”
The team found that varying levels of microplastics were present at each sampling site. “These values are alarming because Bonita Creek feeds into
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Graduate Research
Agriculture Alexandria Silva As more students without an agricultural background pursue degrees in the field, graduate student Alexandria Silva is assisting the SFA Agriculture Department to determine if their agriculture curriculum requires alterations to better serve students.
need people who care. It doesn’t matter where they come from, what they wear or what they did in the past — it matters that they care for our industry the same way others do so we can cultivate an even stronger environment and create an understanding with the community and agriculturists.” Silva, who earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from SFA, now serves as an agriculture teacher at Longview High School and plans to continue building a strong National FFA Organization program within the district.
Silva will interview current SFA agriculture students regarding their background, as well as why they chose to pursue an agriculture degree. This qualitative data will then be analyzed for trends and additional insights. “This subject is near and dear to my heart because I am the product of a strong agricultural background,” Silva said. “I can see that we need more people in the industry, and we
Environmental Science Chikaodili Ohakawa Environmental science graduate student Chika Ohakawa’s research will assist the Texas Department of Transportation to move forward with roadway infrastructure expansion in West Texas. Ohakawa said the karst features present in the gypsum plains of West Texas present challenges to structural integrity for engineering activities such as road construction — especially when the expected traffic comprises heavy vehicles associated with energy sector development. “My research involves quantifying gypsum content in soils of the Gypsum Plain within Culberson County,” Ohakawa said. “Gypsum in soils dissolves easily, leaving voids in the subsurface that increase over time and can eventually cause the collapse of structures.” Drawing from her background in geological sciences, Ohakawa will compare three methods of gypsum analysis,
including chemistry analysis, X-ray florescence and gravimetric analysis, along an existing roadway and a proposed TxDOT expansion area. Following her analysis, Ohakawa will construct a geographic information systems map illustrating soil gypsum content along the proposed expansion route and identify areas that warrant further studies. “I have always been fascinated with sinkholes,” Ohakawa said. “This was an interesting subject that provided me with the opportunity to work with my geology background and integrate the new things I am learning about the environmental sciences.”
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Graduate Research
Forestry Wyatt Bagwell Forestry graduate student Wyatt Bagwell’s research will assess the effects of different prescribed burn regime characteristics on white-tailed deer forage and browse productivity.
tailed deer in East Texas. “I chose this research subject because prescribed burning has always interested me,” Bagwell said. “I know that doing this research will help improve the body of knowledge on whitetailed deer, thus helping land managers improve white-tailed deer habitat.”
His field work involved conducting deer browse surveys, nutrient sampling, as well as measuring forage production at five separate forests in East Texas. In addition to assessing the impacts of different fire frequencies and seasonality on the utilization and nutritional value of preferred white-tailed deer browse species, Bagwell will examine the relationship between browse utilization and time since a prescribed burn took place. This will ultimately provide insight into the prescribed burn frequency that produces the most preferred herbaceous biomass for white-
Resource Communications Cam Rojas Throughout the coming year, Cam Rojas’ field work will take him to some of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s most iconic state parks to conduct demographic-based visitoruse surveys in order to better understand public perceptions of state parks and quantify visitation frequencies. “The research conducted will be utilized as a model for Texas and other states in order to promote public land advocacy, natural resource stewardship and improve relationships between the public and state agencies,” Rojas said.
my knowledge of the outdoors to promote sustainable conservation practices, public land use and land stewardship through education, involvement and field work,” Rojas said.
Rojas, a Marine Corps veteran, said he has always felt at peace when engaging in outdoor recreation. He hopes his research will contribute to the legacy of Texas State Parks and foster positive outdoor experiences among others. “I thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to engage with a variety of people from different backgrounds and pass on
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Feature
In the spring semester of 1946, Stephen F. Austin State Teachers College welcomed an influx of returning World War II servicemen to the student body. Among the courses offered to these new and returning students was an entirely new academic program — one that is inexorably tied to the heritage, economy and natural history of the region. By the mid 20th century, the U.S. had transitioned away from viewing forests and their resources as purely extractive, and the creation of SFA’s Bachelor of Science in Forestry program reflected the growing understanding of the need for responsible, renewable, science-based forest management. In 1966, the program received accreditation from the Society of American Foresters, the national organization representing and setting the standard for the forestry profession, making SFA home to the first accredited forestry program in the state. The newly-created Department of Forestry was initially housed in the basement of the Austin Building, and although campus location, technology and course offerings have changed over the past 75 years, one aspect has remained consistent. “I think one of our strengths is that we have held on to the hands-on, learning-based experience model,” said Dr. Hans Williams, dean of SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry
75 years of forestry at SFA
and Agriculture. “Our students go to the forest and field every day to work closely with faculty members and learn.” The field-based curriculum is perhaps best exemplified by the program’s intensive six-week summer field camp for students entering their junior year. Each week of the course focuses on a different aspect of the forestry profession and challenges students to apply the knowledge they have gained throughout the program to real-world scenarios. For most of the program’s history, the camp took place off campus — first at a leased property equipped with dormitories and a dining hall near Milam, and later at the SFA-owned Piney Woods Conservation Center on Lake Sam Rayburn. In 2015, the camp transitioned to a non-residential format with students returning to their respective homes each night. Although locations of the camp have changed, the physical and mental rigor remain. “Before I started field station, my friends told me that it’s the most fun you will never want to have again,” said Charlie Jordan, 2015 forestry graduate. “They were 100% correct. I’ve never had more fun during a summer class, but I never want to go through that mental and physical exhaustion again.” Although tucked away in rural Texas Forest Country, SFA’s forestry program, faculty members and students have gained
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national recognition for their contributions to the profession. Currently, the program is home to four faculty member recipients of the Carl Alwin Schenck Award. This national award, presented by the Society of American Foresters, recognizes outstanding performance in the field of forestry education. Additionally, the student chapter of The Wildlife Society and the student chapter of the Society of American Foresters have been recognized as the nation’s topperforming student chapters. Furthermore, the SFA Sylvans, the university’s timbersports team, has won multiple Southern Forestry Conclave championships, excelling in both the academic and physical portions of the competition. When contemplating the program’s greatest accomplishments, Williams immediately points to alumni. “When you get down to it, the success of any program is based on the success of its graduates, and I think what you see with our graduates is that they have achieved leadership positions in the public and private sectors of forestry all over the country,” Williams said. “Because we’re such a large program and have graduated so many students over the years, we’ve gained a reputation through their success of being a fine forestry program that produces strong graduates.” Among the program’s notable alumni are a Nobel Prize corecipient and top scientist for the U.S. Geological Survey, as well as top leaders within the Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and private companies such as Weyerhaeuser and Davey Tree Expert Company.
“When you get down to it, the success of any program is based on the success of its graduates, and I think what you see with our graduates is that they have achieved leadership positions in the public and private sector of forestry all over the country,” Williams said. “What amazes me is that as we try to select alumni for our Outstanding Alumni Award, we can’t seem to catch up,” Williams said. “We are so far behind in recognizing our outstanding alumni who have made great contributions to the profession.” In addition to extensive teaching, research and outreach, the program manages 3,449 acres of East Texas forestland through the Lumberjack Legacy Forest Program. Through sustainable forest management, these properties have sequestered more than 600,000 tons of carbon dioxide and generated more than $239,000 for student scholarships and graduate research. The Lumberjack Legacy Forest Program initially began in 2000 through a relationship with STMicroelectronics, a global electronics and semiconductor manufacturer focused on reducing its carbon footprint. The company purchased and afforested marginal East Texas pastureland and then donated the land to the SFA Real Estate Foundation to be managed in perpetuity by the college. “This relationship was made possible through the vision and leadership of past deans and faculty members, as well as guidance from the SFA development office,” Williams said. “We have been able to meet STMicroelectronics’ goals, as well as our goals of supporting students and facilitating faculty development.” While the forest industry and higher education have dramatically changed during the past 75 years and will no doubt continue to evolve, Williams speaks of the future of SFA’s forestry program with enthusiasm and purpose.
Standing, Dr. Robert Owens, first head of the SFA Department of Forestry, addresses a group of forestry students enrolled in SFA’s newly-created forestry program.
“We will continue to hold on to hands-on, experiencedbased learning,” Williams said. “I think that is part of our culture, what we are known for and why employers seek out our graduates. We will continue to seek out ways to improve our academic quality and produce well-rounded professionals.”
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Alumni Spotlight Erin Stempinski Erin Stempinski serves as a research associate at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon, specializing in electron microscopy applications. A technique for obtaining high-resolution images of biological and non-biological specimens, electron microscopy is used in biomedical research to investigate the detailed structure of tissues, cells, organelles and macromolecular complexes. Stempinski performs a variety of electron microscopy techniques, including conventional transmission and scanning electron microscopy, correlative light and electron microscopy, and 3D techniques. “There are many interesting questions that researchers are exploring at OHSU,” Stempinski said. “Two recent projects I helped with are understanding wound healing in the tympanic membrane and Zika virus infection in the placenta. We’ve even received a few COVID-19 research projects.” Stempinski has been recognized with the Distinguished Achievement Award by the National Institutes of Health, the primary U.S. agency responsible for biomedical and public health research. She earned a Bachelor of Science in environmental science and biology from SFA and was first introduced to the field of electron microscopy as an undergraduate. While earning a Master of Science in botany from the Miami University of Ohio, she built upon this foundational knowledge and utilized electron microscopy to conduct research into protein subunits found within chloroplasts of the flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Prior to her current position, Stempinski worked at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s Electron Microscopy Core Facility.
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Alumni Spotlight Schaeffer Shockley It’s not often Texans have the opportunity to see our most iconic cities from a bird’s-eye view, but for 2018 alumnus Schaeffer Shockley, it’s a daily occurrence. As an unmanned aerial systems pilot for Arch Aerial, Shockley is responsible for planning flights and piloting various drone models to accomplish a variety of client goals, including documentation of pipelines and building construction progress, as well as footage for marketing and promotional purposes. “The aerial imagery Arch Aerial provides allows our clients to react quickly to situations that could become hazardous to workers, the public and the environment,” Shockley said. “One of my favorite services is showing our clients a holistic perspective of their projects. By regularly capturing imagery, they can watch as their projects are built from the foundation all the way up through completion.” While at ATCOFA, Shockley closely worked with geospatial science faculty members as they conducted research into the applications of unmanned aerial systems in natural resource management. Shockley pursued a career in urban forestry after earning a Bachelor of Science in Forestry, but said he couldn’t shake the desire to become a drone pilot. “My experience of piloting drones in college, combined with my familiarity of working around construction sites from practicing arboriculture, made me an ideal candidate for Arch Aerial,” Schockley said. “The position combines my interest in aviation, my desire to work outside and see new places and my passion for photography.”
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Alumni Spotlight Karen Stafford As an undergraduate forestry student at SFA, Karen Stafford served as a seasonal employee for the Texas A&M Forest Service, responding to wildland fires in Texas and out of state. During one active fire season in Colorado, Stafford was deeply affected as she witnessed the widespread loss of homes and personal property due to wildland fires. “I had always heard about it, but until that moment I had never actually seen it,” Stafford said. “I remember walking among the destroyed homes and seeing a child’s toys strewn about the ashes. I remember thinking that when I went to grad school, I wanted to do something that could prevent that situation from happening.” Stafford earned a Master of Science in Forestry with an emphasis in fire management from SFA in 2011, and since that time, she has dedicated her career to serving Texans by promoting wildfire prevention and preparedness, as well as educating homeowners on how they can take a proactive stance in protecting themselves and their homes against wildfires. Now, as program coordinator III with the Texas A&M Forest Service, Stafford is the statewide fire prevention coordinator for the agency. In this role, she coordinates and performs strategic planning for wildland fire prevention and mitigation programs. This includes monitoring wildland fire trends and causes, as well as implementing appropriate fire prevention campaigns based on current wildfire trends. While directing strategic prevention and mitigation efforts, Stafford also heavily focuses on community engagement and education. In addition to planning large-scale fire prevention and education events in Texas, she was the only state forestry agency representative to serve on the U.S. Forest Service’s National Smokey Bear 75th Planning Team. This nationwide initiative celebrated the 75th birthday of the U.S. Forest Service mascot, Smokey Bear, by spreading the message of wildland fire prevention. “It is an honor and a privilege to serve the citizens of Texas in a capacity where I have the ability to educate and promote wildfire awareness and prevention,” Stafford said. “I feel that in everything I do, I have the opportunity to make a difference in someone’s life. Every wildfire prevented means a Texan has a home to go to at the end of the day; valuable grazing land is there for our state’s ranchers and livestock; acres of plantations are there for the timber industry, and our state’s natural resources are protected for the betterment of today’s generation and future generations.”
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Alumni Spotlight Dr. Tim Rocka Dr. Tim Rocka has dedicated three decades to the education profession in a number of capacities ranging from classroom instruction to administrative leadership. Now, as director of career and technical education for Whitehouse Independent School District, Rocka directs 17 career and technical education programs staffed by 21 teachers. “As a veteran educator, I wanted to use my knowledge and experience to help the students of my community,” Rocka said. “In my current role, I can assist students in reaching their educational goals to achieve great things — perhaps more than they ever expected.” Examples of the innovative career and technical education programs overseen by Rocka include agribusiness, veterinarian assistant, horticulture, engineering, criminal justice, health science, culinary arts and computer science, just to name a few. He also successfully secured grant funds to augment the program’s laboratories, ensuring students have access to the most current technologies used in the respective career fields covered by Whitehouse ISD’s programming. Rocka’s dedication to the field of education has not gone unnoticed. This year he was named Area 3 Career and Technical Administrator of the Year. “This recognition is special, as it represents my contribution to my chosen field of study and career,” Rocka said. “Gaining this recognition affirms my ambition to provide my expertise to give back to my local community.” Rocka earned a Bachelor and Master of Science in agriculture from SFA and a doctoral degree in agricultural education from Texas A&M University. His wife, Kim Rocka, also earned a degree in agriculture from SFA and works in public education.
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ATCOFA at a glance Student Life Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture Fall 2019
351
Fall 2020
Fall 2021
383 382 313
64
Agriculture
67
281 291
63 30
Environmental Science
Forestry
29
25
Geospatial Science
More than
$381,000
Students pursuing a graduate degree in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture
in scholarships awarded for the 2021 academic year
Fall 2019
Fall 2020
Fall 2021 37
39
28 24 21
Academics
14
15
16
15
11
11
Agriculture
Environmental Science
58
unique academic publications and contributions during the 2020-21 academic year
23
Forestry
$603,149
Resource Communications
in grants awarded to the college during the 2021 fiscal year
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ATCOFA at a glance More than 618,000 metric tons
of carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestered since 2004 by STMicroelectronics forestland managed by the ATCOFA
3,449 acres
of forest managed in perpetuity as part of the Lumberjack Legacy program, with substantial increase of acreage expected in the coming years
Land Management ≈ $72,000
in undergraduate scholarships generated through timber management in 2021
Five
graduate projects in progress or completed that were partially or fully funded by timber management
Outreach More than 40
More than 400
high school students from across Texas participated in Ag in the Pineywoods Camp and Conservation Careers Camp
community members and FFA students reached through virtual and in-person programming at the Todd Agricultural Research Center
601 participants
27 Girl Scouts
from across the U.S. participated in a virtual badge event highlighting alligator snapping turtle research at ATCOFA.
reached through virtual conferences and presentations delivered by Dr. David Creech and SFA Gardens
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