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Forestry &Wildlife Sciences
Spring 2013
Water and West Nile Virus Auburn Researchers Study Links Between Urbanization, Water Quality, and West Nile Virus.
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School of
Index
Forestry &Wildlife Sciences
James P. Shepard Dean B. Graeme Lockaby Associate Dean of Research
Departments
Ed Loewenstein Associate Dean of Teaching
13 Research
5 News
Earl Ketchum Alumni Association President
20 Faculty Update
Heather Crozier Director of Development
32 Alumni
Jessica Nelson Managing Editor
22 Students 36 Development
20 Briefs and Updates Students 22 Freakonomics 22 Undergraduate Education to the Next Level
Office of Communications and Marketing
23 Conclave
Kevin Loden Editor
24 Archery Contest 25 2012 Award Recipients
Lucy LaMar Project Manager
28 2012-13 Scholarship And Fellowship Recipients
Jennie C. Hill Graphic Design Pam Kirby Print Production Manager
Faculty
News
Jeff Etheridge Melissa Humble Photography
4 Dean’s Message
Mosquito photos courtesy of VectorBase.org and CDC Public Health Image Library.
6 Solon and Dixon Foundation Center
Contributing Writers
8 Identifying Flood-Causing Areas
Alumni
Mark D. Smith School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences and Alabama Cooperative Extension System
10 SFWS Photo Contest
32 Homecoming
12 “Back Yard” Project
34 Avery interviewed by Scientific American
5 Pledges for Louise Kreher Forest Preserve 7 Outreach Day
34 Nominations for Alumni Assocation President
Melissa Schrieder Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium
34 Young Alumni Award Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Alumni Magazine, published by the Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. Issues appear annually and are distributed to alumni and friends of the school. Inquiries concerning the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences and its programs should be directed to the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Building, 602 Duncan Drive, Auburn, AL 36849. Inquiries and suggestions concerning the magazine should be directed to the dean at the above address or by email to jps0028@ auburn.edu. Questions concerning the school’s development program, including annual and corporate giving, planned gifts and estate planning, should be directed to Heather Crozier, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Building, 602 Duncan Drive, Auburn, AL 36849. Inquiries may also be made by email to vannhea@auburn.edu or by phone at (334) 844-2791. Produced by the Office of Communications and Marketing, March 2013. 2Auburn University is an equal opportunity educational institution/employer.
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Research 14 Wild Pig Research 15 Pine Seedling Diseases 15 Climate Research 16 Water and West Nile Virus
Development 36 Director of Development Message 37 Lawley Scholarship 37 Development Committee 37 War Eagle Woods 38 Woodlands and Wildlife Society
Index
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News in SFWS
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Research
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Water and West Nile Virus Auburn researchers study links between urbanization, water quality, and West Nile Virus.
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Faculty
Alumni
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Development 3
Dean’s Message
A Fresh Look at the School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences The school had a great year in 2012. We began requiring a six-week summer practicum for our wildlife ecology and management students at the Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center. That summer we had 27 wildlife students and 32 forestry students for their 10-week summer practicum. This growth in our program strained our single classroom, and so we broke ground on the new Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation Learning Center in June. It will feature the 100-seat GjerstadJohnson Longleaf Auditorium, a 40-seat classroom, and a conference room. Our fall enrollment was 286 undergraduates and 61 graduate students. We graduated 24 forestry majors, three forest engineers, and 30 wildlife majors. We also conferred eight master’s degrees, and four doctoral degrees. Job placement was very good, reflecting the improving economy and perhaps demographic trends. Drs. Becky Barlow and Mark Smith were promoted to associate professor and granted tenure. Dr. Stephen Ditchkoff was named the William R. and Fay Ireland Distinguished Professor of Wildlife Science and Dr. Lisa Samuelson was named as the first Dwain G. Luce Professor of Forestry. We hired Dr. Robert Gitzen as assistant professor of wildlife science. Dr. Greg Somers retired after 26 years of service. He had taught forest measurements and served as associate dean for academic affairs. Mrs. Lane Messer retired after 23 years of helping students from our Office of Student Services. We hired Mrs. Lisa Hollans to continue this important service. We hired Ms. Jessica Nelson as our communications specialist. She created a new quarterly e-newsletter, improved our social media, and is editor of our website and this magazine. Our Southern Forest Nursery Management Cooperative celebrated 40 years of applied research that has resulted in better quality seedlings without increasing seedling cost. Our International Center for Climate and Global Change Research published research on the effects of land-use change and climate change on carbon and nitrogen in the southeastern U.S. The Center for Forest Sustainability is conducting novel research on how economic and environmental factors interact with incidents of West Nile Virus. The Center for Longleaf Pine Ecosystems is studying carbon storage at three military bases and is participating in a South-wide study of climate change and mitigation for southern pines. Wildlife faculty received a grant
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from the country of Morocco to help control wild hogs that are threatening the food security of poor rural residents. Extension specialists began hosting workshops called Forestry and Football on Fridays before games. The City of Auburn is partnering with the school by providing $50,000 to support environmental education at the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve in Auburn. We have excellent faculty, staff, and students, and I am very proud of their accomplishments.
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City of Auburn pledges matching funds for Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve
In a new gesture of support, the City of Auburn pledged a fiveto-one match for individual and corporate contributions of up to $50,000 for the Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve in 2012. According to the agreement, the city is providing the grant in the form of matching funds to encourage community engagement and support for this resource for outdoor recreation and education. Becky Richardson, director of Auburn Parks and Recreation, said, “We realize the enjoyment and educational value that our citizens receive from our parks such as Kiesel Park and Town Creek. The Forest Ecology Preserve provides these same qualities to our community. The partnership between the City of Auburn and the Forest Ecology Preserve will be a win for both parties and our citizens.” Spanning more than 120 acres, the preserve features more than five miles of hiking trails through various habitats, educational displays and signage, a nature playground, an amphitheater, and pavilion space for programs. The preserve plans to use contributions and the city’s community grant to help keep up with the maintenance and improvements needed to support its 20,000 annual visitors. “We are so happy to have this support from the City of Auburn leadership and the Parks and Recreation department,” said Jennifer Lolley, outreach administrator at the preserve. “It is wonderful that they recognize how unique and beneficial we are to local schools and our community.” Lolley said that priorities include indoor classroom space and additional restroom facilities on the north side of the property, as well as funding for part-time staff. The Louise Kreher Forest Ecology Preserve was established in 1993 by a gift of land from Louise Kreher Turner and Frank Allen Turner. The preserve, an outreach effort of the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, is open daily to the public at no charge. For information about the preserve, upcoming events, or how to become a member, visit auburn.edu/preserve.
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Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation Learning Center Auburn University broke ground June 6, 2012, on the Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation Learning Center in Andalusia, Ala. With completion expected in April 2013, the $1.6 million facility will feature a 100-seat auditorium and 40-seat classroom addition at the Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center, which is used for teaching, research, and outreach by the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. The original gift of land and funds to create the center came from Solon Dixon, who visualized an immersive, livein learning experience for forestry students. “We must be able to continue to give our students the best possible preparation for the future,” said James Shepard, dean of Auburn’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. “Staying true to Solon Dixon’s vision is the way to do that.” During the mandatory summer practicum, forestry and wildlife students live and study on the 5,300 acres belonging to the center and gain valuable field experience. “There are few facilities like this in the nation,” said Shepard, “and none finer.” Research and student groups from universities across the nation have also utilized the Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center. In the summer of 2012, a team from Penn State researched lizards, and an Auburn University group had catalogued close to 1,000 species of plant life, representing nearly 20 percent of the plant biodiversity in the entire state of Alabama. The new facility will also enhance the center’s ability to offer modern training and conference space to natural resources groups throughout the year, which helps support the center’s operations. Doris Tyler, speaking on behalf of the Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation, said that they are excited about the new facility and the advantages it will offer to students and partner organizations. The Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation has continued to support the center since its inception in 1978, and has pledged 60 percent of the cost of the new facility. Fundraising efforts are ongoing. For more information, please contact Development Officer Heather Crozier at vannhea@ auburn.edu or 334-844-2791.
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AWF presents check toward Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation Learning Center
On behalf of the Alabama Wildlife Federation, Grant Lynch, Grady Hartzog, and Tim Gothard presented Dean Shepard with a $10,000 donation for the Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation Learning Center. This new addition to the Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center in Andalusia, an outreach facility of the Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, will feature a new auditorium and classroom fitted with up-to-the minute technology. This gift will secure a place on a Wall of Honor in the new facility for the AWF. “We think this is a great investment in wildlife management and wildlife management students at the university and in the state of Alabama. It will pay off for all of us,” said Gothard, AWF executive director. All wildlife sciences students at SFWS are now required to complete a six-week summer practicum at the Solon Dixon center, joining a decades-long tradition for Auburn University forestry students. The Summer Practicum experience provides intensive, hand-on experience for students in these career fields amid the diverse flora and fauna of this 5,300-acre outdoor classroom.
Center for Forest Sustainability Hosts Outreach Day Nearly 50 young people from Tallassee and other area summer programs learned about environmental sciences on Tuesday, June 26, 2012 at an Outreach Day hosted by the Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences’ Center for Forest Sustainability. The children participated in exercises designed to help them understand the research of the center, primarily the interface between the urban and natural worlds. The students circulated between a number of sessions over the course of the day, including a demonstration by the popular EcoDogs program, a wildlife station, an urban forestry exercise, a water resources station, and an interactive demonstration called Enviroscape. Michelle Cole, CFS outreach director, says “We wanted to plan a program that would introduce natural resources to students of all ages.” Although she makes presentations to classrooms throughout the region, she typically is working with only one age group, instead of the diverse group of first- through sixth-graders attending Outreach Day. “People, especially kids, don’t know that natural resources relate to many things – it’s about water, wildlife, and urban forestry,” she says. The day’s learning activities kicked off with a demonstration by two of the EcoDogs team, led by Todd Steury, assistant professor of wildlife ecology management. First, a black Labrador retriever named Blue searched out previously placed bear scat, an example of how the dogs can help wildlife experts know whether a protected or endangered animal is active in a certain range. He was followed by Jake, another black lab, who hunted down a hidden deer antler. After the successful hunt, the children crowded around for a chance to pet an excited Jake. This and the other learning stations highlighted research that is supported in part by the CFS. A wildlife session was conducted by Christina Romagosa, a wildlife researcher featured recently for her work with the EcoDogs, hunting pythons in the Florida Everglades. Reptiles are her specialty, and she surprised students (and some teachers) with real frogs and snakes in the classroom. The Enviroscape session, led by water program specialist Kathryne Christian, highlighted pollution and water issues with an interactive model showing how different contaminants flow into local water systems. Chris Anderson, associate director of the CFS and assistant professor of forestry and wildlife, took kids to the arboretum to take a closer look at wetland resources during an afternoon session, while Brenda Allen, associate professor of urban forestry, conducted the sessions on urban forestry with Michelle Cole. The urban forestry exercise gives older children insight into the practice of urban forestry through an imaginative game. They get information about how cities manage natural resources, and then they are assigned roles and a problem to solve. “City managers” and “foresters” work together to decide where trees need to be planted and why, and then present their project. “We were really pleased with the event,” says Graeme Lockaby, director of the center and associate dean for research at the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. “This was the first time we tried something like this, and I think they had a good time.” Cole pointed out that another group of young people were engaged by the day. Volunteers from Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences shepherded children, handed out wooden name badges, and helped ensure smooth transitions throughout the day. For more information about the Center for Forest Sustainability, please visit https://fp.auburn.edu/cfs/.
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Decision-makers have new tool to identify flood-causing trouble areas Scientific index to aid in community planning in Eightmile Creek Watershed by Melissa Schrieder To help communities plan for future development and minimize flood hazards, scientists have created a way to rank areas of a watershed based on their contributions to flooding. The project also helps planners by showing which areas are vulnerable to flooding based on potential upstream development. Auburn University scientists Latif Kalin, associate professor of forest hydrology in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Puneet Srivastava, associate professor of biosystems engineering, and Charlene LeBleu, an associate professor of landscape architecture, are leading the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant-funded research project that has created the method and tested it in the Eightmile Creek Watershed in coastal Alabama. The watershed includes parts of the cities of Prichard, Mobile, and Chickasaw in Mobile County. The project demonstrated that not all steep slopes and large patches of impervious surfaces (rooftops, streets, parking lots) in an area contribute equally to flooding. Some might even have less impact than pervious areas, which is contrary to what is commonly thought. “Impervious areas are always the first one to blame. However, not all impervious areas are equal. The locations of impervious areas in a watershed are extremely important too. An impervious area close to a flood-prone area could contribute too quickly to the streamflow, and the generated runoff from those areas might leave the watershed even before the arrival of flow from upstream areas. What eventually drives peak flows is the complex interaction of land use, topography, surface roughness, soil properties, and travel time of runoff generated from different parts of the watershed to the flood-prone area,” Kalin said. A science-based index was created using a watershed model, which assigns numbers to different areas of the watershed that includes all the land draining into the Eightmile Creek. The numbers indicate how much an area will contribute to flooding if it is developed as different uses, such as agricultural, residential, or industrial. “If the index is high, it might tell city planners that if it is developed according to the plan, it will have a serious impact on flooding,” Kalin said. The researchers identified two key areas that are vulnerable to flooding in the wake of upstream development: downstream of the golf course on Bear Fork Road to Megginson Park and the area in the vicinity of the wastewater treatment plant at Prichard to Shelton Beach Road and Eightmile Creek. This information will help community leaders anticipate areas that may be plagued with flooding in the future. Although the index was created to provide science-based information to assist the city of Prichard in updating its comprehensive plan, the method can be used in other watersheds to create indexes specific to those areas. The research team used aerial photographs, topographic data, land-use maps, and soil maps to create the model. The research team used flow monitors to measure in several locations how fast, deep, and wide the river was every 15 minutes during storm events. The collected streamflow data was used to demonstrate that the model can indeed predict peak flows with good accuracy given the rainfall information. The scientific data collected in the Eightmile Creek Watershed is being used to inform policy and design. While working on this project, scientists also worked with the city of Prichard to develop a stream-buffer ordinance that requires vegetation to be present along the edges of streams throughout the city and beyond. Reading Creek, a tributary of Eightmile Creek, has been selected for restoration as part of this project. “It will demonstrate how removal of invasive plant species and reestablishment of floodplain and vegetative buffer help attenuate flooding,” LeBleu said. “The width of the buffer is based on the land-use index.” 9
SFWS Photo Contest This year marked the second annual SFWS photo contest. The contest was initiated by Dean Shepard in 2011 to fill the SFWS building with great photos and to promote what we do. Many of last year’s winners are in the hallway of the Dean’s Suite, and second and third place winners can be found throughout the building. The grand prize winner each year will occupy the place of honor in the atrium of the SFWS building until the next winner is announced. This year submissions were shared on Facebook as they came in, with our users invited to participate by “liking” their favorites. The winners can be viewed in an album on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ausfws, and all of the submissions are still online in the photo albums. Congratulations to Dr. Scott Enebak for submitting this year’s grand prize winning photo of a cypress wetland after a rainstorm.
Human Interest 1st Place:Full Exposure on the Ft. Pierre Grasslands by James Robert Dearman Wildlife 1st Place: Hoo Are You? by Jeannie McCollum
Plants 1st Place: Pitcher Paradise by Justin Grider
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Grand Prize Winner and Landscape 1st Place: Cypress Forest in the Rain by Scott Enebak Research 1st Place: Working the Plots by Scott Enebak
Extension and Outreach 1st Place: Public Relations for Snakes by Jessica Nelson Travel 1st Place:The Migration by Matthew Wales
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Teaching 1st Place: Learn to Burn by Matthew Wales
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Students Initiate Restoration Ecology Project in SFWS “Back Yard” by Jessica Nelson
The project to restore the small area of forestland behind the SFWS building began in January 2012 with Dr. John Kush’s forest ecology class. The 10 acres behind the school are university property under the care of SFWS. As an exercise, Kush took the class through the woods and asked them simply, “What do you see?” It began as a sort of informal assessment exercise – not of the land, but of the students’ ability. There were no right answers, Kush says, he was simply feeling out the knowledge and skills of the new class. He asked them to describe what they saw in terms of things like species and soil and think about the question of whether what they saw was what should be there. What Kush didn’t expect from his students was a wave of enthusiasm for restoring the area to a functioning ecosystem. Privet choked the understory, and other invasives and exotics dotted the landscape. Students also spotted native species that didn’t belong; that is, they weren’t right for what was the original ecosystem – longleaf pine forest. “I was surprised by how interested some were,” Kush says of the students who began to ask for permission to start work on the tract. “They were upset with how bad it looked. They said ‘This is behind our building, and we should do something to improve it.’ ” Kush says though he was pleased his students’ awareness of the degraded ecosystem in their backyard and their eagerness to restore it, he was hesitant to take the project further until he saw that the students were committed. They didn’t just talk about making improvements; they showed up to do the work. What’s more, Kush says, students stayed interested, and their number grew. After a presentation to the Auburn chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology about longleaf ecosystems in Alabama that ended with a tour of the stand, many of those students volunteered their time alongside forestry students. Over four months, they staged six work days in the wooded area directly behind the SFWS building. Work groups ranged in size from about 8 to thirty students each time. Once he realized how much interest there was from students, Kush and fellow professor Dr. Becky Barlow, who had previously worked with students on a similar stand on the opposite side of Donahue Drive, applied for a Forestry Tag Grant through the Alabama Forests Foundation. The grant proposal asked for funding to cover the costs of brush cutting and mulching in both stands to begin restoring a natural longleaf ecosystem. Their plan was to then tie the two stands together with an interpretive trail. Around that time, the Office of the Provost put out a call for ideas for campus strategic planning, says Kush, and one of the areas emphasized was green space. Kush and other professors wrote in describing the work that had already been done in the two Donahue tracts and what was planned for the future. Persistence paid off when SFWS Dean James Shepard and Dr. Barlow were invited to meet with Provost Timothy Boosinger and the vice president for Facilities, Dan King.
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They liked what they heard and invited a formal proposal for the future work on both sides of Donahue. The result was a $25,000 grant from Facilities for the very project they previously outlined in the Forestry Tag Grant proposal, which was not selected. Objectives of the project include restoring a functioning ecosystem, installing interpretive signage along a guided trail, and generally making the area suitable for a forestry and wildlife sciences outdoors classroom. In fall 2012, facilities cleared and mulched the understory of growth that should not be present, and maintenance work to ensure that these species do not return will continue in coming months. “Facilities has been incredible to work with,” says Kush. He is enthusiastic about the collaborative efforts from both students and administration. Kush envisions several semesters of hands-on student learning in the SFWS back yard. After the initial clearing, students will now help maintain the stand. They will take out litter, monitor plots of land for the return of privet and other invasives and exotics, participate in controlled burns, and monitor cones from the existing longleaf pines. With luck, Kush says, the pines will begin natural regeneration, though they will help with some planting of longleaf seedlings if necessary. Other students have already gotten involved with Dr. Wayde Morse’s environmental interpretation class, designing impressive interpretive signage for the future trail. The signs tell the story of longleaf pine in Alabama, describe the wildlife found in longleaf ecosystems, explain the importance of fire in longleaf forests, and more. While the most exciting part of watching the project unfold was
the fact that it was initiated and driven by student interest, Kush adds that this particular bit of land is rather special. Towering above the privet-choked understory, they found 200-year-old longleaf pines, something he says that is unlikely to be found on any other southern campus. “There’s just nothing else this old and this accessible,” he says. Longleaf once dominated Alabama’s forests, with longleaf pine ecosystems covering an estimated 40 – 50 percent of the Southeast at the time of Europeans’ arrival in the area. That has shrunk to 5,000 acres of old-growth, and he estimates that there aren’t more than a few thousand trees that age in all of the Southeast – much less within a minute’s walk of the classroom facilities of a forestry program. The entire tract will be a classroom not just for SFWS students, but for the university. “We want a demonstration area to educate students and people in general about what built Alabama: longleaf pine,” Kush says. Forestry is changing, and we want to help people think about it differently. With edges on Lem Morrison Drive and Donahue, the stand is perfectly positioned to attract attention to the work of our students.
R esearch The School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences promotes fundamental and applied research that achieves significant disciplinary advances and creates practical knowledge that can improve people’s lives. Faculty and students at all levels engage in current, relevant research, as exemplified in the research highlights in this publication. From cutting edge climate research, to public health, to helping manage the wild pig problem, SFWS faculty and students are making a difference with research.
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Auburn University professor receives grant from Moroccan government for wild pig research by Jessica Nelson Agricultural damage by wild pigs not only affects the southeastern U.S., but is also a challenge faced by farmers around the world. Recently, Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences professor Steve Ditchkoff received an $80,000 grant from the government of Morocco for research and outreach activities to help curb its growing problem with agricultural damage from wild pigs. Ditchkoff, Auburn’s William R. and Fay Ireland Endowed Distinguished Professor in Wildlife Sciences, will conduct a pilot study to see whether a trapping method developed by his graduate student, Rob Holtfreter, can be adapted to Morocco’s system and pigs. The project developed after Ditchkoff spoke at a summit in Morocco as the premier U.S. expert on wild pigs. The meeting brought together key players in agriculture and forestry in Morocco, including the top ministry officials in those areas. The small panel of international experts also included one speaker from Spain and two from France, and each country’s representative presented the unique challenges and current research from their home region. According to Ditchkoff, wild pigs are native to Morocco, but have been a growing threat to small farmers in the region. “They have farmers with two and three acres,” he said. “There are parts of the country that are much closer to subsistence agriculture. So this is impacting not just income, but the ability to feed the family and entire villages.” Among the panelists, Ditchkoff was unique in offering possible feasible solutions to pig removal, according to Moroccan officials. Holtfreter’s system, called “whole sounder removal,” capitalizes on the territoriality of family groups – sounders - by removing the entire group of breeding females and their young at one time. Ditchkoff emphasizes that this is key; one female left behind will be able to repopulate a territory within 18 months. “Within three hours of my talk, they wanted to run a pilot study on Rob’s research,” Ditchkoff said. He and Mark Smith, a specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and associate professor in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, put together a proposal that would combine research and extension. They propose to learn how best to control the Moroccan pigs as well as provide educational materials for the farmers whose livelihoods are being decimated. “There are some things we’ll have to learn, but it is achievable,” Ditchkoff says. “The farmers are asking for help, but there’s no one that can help them there. I think we have a high probability of success with this pilot study.” Ditchkoff and Smith are also planning to host the 2014 International Wild Pig Conference in Montgomery. For more information about Holtfreter’s whole sounder removal system, a presentation is available online at http:// www.wildpigconference.com/proceedings09/holtfreter1.pdf. 14 14
New Treatment for Pine Seedling Diseases School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Professor Scott Enebak and research fellow Tom Starkey recently spearheaded the registration of a fungicide that has proved to be an efficient solution to a longstanding problem for nurseries growing pine seedlings. Enebak says that one of the most devastating fungal diseases that affect loblolly pine is fusiform rust. Until the 1980s, only one treatment for this condition was available, and it was not very efficient, still leaving growers open to a 5-10 percent loss if infection happened to hit a nursery. However, the Southern Forest Nursery Cooperative found another compound that worked better, and also required fewer applications. This compound, Bayleton, was like moving from the dark ages to the enlightenment, says Enebak. Not only did infection rates drop, but growers previously had to handinspect seedlings because the previous compound was so inefficient. However, in the mid-2000s, Bayleton came under review for re-registration by the EPA, and its safety was questioned. Pressure was brought to bear to lower usage, and for food growers with other options, Bayleton became a liability. However, it was pine growers’ only defense against this fusiform rust, which could decimate a pine stand. After an arduous battle to prevent its de-registration, Enebak and Starkey got to work searching out alternatives from a steady stream of new compounds intended to fight similar fungal diseases that affected corn, soybeans, or cotton. “Companies do not generally make new compounds for seedlings,” Enebak says. “The market and acreage are just too small.” They felt as though they were racing against the clock, fearing that Bayleton could still be pulled out from under them at any time. The process was slow, involving treating a bed of seedlings with a compound, then transporting the batch to a lab in North Carolina that would expose the seedlings to fusiform rust and then monitor them over three months of growth to see whether the tiny trees became infected. After two years, they got a breakthrough with a chemical called Provost, and then further testing led to the discovery that one component of Provost – Proline – was the star ingredient. It worked as well as Bayleton, reducing infection rates to nearly nothing when applied. This in itself was stellar news, but they decided to test it against two other diseases that affect pine seedlings pitch canker and rhizoctonia foliar blight. What they found exceeded their hopes – that Proline was in fact extremely effective against both of these conditions as well. “Proline’s effectiveness in controlling pitch canker and rhizoctonia foliar blight is particularly exciting because rhizoctonia was only partially controlled with the only available treatment, and there was absolutely nothing to help growers if their seedlings got pitch canker,” says Enebak. He says that if a grower found pitch canker in a batch of seedlings, there was absolutely nothing he could do but watch them die. However, finding this gem and getting it to market were two very
different animals. Proline was labeled for use on several food crops, but not for nonfood crops, and it was not an easy sell to the EPA. Companies were not interested in fighting for Proline to be labeled for nurseries, because of the relatively minuscule use compared to huge corn, cotton, or soybean crops. The membership of the Southern Forest Nursery Cooperative agreed to pay the $30,000 for an environmental impact assessment by the EPA, which meant more waiting, as well as more research into questions like bird predation of pine seeds. And then some more waiting. Finally, Proline was approved for use in nurseries. “With Proline’s labeling for use in forest nurseries, growers now have access to one of the most effective tools the industry has ever seen,” says Enebak. “This is going to save millions of dollars.”
New Climate Research from SFWS Professor Featured in Science Magazine Auburn University professor Hanqin Tian is set to collaborate on a three-year, $1.4 million project funded by the National Science Foundation that will study historical links between climate and society. The multidisciplinary project, which also includes scientists from the University of West Virginia, Columbia University, the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, NJ, and the National University of Mongolia, was featured in a recent issue of Science magazine. The purpose of the project, says Tian, Alumni and Solon Dixon Professor in School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences and director of the International Center for Climate and Global Change Research, is to better understand the roles of climate, energy, and water in the evolution of the Mongol Empire. Tian and the other researchers believe that by combining historical and archaeological data with tree-ring records and lake sediment, they can draw valuable conclusions about complex interactions between human civilization and changing climate conditions. “I believe this study on the rise and decline of the Mongol Empire will provide some clues for today’s human on how to sustain our society in the future,” Tian says. The Science article describes a brief period of incredibly favorable climate conditions that coincided neatly with the Ghengis Khan’s rapid conquest of much of Asia, and a period of rapid climate change that in turn preceded a period of reinvention for a contracted Mongol Empire. The full article can be viewed at http://www.sciencemag.org/ content/337/6102/1596.full. Tian has previously received national attention for his climate research. In addition to a landmark study on century-scale fluxes in carbon storage in the Southeast, he has also been honored by the White House for his contribution to the 2013 National Climate Assessment. This report is mandated by the Global Change Research Act of 1990, and brings together research from leading scientists across the country. According to the website for the Global Change Research Program, the NCA is intended to inform federal policy as well as educate U.S. citizens about climate science and how to plan sustainably for the future. 15
Links Between Water Quality,
West Nile Virus by Jessica Nelson
Auburn Researchers Study Links Between Urbanization, Water Quality, and West Nile Virus Graeme Lockaby and Latif Kalin, Clinton-McClure Professor and associate professor, respectively, at the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, have been awarded a $240,000 grant from the U.S. department of Agriculture Urban and Community Forestry Program to fund research that will study the links between urbanization and West Nile Virus. The project, “Impact of Forest to Urban Conversion on Human Health,� will be conducted in collaboration with Wayne Zipperer at the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station, the Department of Epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Ga., and the Georgia Department of Community Health, as well as SFWS faculty members Krisztian Magori and Wayde Morse, and doctoral student Navideh Noori. Lockaby, who is also director of the Center for Forest Sustainability, has previously worked extensively with the impact of urbanization on water quality. It was this work that sparked his interest in urban stream quality and human health, and exploring what role research from the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences might play in exploring these issues.
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Lockaby’s previous experience with sampling water in rural areas did not prepare him for what his graduate research assistant Jackie Crim found when sampling streams in Columbus, Ga. “After Katrina, they were talking about the high levels of fecal coliform in the streets of New Orleans, but the data Jackie was collecting were three times that level after a storm. No disaster – just routine rainfall patterns,” he says. The magnitude of the problem became more evident the more he looked. The streams are in neighborhoods, with no way to assess who had exposure to streams at what times, and how that might relate to illnesses. He explains one of the problems: “A child goes in a stream – children will play in water – and gets sick two days later. Is it because of bad water or some bad milk?” There was just no clear way to study the epidemiology of it, he says. However, with West Nile Virus, there is a clear test – a person either has it or does not. Past studies have shown a direct link between poor water quality and increased mosquito populations, including the species that is responsible for the spread of West Nile Virus. This seemed like one way to attack the problem. However, precise data linking land-use change and West Nile Virus risk is lacking. “Many of the environmental factors associated with West Nile Virus remain unclear,” says Lockaby. “What we, as a natural resources unit, bring to the
“In my viewpoint the whole project is about the effects of urbanization and deforestation on human health,” says Magori. table is the ability to do a very detailed analysis of the landscape, including aspects that may contribute to risk.” Krisztian Magori, a quantitative disease ecologist, has joined the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences as a postdoctoral fellow for this project. Previous research, said Magori, gives conflicting evidence on what conditions present the most risk for mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile Virus. “In my viewpoint, the whole project is about the effects of urbanization and deforestation on human health,” says Magori. “Dr. Lockaby and others have done a great job showing that urbanization and deforestation definitely have effects on streams. Now we are trying to bring together data sets of water quality and hydrology, land-use/land-cover changes, and occurrences of West Nile Virus to see if there is really a link between urbanization and mosquitoborne diseases, how we can best describe that linkage, and what we can do about it.” The project will begin with a mesocosm-scale study and move on to a broad landscape-scale study involving real stream sources and West Nile Virus outbreaks. “This is about predicting risk,” said 18
Lockaby. “We don’t want to just say bad water quality probably means more mosquitoes. We want to show a numerical relationship to help prevent infection.” West Nile Virus was responsible for hundreds of reported infections and many deaths in the United States in 2012, but Magori said that the impact of the disease could still be underestimated. A study suggested that up to 3 million people nationwide could have been infected since the disease hit U.S. shores in 1999. He adds that a Texas study suggested that a small percentage of those infected – including people who never showed symptoms – can experience long-term health problems. Even considering only the worst cases of West Nile Virus and the potential for ongoing problems, the economic costs for treatment are high despite the low incidence of the disease in most years. However, they hope the Auburn study will have even broader implications. West Nile Virus, Lockaby points out, is one of a wide array of mosquito-vectored diseases like dengue fever, which can be devastating and has begun to make an appearance in the United States recently. He hopes the methodology they develop can be applied to a variety of these diseases, which may begin to be more prevalent in the United States as we see increasing climate variability, as well as assessing other health impacts of polluted water. Since receiving the grant, the team has completed one pilot study and are beginning a second more replicated mesocosm-scale study to assess ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes that commonly bear the West Nile Virus. The mesocosm study is essentially a container-based experiment using containers with varying levels of chemical contaminants commonly found in stream water. The water came from a forested stream, and they first added leaf litter to breed bacteria that mosquito larvae eat. Some containers received only water, some only additional leaf litter, and others received nitrate, phosphate, ammonia, or a combination of ammonia and phosphate. Then they added 300 mosquito eggs to each container, obtained from Professor Nannan Liu of the Entomology Department. Although the eggs hatched more slowly than the usual time frame due to the advent of cooler weather, the information from the pilot study enabled the development of the much larger second study with six identical replications of 19 concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorous concentrations. This study will provide insight into the most ideal breeding conditions for these mosquitoes, which are generally believed to require water with some degree of pollution. There has previously been no study of this in the scientific literature. As their mosquitoes ripen, Noori and Magori check each container daily and take photos. Any larvae that show signs of moving to the next stage of growth (“pupae”) are removed into individual vials. Each adult female can produce 100 eggs, Magori says. Meanwhile, a selection process is under way for potential field sites spanning a range of environmental conditions in the Atlanta metro area, where numerous cases of WNV-infected mosquitoes have been documented. Field crews will collect socio-economic and vegetation data for these sites, and the team will work to relate those data to WNVinfection data. Although foresters and professionals across the natural resources career field know that forests and green spaces are important, this study has the potential to bring into focus an additional, much more specific benefit of forestland – human health. As they study the connection between pollution in urban water sources and outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile Virus, Lockaby, Magori, and Noori are forging a new collaboration between fields of public health and natural resources. 19
FAC U LT Y Kenneth McNabb Kenneth McNabb, Mosley Environmental Professor and Extension Specialist, was selected as one of the Society of American Foresters Fellows. This recognition honors members who have provided outstanding contributions and service to the society and the forestry profession. Accomplishments which led to his selection include work on international projects and programs; notable publications; leadership in meetings, conferences and workshops; translating his international experience to a new, globally focused course for students; and service to the SAF at the national and state levels.
Lisa Samuelson Lisa Samuelson is developing a tool to model carbon sequestration in longleaf pine ecosystems. She is also looking at forest products and habitat structure. The longer you can keep the carbon in the tree – or in wood form – the longer it stays out of the atmosphere. Longleaf pines live longer, and are generally managed in an uneven age structure, so they are good for long-term carbon storage, which is something the Department of Defense is interested in. The military uses a lot of energy, and is interested in knowing how much carbon is sequestered in the longleaf pine ecosystems that they maintain as one location for training exercises. The current focus of the project is generating data to inform a model that will be able to predict tree biomass from the tree size.
Todd Steury Todd Steury’s research into black bears in Alabama has received a good deal of notice in various statewide media this year. Using the EcoDogs program to track scat as well as other non-invasive monitoring programs, Steury and graduate students working with him have been able to gather information about the health and growth of these bear populations in Alabama.
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Wei Ren Wei Ren, research associate and SFWS alumna, has received the 2012 Early Career Ecologist Award from the Asian Ecology Section of the Ecological Society of America. Ren’s primary research interest is in developing and applying the Dynamic Land Ecosystem Model to understand how multifactor global changes in climate, land-use/landcover, and atmospheric chemistry have affected and will affect terrestrial ecosystems.
Tom Gallagher Tom Gallagher, assistant professor in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, was recognized by the President’s Outstanding Collaborative Units Award for his role in the Center for Bioenergy and Bioproducts. The collaboration between SFWS, biosystems engineering, and chemical engineering allows research in one center to follow the entire process from harvest to final product. Gallagher’s research focuses on improving efficiency in growing and harvesting of woodbased feedstock for biofuels and bioproducts.
Daowei Zhang Daowei Zhang, alumnus and George W. Peake Jr. Professor, was invited by the International Union of Forest Research Organizations to be a keynote speaker May 16-17 at a workshop on planted forests in Porto, Portugal. He will speak about economic and policy perspectives from forest plantations in the United States, China, and Brazil and the implications their experiences have for the rest of the world.
Faculty and Staff Updates Named Professorships Steve Ditchkoff was appointed as the William R. and Fay Ireland Endowed Distinguished Professor in Wildlife Sciences. Dr. Ditchkoff joined SFWS in 2001. Additionally, Lisa Samuelson is now the first Dwain G. Luce Professor of Forestry. Dr. Samuelson joined SFWS in 1994.
New Faculty and Staff Rapeepan Kantavichai – Post Doctoral Fellow Xing Sun – Post Doc Jessica Nelson – Specialist, Communications and Marketing Bo Tao – Post Doctoral Fellow Krisztian Magori – Post Doctoral Fellow Rajesh Sawant – Research Associate Alyssa Rosenblum – Forestry Tech Ben Whitaker – Research Associate Alyson Webber – Research Associate Suanne Gilbert – Admin Support Associate Robert Gitzen – Assistant Professor Claudia Penaloza – Post Doctoral Fellow Rhonda Gibson – Coordinator, Contracts & Grants
New Visiting Scholars Mehmet Ozcan Zhuoting Gan Osman Topacoglu Caiqing Zhu Tianxing Liu Xinhua Qi Zhigao Sun Chenhuan Lai Feng Du Hui Xu Yuanfeng Pan Guihen Ma Kenan Li
Retirements Lane Messer – August 2012 Dr. Greg Somers – January 2013 21
STUDENTS
SFWS grad student featured in Freakonomics podcast Freakonomics was an unexpectedly popular book about the weird side of economics. The brand has since been expanded to a movie, another book, and a regular podcast. Wildlife sciences grad student Rob Holtfreter, who works with Dr. Steve Ditchkoff, was featured on a recent episode about his experience with the failed bounty program in Georgia to control wild pigs. See a write up and download the podcast here: http://www.freakonomics.com/2012/10/11/thecobra-effect-a-new-freakonomics-radio-podcast/.
Taking undergraduate education to the next level by Mark D. Smith, Associate Professor/Extension Specialist, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, Auburn University Getting field experience in wildlife is one thing, but taking on the responsibilities of an entire research project is another. This past year, two School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences undergraduates were awarded Auburn University Undergraduate Research Fellowships to conduct studies on removal methods for wild pigs and the identification of southeastern carnivores from scat. Only 24 of these highly coveted fellowships were awarded to promising undergraduate students. Sponsored by the Office of the Vice President for Research, the intent of the Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program is to facilitate one-on-one mentored research between faculty and academically superior students. Each faculty member is responsible for helping their student develop a sound research project, collect and analyze data, and report the results of their research in popular articles, professional presentations, and ultimately scientific journals. One of SFWS’s undergraduate fellows, senior Lindsey Phillips, is taking the lead role in studying one of Alabama’s most destructive nonnative animals, the wild pig (or feral hog). Wild pigs are responsible for more than $30 million dollars per year of agricultural- and forest-related damage in Alabama. Working with Dr. Mark Smith, extension specialist and associate professor of wildlife, and the USDA Wildlife Services, Phillips is trying to determine the best approach for removing wild pigs through combinations of trapping and shooting. “This has been a great opportunity to really see what goes into a research project” states Phillips. “And I’m really looking forward to pulling all this data together into something that will help the average landowner manage pig damage.” Phillip’s research ultimately will be used to develop best management practices for landowners seeking to remove wild pigs from their properties.
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Working with Dr. Todd Steury, assistant professor of wildlife, undergraduate research fellow Dusty Harrell has been analyzing DNA extracted from the feces of numerous mammals throughout Alabama. Building upon previous research, Harrell and Steury are developing a rapid, accurate, and cost-effective means for identifying carnivore populations from the droppings they leave behind, saving a great deal of time and money in not having to capture and handle animals. “I’m really excited about this research” said Harrell. “This could really change the way we obtain information about wildlife populations.” Undergraduate involvement in research has always been, and will continue to be, a priority for the school. Not only does undergraduate research prepare students for advanced degrees, but it also develops the critical thinking skills required for students to be successful professionals. Dr. Edward Loewenstein, the school’s associate dean for academic affairs, summed it up best, “These undergraduate research opportunities provide our students the necessary skills to be leaders in the profession.” And the investment in these exceptional students is paying big dividends. Trent Smith, a 2011 fellowship recipient, conducted research on wild pig traps which culminated in several presentations to professional and layperson audiences, a scientific publication, and his acceptance of a graduate research position at the University of Missouri-Columbia studying elk reintroduction, a high profile graduate research project. Needless to say, the school’s commitment to undergraduate research is having a great impact on the future of natural resource management.
students
Auburn Hosting Forestry Conclave in 2013 The 56th Annual Southern Forestry Conclave will take place in Auburn this year, including the televised STIHL Collegiate Timbersports Championships. Look for photos and more from this year’s event on the SFWS website and Facebook page.
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STUDENTS
Annual Archery Contest for Log-a-Load a Success The Log-a-Load for Kids Archery Contest is one of the biggest events of the year for the Forestry Club. Log-a-Load for Kids is a statewide campaign sponsored by the Alabama Loggers Council and the Alabama Forestry Association. The goal is to unite loggers, landowners, foresters, and wood products manufacturers in a common effort to benefit Alabama’s critically ill, injured, and abused children. The concept of Log-a-Load for Kids calls for loggers and others in the Alabama forestry community to donate what a load of logs is worth to a logger - about $350. Each year the Forestry Club sponsors an archery contest to raise funds toward this campaign. The Forestry Club president James Robert Dearman commented on the results. “We had an excellent turnout; over 70 contestants competed in three different hunting classes. We had representatives from both Log-ALoad and Children’s Miracle Network present, and both commented on the wonderful job we were doing. We thank everyone who came out to volunteer; the work could not have been done without them. And of course, we raised A LOT of money for Log-A-Load (over $4,000), and we will likely once again lead the southeastern forestry schools in funds raised for Log-A-Load for this year.”
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STUDENTS
2012 Awards Dean James Shepard welcomed students and faculty to the annual Awards Ceremony on April 4, 2012, in the Forestry and Wildlife Sciences building. This casual and fun celebration honors exceptional students with monetary awards to recognize academic excellence, leadership, and effort.
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2012 SFWS Awards
Auburn Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Alumni Association Outstanding Senior Academics Award in Forestry
Sarah L. Lesley Auburn Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Alumni Association Outstanding Senior Academics Award in Wildlife
Trenton N. Smith Weyerhaeuser Forest Economics Award
Robert E. Greer
Alabama Chapter of The Wildlife Society Student Leadership Award
Mason B. Childers Westervelt Rising Senior Award in Wildlife
Rebecca A. Young Toomer’s Oak Leadership Award
James Robert Dearman III Toomer’s Oak Leadership Award
Matthew D. Wales Alabama Division, Society of American Foresters Junior Leadership Award
Toomer’s Oak Support Award
James Robert Dearman III
Kenneth Brian Watts
Southeast Society of American Foresters and Alabama Division Leadership Award
Annual Academic Improvement Award in Forestry
Ocllo K. Parks F & W Forestry Services Inc. Rising Senior Award
Zalin G. Smith Association of Consulting Foresters Senior Leadership Award
Sarah L. Lesley Alabama Forest Owners’ Association Award
Lindsey M. Phillips William Allen Carey Memorial Outstanding Forest Pathologist Award
Alexander B. Hedgepath
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Steven G. Fuller Jr.
W. Earl Hughes Annual Memorial Scholarship in Forestry Summer Practicum
Ocllo K. Parks James R. Taylor Summer Practicum Scholarship
Ocllo K. Parks Summer Practicum Endowed Scholarship in Forestry
Fern B. Graves Summer Practicum Endowed Scholarship in Forestry
Joseph L. Green
2012 SFWS Awards
Summer Practicum Endowed Scholarship in Forestry
Graduate Awards
William H. Leonard
Kykenkee Fellowship Award and the Drummond Award for the SFWS Outstanding Master’s Student
Summer Practicum Endowed Scholarship in Forestry
Lauren Behnke, MS Forestry
Greyson S. Matthews
Dukes Fellowship Award in Wildlife Sciences and the Beshears Fellowship Award
The Alabama Wildlife Federation/Robert G. Wehle Non-Game Management Annual Award
Lindsey M. Phillips The Alabama Wildlife Federation/David K. Nelson Game Management Annual Award
James Cory Groover E.A. Hauss Scholarship Award
Christopher L. Chambers E.A. Hauss Scholarship Award
Kurtis Chase Jolander
Allison Keever, MS Wildlife Sciences Goggans Award in Forest Biology
Althea ArchMiller, PhD Forestry the Drummond Award for the SFWS Outstanding PhD Student
Rui Xie, PhD Forestry nominated for the Merriwether Award to represent the SFWS at the University level. Also the recipient of Dukes Fellowship in Forestry
Navideh Noori, PhD Forestry E.A. Hauss Scholarship Award
Elizabeth Messick E.A. Hauss Scholarship Award
John Walker Price E.A. Hauss Scholarship Award
Cot R. Sanspree E.A. Hauss Scholarship Award
Zalin G. Smith
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STUDENTS
2012-13 Scholarships and Fellowships The annual Scholarship Ceremony was held August 25, 2012, in the Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Building, followed by a reception in the atrium. This annual event not only recognizes outstanding students who have earned scholarships and fellowships, but is a chance for scholarship donors to meet and chat with the students who benefit from their generosity.
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2012-13 Scholarship and Fellowship Recipients ALABAMA ASSOCIATION OF CONSERVATION DISTRICTS AUXILIARY ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
Elizabeth J. Messick Senior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Brian M. Kincaid Junior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Karley M. Lopresti Junior, BS, Wildlife Sciences Pre-Vet
Monica E. Richert ROSE EUGENE ATCHISON ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP IN FORESTRY
Zalin G. Smith Senior, BS, Forestry and BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Sophomore, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Hilary E. Rizk Junior, BS, Wildlife Sciences Pre-Vet
Meagan B. Roy Junior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Norman Buce Bearden Endowed Memorial Scholarship in Forestry and Wildlife
Mason B. Childers Junior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Mackenzie L. Stevenson Junior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Burgin Companies’ Endowed Scholarship in Forestry
Zalin G. Smith Senior, BS, Forestry and BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Lynn Dent Boykin Youth Wildlife Scholarship
Forrest E. Cortes Junior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Rebecca L. Daniels Junior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Caleb E. Dodd Junior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Anna R. Gates Junior, BS, Wildlife Sciences Pre-Vet
William M. Green Jr.
Christen, DeBrunner, Posey, Raper Endowed Scholarship in Forestry
Kurtis C. Jolander Senior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Kelsey S. McVey Sophomore, BS, Wildlife Sciences Pre-Vet
Colt R. Sanspree Senior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Rebecca J. Valentine Junior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Junior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Celeste N. Hird Senior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Garden Clubs of Alabama Endowed Forestry Conservation Scholarship
Rachel R. Hudon
James R. Dearman III
Senior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Senior, BS, Biosystems Engineering in Forestry
Carla M. Irene Senior, BS, Wildlife Sciences Pre-Vet
Alicia S. Keith Senior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Margaret Atchison Hathaway Endowed Scholarship in Non-Game Wildlife Management
Sarah C. Gibbs Senior, BS, Wildlife Sciences 29
2012-13 Scholarship and Fellowship Recipients
Edward A. Hauss Endowed Scholarship in Forestry
Hugh Kaul Annual Scholarship in Forestry
Mignon T. Denton
Jack H. Fagan
Junior, BS, Natural Resources Management
Freshman, BS, Forestry
Sarah C. Gibbs
Irwin L. Timberlake
Senior, BS, Wildlife Sciences
Senior, BS, Biosystems Engineering in Forestry
Caleb D. Killough Freshman, BS, Forestry
William H. Leonard Junior, BS, Forestry
Scott R. McClure Freshman, BS, Wildlife Sciences Pre-Vet
Phillip T. Parrish
Barnett Lawley Annual Scholarship in Forestry and Wildlife
Christopher L. Chambers Senior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
John W. Price Senior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Freshman, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Lindsey M. Phillips Senior, BS, Wildlife Sciences and BS, Forestry
Monica E. Richert Sophomore, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Melba R. Littrell Endowed Memorial Scholarship in Forestry
Ocllo K. Parks Junior, BS, Forestry
Hilary E. Rizk Junior, BS, Wildlife Sciences Pre-Vet
Meagan B. Roy Junior, BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
Lowery Pulpwood, Inc./James R. Lowery Endowed Memorial Scholarship in Forestry
Mitchell A. Clark Sophomore, BS, Forestry
Steve Jackson Annual Memorial Scholarship in Forestry and Wildlife
John R. McWilliams Freshman, BS, Forestry
Dwain G. Luce Family Endowed Scholarship in Forestry
Fern B. Graves Senior, BS, Forestry
“Choppy” Bruce Johnson Annual Scholarship
James R. Dearman III Senior, BS, Biosystems Engineering in Forestry
James W. Richardson Endowed Scholarship in Forestry
Caleb D. Killough Freshman, BS, Forestry
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2012-13 Scholarship and Fellowship Recipients
Russell Lands Annual Scholarship in Forestry
John R. McWilliams
Drummond Company Endowed Fellowship in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
Freshman, BS, Forestry
Gabriel R. Karns
Zalin G. Smith
PhD, Wildlife Sciences Major Professor: Stephen Ditchkoff
Senior, BS, Forestry and BS, Wildlife Ecology and Management
James Henderson Dukes Memorial Endowment for Fellowships in Forestry Emmett F. Thompson Endowed Scholarship in Forestry
William H. Leonard Junior, BS, Forestry
Amirreza Sharifi PhD, Forestry Major Professor: Latif Kalin
Janice A. Dyer PhD, Forestry Major Professor: Rebecca Barlow
Noll A. Van Cleave Endowed Scholarship in Forestry
Greyson S. Matthews Senior, BS, Forestry
James Floyd Goggans Endowed Fellowship in Forest Biology
Yuan Zeng L. M. and Mary Ware Endowed Scholarship in Forestry
MS, Forestry Major Professor: Lori Eckhardt
Thomas D. Hudson Senior, BS, Forestry
KyKenKee Fellowship
Kathryn N. Pierfelice MS, Forestry Major Professor: B. Graeme Lockaby
GRADUAtE W. Walter Beshears, Jr. Endowed Graduate Award in Wildlife Sciences
Maureen McClintock MS, Wildlife Sciences Major Professor: Gary Hepp
Drummond Company Endowed Fellowship in the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences
Yuan Zeng
George Crenshaw Moore Endowed Fund for Graduate Fellowship in Wildlife Game Management
Timothy J. Neuman MS, Wildlife Sciences Major Professor: Stephen Ditchkoff
Westervelt Fellowship
Christopher A. Lupoli PhD, Forestry Major Professor: Wayde Morse
MS, Forestry Major Professor: Lori Eckhardt 31
A LU M N I James and Cathy Shepard welcomed SFWS alumni back to campus on Saturday, November 3, for the annual Homecoming BBQ. Awards were given for the youngest tiger, farthest traveled, and earliest-graduated alumnus. In addition, the dean made a special announcement of an annual scholarship in honor of Mrs. Lane Messer, who was the backbone of the student services office for more than 20 years.
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A LU M N I
Lacey Avery interviewed by Scientific American as upand-coming Science Writer
Nominations sought for Alumni Association President
Lacey Avery, a rising science writer and SFWS alumna, earned attention from Scientific American, a high-profile magazine, because of her interest and success in scientific journalism. Avery is especially focused on wildlife and environmental sciences, and she is currently attending graduate school at the University of Georgia. Through her experiences, Avery has had numerous unique opportunities, many of which she discusses throughout her interview. The complete documentation of the interview can be read at the Scientific American blog at the following link: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/ incubator/2013/01/17/introducing-lacey-avery/.
The Nominating Committee of the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Alumni Association are requesting nominations from alumni and friends for an alumni president. All nominees must be willing to serve on a volunteer basis. This position requires travel to Auburn at least two times per year. The new president will be installed in August 2013, and he or she will serve a two-year term. For more information about responsibilities, qualifications, and how to nominate, click the nomination form on the “Alumni and Friends” page at our website, www.auburn.edu/sfws.
Richard Hall selected for Young Alumni Award Richard Hall, a 1995 graduate of Auburn University’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, was recently named a recipient of one of the university’s 2012 Young Alumni Achievement Awards. The award, sponsored by the Office of Alumni Affairs, was created in 2011 to recognize extraordinary accomplishments by members of the Auburn Family, age 40 and under. Sixteen recipients were recognized for significant achievement in their professional lives and for distinguished community service. “Auburn graduates are making significant contributions in a variety of occupations all across the globe, and some of the more interesting stories are happening with our young alumni,” said Debbie Shaw, vice president for alumni affairs at Auburn University. “It’s a great honor to recognize them in this way. Auburn’s future is shining a bit brighter due to the impact made by these impressive individuals.” Hall earned a bachelor’s degree from Auburn. He sought out an international internship and received funding to intern at the United States Forest Service in
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“ I am so proud to be a member of the Auburn Family. War Eagle!”
Puerto Rico. He began his career in timberland investments and today serves as senior vice president with Bank of America’s Timberland Services Group in Atlanta. He also is an affiliate assistant professor at Auburn, teaching forest finance, and has been instrumental in developing the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences’ study abroad offerings by leading several student trips to South America where participants study forest operations. “It is such an honor to have been selected for the Young Alumni Achievement Award,” said Hall. “I am very grateful to those at Auburn University who have offered so much support and encouragement over the years, particularly the staff, faculty members, and supporters of the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. I would not be where I am today without their support and encouragement. I am so proud to be a member of the Auburn Family. War Eagle!” Awardees were selected for distinguished community service locally, regionally, nationally, or globally and for prominence in their business, profession, or vocational endeavors.
Alumni Profile: Cannon Lawley When he began his education, Cannon Lawley set a course that would help him manage family interests in oil and timber. He wanted, he says, to run the family business competently. He thought this course of education would give him the right tools for that. He was right, but he didn’t count on enjoying law so much. Lawley is still at the firm where he worked over summer breaks during college and clerked in law school. When he was offered a position, he gave himself two years to see if it worked out or if he would work on behalf of the family full time. He found that the combination of a forestry degree from Auburn with his law degree was a huge asset. It allowed him to carve out a niche working with cases involving real estate litigation, family estate settlement, and contract negotiations for natural resource corporations, among others. Now Lawley is at the top of his profession after having recently been named one of the Birmingham’s top natural resource lawyers. Meanwhile, Lawley maintains his connection to forestry by continuing to actively manage his family’s timberland. And it isn’t just about assets and smart management. He says he and his father are working out an agreement for access to some of their land with an organization that gets kids into the outdoors who might otherwise not have that experience. The secret to wearing all of these hats and balancing family life? “It’s all about scheduling,” says Lawley.
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Director of Development
Commitment and Dedication Dear alumni and friends, On behalf of the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Development Committee, I thank you for your continued support of our school this past year. Without your commitment and dedication to our school, success would not be possible. In 2012, the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences set a goal to raise $2 million dollars. I am excited to announce that we had an outstanding year and not only did we meet that goal, but significantly surpassed it, raising $2,647, 000. This goal was accomplished in large part due to the dedication and support of our alumni, friends, parents, and corporate partners. Today, as we continue to educate the leaders of tomorrow, the school has set its sights on becoming one of the nation’s leading forestry, wildlife, and natural resources programs. Because of your generous contributions, you are helping lay the groundwork to a brighter future for the next generation of students. I am excited for 2013 as it brings many new opportunities for the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences. This spring, the Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation Learning Center will open its doors at the Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center. We will host the First Spring Fling & Outdoor Expo on April 5 - 6, 2013, at legendary coach Pat Dye’s home and Crooked Oaks Hunting Lodge. Our school will also play host to the 2013 Southern Forestry Conclave. All of these events will bring additional opportunities to showcase our research, faculty, students, and school to more than just our current alumni and friends. The SFWS family consists of more than 3,000 alumni and friends. Although small in number, our school makes a tremendous impact in research and the economy not only in the state of Alabama but globally as well. We are committed to providing ways for our alumni and friends to stay connected and involved with us. Collaborating with YOU will be the foundation in which our future success depends. I encourage you to look for opportunities to become engaged with our faculty, students, and staff. As we work together, our school will be positioned to move higher in the ranks of America’s forestry, wildlife, and natural resources programs.
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I am privileged to work with such an inspiring development team that enjoys giving their time and talents to further our school, its mission, and our students. We are currently looking for additional members to add to our team. If you are interested in participating on the SFWS Development Committee or within the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, you can contact me at 334-8442791. I challenge and encourage you to become involved and find a way to give back to the school. Your support helps us continue the strong traditions we have rooted within our forestry and wildlife family. In the Auburn Spirit,
Heather Crozier
DEVELOPMENT
Giving Profile: Barnett Lawley Scholarship “We don’t tell our parents enough how proud we are of them. My dad has been a great role model – in all aspects of my life,” says Cannon Lawley on why he chose to honor his father with an annual scholarship in SFWS in his name. After retiring from the family business, the elder Lawley took on a public service job as commissioner of parks and recreation for the state of Alabama. He worked to promote programs like Forever Wild, says his son, because he is passionate about ensuring public access to natural resources. Stewardship, making sure that natural resources exist for future generations, is important to both Lawleys, and Cannon wanted the scholarship criteria to reflect that. “We aren’t just looking for good grades,” he says. In a way, this scholarship is stewardship of human resources, helping students become the next generation of professionals who respect and tend to our natural world.
2012-13 School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Development Committee Ronnie Williams ’74, Chair Rick Jones ’77 Karen Boyd ’81 Jim King ’80 Kris Bradley ’97 Jim Martin ’64 David Carroll ’86 Gary Moody ’72 Art Dyas ’73
Ken Nichols ’61 Katherine Eddins ’97 Danny Norman ’74 Don Heath ’73 Joe Roberson ’88 Chris Isaacson ’80 Marc Walley ’85 Rick Johnson ’80 Brian Watts ’12
War Eagle Woods Why Give Land? Donations of land are among the most precious gifts a donor can provide to Auburn University. Land is at the core of what we teach at the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, and often holds tremendous personal significance. When you make a gift of land to Auburn University as part of the War Eagle Woods, we have the ability to manage your property under sound principles of sustainability and good stewardship. With the variety of giving options available, this land can not only provide tax benefits to you, but can benefit your family and the Auburn Family for years to come. A gift of land can provide you with tax benefits such as deductions or reducing capital gains or estate taxes; a relief from the burden of maintaining the property; freedom from the hassle and fees of selling; and depending on the type of gift you choose, it can also yield lifetime payments for you. The School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences integrates all aspects of our teaching, research, and outreach mission into management of the War Eagle Woods. In this way, your gift would increase hands-on learning opportunities for our students and keep our faculty and students grounded in the practical aspects of managing land for timber, wildlife, water quality, and other natural resources. Revenue from working forests will be used to support the university’s mission in the ways that you designate. Your land will also be permanently identified to honor your legacy. You can be confident that we will be good stewards of your property. We have experts available to help you decide which option works best for you. Please contact Heather Crozier at vannhea@auburn.edu or 334-844-2791 for more information. 37
DEVELOPMENT
Woodlands and Wildlife Society for friends of SFWS The Woodlands and Wildlife Society is the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences’ elite a n d dean’s club for our most loyal benefactors. Membership is available to individuals who give $1,000 or more annually to the school or $500 or more if a graduate of the last 10 years. S O The funds garnered through C I E T Y the Woodlands and Wildlife Society are invaluable in supporting scholarships, opportunities for faculty development, lectureships, and special programs such as Forest Ecology Preserve, Solon Dixon Forestry Education Center, and Mary Olive Thomas Demonstration Forest. You may choose the program that your annual support will enhance. Membership in the Woodlands and Wildlife Society carries a number of exclusive benefits. As a member, you will enjoy the preferential football parking option and tailgate spaces in front of the SFWS building, a subscription to our e-newsletter, special acknowledgement in our annual magazine and invitations to special events, such as the annual Woodlands and Wildlife Society dinner. In addition, you will be presented with a certificate of induction into the society and a lapel pin. We invite you to foster the Auburn spirit and continue SFWS’s standard of excellence by considering membership in the Woodlands and Wildlife Society. You can make your gift online at www.auburn.edu/sfws/giving or mail a check to: Auburn University School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences Office of Development Attn: Sharon Tatum 602 Duncan Drive Auburn, AL 36849 If you have questions about the Woodlands and Wildlife Society or other ways you can contribute to the SFWS, please contact: Sharon Tatum (334)844-1983 sharon.tatum@auburn.edu
s dland oo W
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Wild life
Woodlands and Wildlife Society Membership Alabama Conservation & Natural Resources Foundation, Inc. Alabama Farmers Federation Alabama Forest Owners Alabama Forestry Association Alabama Power Foundation, Inc. Alabama Wildlife Federation, Inc. Mr. Donald Jeffrey Bentley Dr. and Mrs. Dwight Bond Mr. and Mrs. Dixon Brooke, Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Bivin Broughton Mr. Alan P. Bruce Mr. and Mrs. Steve Burak Mr. Robert F. Burgin III Mr. and Mrs. Richard Carroll Mrs. Deborah H. Carter Mr. and Mrs. Thomas H. Cawthon Cooper Marine and Timberlands Corporation Mr. and Mrs. Neil Crosby Mr. and Mrs. Wesley W. Diehl Drummond Company, Inc. Mrs. Erin Dunn Mr. and Mrs. Charles Edwards F & W Forestry Dr. and Mrs. Harold Foster, Jr. Garden Club of Alabama, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. J. Robert Gardner Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Glover Dr. and Mrs. John E. Hackman Mr. and Mrs. Richard Hall Mr. and Mrs. Kent Hanby Mr. and Mrs. Dwight Harrigan Mr. and Mrs. Don Heath Mr. and Mrs. Jim Heath Mr. and Mrs. Bucky Henson Mrs. Faye Ireland Kay and Burke C. Jones
Dr. Crystal Kelley Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kelly Mr. and Mrs. Tom Kennedy Kykenkee Mr. H. Cannon Lawley Amanda Littrell Thomas Littrell Mr. Avery Littrell Mrs. Alice Johnson Mallory Dr. Dwayne Marcum Mr. and Mrs. Joe McNeel III Mr. Marion D. Monk Mr. and Mrs. Richard Moore Mr. Emory Mosley Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Oser Mrs. Sue Atchison Pearson and Jack Regions Financial Corporation Resource Management Service, LLC Mr. Joe Dalton Roberson Mr. and Mrs. Doug Roberts Mr. and Mrs. Ben Rooke Jr. Russell Lands, Inc. Mr. Mark Sasser Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schrantz Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Schwarzauer Scotch & Gulf Lumber, LLC Mr. and Mrs. Robert P. Sharp Dr. and Mrs. James P. Shepard Mr. Steve W. Stewart Dr. Steven Holt Stokes Mr. and Mrs. Charley Tarver Dr. and Mrs. Emmett Thompson Mr. and Mrs. Mike Thompson Mr. and Mrs. John Edward Vick Mr. and Mrs. Marc Walley The Westervelt Company Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Guy Whitley Jr. Mr. Matt Whitley Mr. and Mrs. Ronnie Williams
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School of
Forestry &Wildlife Sciences
Non-Profit U.S. Postage
PAID Permit No. 530 Auburn, AL 36849
Auburn University 602 Duncan Drive 735 Extension Loop Auburn, AL 36849
Natural Resources Management Degree Offers Flexibility for Outdoors Careers The Natural Resources Management major opens doors to a variety of careers working with nature, conservation, or the outdoors in fields such as environmental science, conservation, or outdoor recreation. With a broad foundation in principles of sustainable management, students learn to then apply that knowledge toward solving complex issues facing the world today and in the future. Students in the NRM program tailor their degree with a minor chosen to fit their specific interests. Four minors are available in SFWS: Natural Resources Ecology, Nature-Based Recreation, Urban Environmental Sciences, and Watershed Sciences. Or students can choose to pair the degree with any minor on campus such as sustainability, political science, or business.
Who hires NRM majors? Government agencies, consulting firms, international development and resource management agencies, non-profit organizations, and private industry. Right now the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts excellent growth over the next 10 years in job markets relating to both environmental science and recreation. This new degree program is an outstanding option for any student who wants to work with nature and have the most flexibility to choose their own path.
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