WVU Davis College Spring 2017 Magazine

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURE, LTURE , NATURAL ATURAL RESOURCES AND DESIGN LT AT

THE LEGACY PROJECT Trail by trail, members of the WVU community are working to create an outdoor recreation area connecting downtown to the Organic Research Farm.

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LETTER from the Dean This year we mark a major celebration within our College and our University.

On February 7, 1867, West Virginia University was founded as the state’s land-grant — and the WVU Davis College served as its first academic unit.

We are proud of our rich heritage and tradition, and throughout the year we will be celebrating our accomplishments and looking forward to the next 150 years and the opportunities and milestones that lie ahead.

We have an excellent college that works hard every day to inspire the next generation of thinkers and doers — our students — in the broad fields of agriculture, natural resources and design. And we never forget the ways those fields intersect with all the many other important disciplines at WVU. We also work hard every day through our research and service activities to add value to those same sectors all across West Virginia — and beyond. Our new Agricultural Sciences Building, dedicated in September, and continuing efforts to grow and enhance the College in many other ways, speaks to the confidence in and role of our disciplines to contribute to the greater good.

In this edition of the WVU Davis College Magazine, you will read about our Falling Run Greenspace project, an effort to turn 94 acres of wooded space into trails connecting WVU’s downtown area to Mileground Road. This collaborative effort included representatives from various departments throughout the University and the community, with more than 13 offices involved in the concept, design and development of the master plan, as well as more than 153 volunteer crew leaders and 727 student volunteers who came to campus in August.

So far, nearly three miles of trails have been created, and our College, our University, our faculty, our students and our volunteers have helped to create a space that will contribute to the overall liveability of Morgantown, the well-being of its citizens and the ability to market this region to outside companies and individuals looking for a new home.

This is what we do, what we are about — developing collaborations, forging new frontiers in research, service and teaching and directly impacting the community, West Virginia, this nation and the world.

From research that identified oak wilt and saved West Virginia and elsewhere from widespread destruction to the development of the West Virginia '63 tomato, bred to resist blight, to completing the first successful transplant of a calf embryo into a cow whose ovaries had been removed, we have blazed a trail through the last 150 years.

The next 150 years will continue our strong legacy. We are attracting the best and brightest students who will become leaders in industry and research. Our faculty are conducting cutting-edge research in everything from soils to livestock production to community development.

We’re proud to be celebrating this great milestone in this great land-grant university in this great state. And we look forward to the next 150 years!

SPRING 2017 E. Gordon Gee President, West Virginia University Joyce McConnell Provost Sharon L. Martin Vice President for University Relations Daniel J. Robison Dean and Publisher Michael Esposito Executive Creative Director Angela Caudill Director, UR-Design Graham Curry Art Director, UR-Design Hayley Boso Magazine Designer Julie Cryser Mary Dillon Nikky Luna Marissa Sura Lindsay Willey Contributing Writers Brian Persinger M.G. Ellis Raymond Thompson Lindsay Willey Photographers Kathy Deweese Director, University Content Laura Spitznogle Assistant Editor ADDRESS WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design

My best,

Office of the Dean P.O. Box 6108 Morgantown, WV 26506-6108 www.davis.wvu.edu

Dan Robison, Dean

CHANGE OF ADDRESS WVU Foundation P.O. Box 1650 Morgantown, WV 26504-1650 Fax: 304-284-4001 Email: info@wvuf.org www.mountaineerconnection.com

M.G. ELLIS

CONTENTS

Snapshot Two horticulture alumni are making a name for themselves in the craft brew industry. See page 16 for more.

DESIGN

Spring 2017

NATURAL RESOURCES

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The Legacy Project

The Croc Hunter from Calgary

WVU faculty, staff and students are creating what they hope will be seen as Morgantown's central park.

AGRICULTURE

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Motivated by her love of wildlife, graduate researcher Miriam Boucher focuses on addressing a myriad of environmental issues.

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 02 Around the College 16 Crafting a Successful Business 20 Taking Flight 11 From Mars to Greenhouse Forestry for the Future 22 Growing a Natural Partnership 34 In a League of Her Own 36 The Last Word with Aisury Vasquez

Seeds of Opportunity

Davis College researchers are exploring potential economic opportunities associated with industrial hemp.

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Around the College

Party On!

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For 150 years, WVU and the Davis College have been serving the state and nation through educational excellence, groundbreaking research and community outreach. On February 7, we kicked off a yearlong celebration with the ceremonial scoops of our signature ice cream flavors.

Created especially for this milestone birthday by Ellen’s Ice Cream in Charleston, Appalachian Apple Crumble and Land Grant Crunch were crowdpleasers. Our festivities will culminate this year with a special edition of Davis Magazine. Look for it in mailboxes this fall.

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Big 12 Faculty Fellowships Congratulations to three Davis College faculty members who were awarded research grants through the Big 12 Faculty Fellowship Program. The program helps to build academic collaboration between faculties at universities in the Big 12 Conference.

Vaike Haas, assistant professor of landscape architecture, is partnering with Blake Belanger from Kansas State University to help the city of Tallinn, Estonia, begin to

plan the redevelopment of the Soviet-built Town Hall (Linnahall).

As the College’s representative for the WVU Center for Excellence in STEM Education, Jessica Blythe, assistant professor of agricultural and extension education, is also working with faculty at Kansas State to develop new teaching methods and curriculum that will benefit pre-service agriculture teachers at both universities.

Jason McKibben, assistant professor of agricultural and extension education, traveled to Texas Tech University and the Roscoe Collegiate Independent School District to collaborate on a multi-university project aimed at improving college and career readiness of underserved areas in the state of West Virginia.

TOP LEFT: JASON MCKIBBEN, SECOND FROM RIGHT; BOTTOM LEFT: TALLINN, ESTONIA (VAIKE HAAS); RIGHT: JESSICA BLYTHE.

Internationally Known Earlier this year, Shan Jiang, an assistant professor of landscape architecture, and Yasmeen Juma, an alumna of the program, were both recognized at the "Yuan Ye" International Competition. The annual design competition is hosted by the Asian Landscape Architecture Society, Worldscape Magazine and China Landscape Architecture. Jiang was presented the Excellence Guide Teacher Award, and Juma was awarded second prize in the Graduate Student Design Category.

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SHAN JIANG

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Around the College

Welcome to the Family

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This spring, we welcomed three new faculty members to the WVU Davis College family.

Steve Chin, assistant professor of forest resources management, specializes in quantitative forest management. His research focuses on the sustainable management of forest resources by utilizing quantitative tools that lead to a better understanding of how forest management practices and environmental factors influence aboveground forest productivity and forest regeneration.

Debanjan Das, assistant professor of fashion, dress and merchandising, specializes in teaching sourcing, supply chain and fashion retailing.

His research focuses on investigating the apparel industry from the social and economic viewpoint, TOP: STEVE CHIN; MIDDLE: as well as apparel labor DEBANJAN DAS; BOTTOM: economics, international trade CHRISTOPHER LITUMA. policies and organizational structure analysis.

Christopher Lituma, assistant professor of wildlife and fisheries resources, is interested in exploring the impacts of patch-burn grazing management in native warm-season grass pastures on bird communities and nest success, as well as how the establishment of switchgrass monocultures can impact avian and pollinator communities.

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Defending a National Championship

International Connections Jim Anderson, professor of wildlife and fisheries resources, traveled to India over the winter with one goal in mind: helping to improve the knowledge base on wetland ecology.

An invited speaker at the Gujarat Environmental Education and Research one-day symposium in India, Anderson discussed the impact of climate change on wetlands, as well as an overview of America’s wetland conservation and restoration policies. He also conducted a threeday workshop on wetlands research techniques, based on a book he edited in 2013.

For 50 years members of the WVU Soils Team have been traversing the country to describe, interpret and evaluate soils at regional and national contests. The eight members of this year's team are preparing for the 2017 National Collegiate Soils Contest — and to defend their national championship. The team will travel to DeKalb, Illinois, to compete on April 27 and 28.

Saving the Oak Trees Matt Kasson, an assistant professor of forest pathology, and his graduate students are working with the U.S. Forest Service to identify a new disease infecting oak trees in Seneca State Forest in Pocahontas County.

Diplodia corticola, an aggressive disease limiting an oak tree’s ability to access essential nutrients and water, presents itself through amber colored sap and bore cankers. The researchers don’t believe the trees are in danger of being wiped out … yet.

There is concern of them weakening and becoming more susceptible to stressors; however, they are hoping to pinpoint the cause and find a cure.

Mighty Microorganisms

The WVU Equine Studies program recently added a new horse to the teaching herd. Determined to be Good — aka “Waylon” — is a 2004 chestnut American Quarter Horse Association gelding that has been shown extensively, earning his Register of Merit in Hunter Under Saddle. According to Crystal Smith, teaching associate professor of equine management, “Waylon is very well-trained, an exceptional mover, with a hint of lazy; just the way we like them!”

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With more than 7 billion microorganisms in the soil, it’s no surprise we still have a lot to learn about them and their impact on the environment. Ember Morrissey, assistant professor of environmental microbiology, is uncovering critical information about these tiny organisms under our feet, which although small, can have a huge impact on the environment. Her research, funded by a $150,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Environmental Biology, will lay the groundwork needed to figure out how soil can be managed to address environment-related processes and issues, including global warming and climate change.

Hello, Waylon

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RECRUITING THE NEXT GENERATION

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They’re a tight-knit group of students dedicated to representing the Davis College and connecting with prospective students at recruitment events. They are the students eager to welcome and assist families during on-campus open house events. They volunteer their time (or earn college credit) to help the next generation of students feel welcome. They are the Davis College Student Ambassadors.

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Student Spotlight

MEET A FEW FRIENDLY FACES ASHTON STEVENSON

Dunkirk, Ohio Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources

EMMA LAFFERRE Huntington, West Virginia

EMMA LAFFERRE (L), ASHTON STEVENSON (R)

While exploring her options for college, there were a lot of things about WVU Ashton Stevenson found attractive.

At the top of the list was the Davis College’s outstanding Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources program. For the self-described rural cornfield girl, a close second was the opportunity for a change in scenery — to trade the Ohio plains for the Appalachian Mountains.

What she didn’t expect, however, was the power of a simple conversation.

During her senior year of high school, Stevenson crossed paths with Emma Lafferre, then a Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources major and one of the College’s student ambassadors.

“Talking with Emma really impacted my decision to come to WVU,” Stevenson said. “She was really nice and passionate

CARRIE TANNER

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Proctorville, Ohio Environmental Protection

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CARRIE TANNER

Outgoing, friendly, a loyal and passionate Mountaineer, Carrie Tanner is the perfect fit for the ambassador program.

She’s enthusiastic about bridging the gap between what prospective students might read, hear and see about WVU and what it actually is.

“I feel empowered to leave an impact on the students that makes them feel invited to continue their education with us,” she said. “It’s important that we make those connections with them from the start so they feel a sense of belonging and know that if we can do it, so can they.”

She’s also an avid runner, yoga enthusiast and fierce advocate for the environment.

For the last two years, Tanner has been a wilderness trip leader with Adventure WV, a program devoted to supporting and enhancing the student

about her major. Knowing that there were nice people like her here helped with the decision to move five hours away.”

Lafferre is amazed she was able to have a positive influence on Stevenson.

“It's strange but amazing to know that I had a direct impact on Ashton's decision to go to WVU,” she said. “Most of the time when talking to prospective students, I don't think about them not wanting to attend college here. In my mind, they've already decided on WVU and I'm just relaying some facts so they have a smoother transition into their first year.”

After having such a great experience with a student ambassador, Stevenson felt compelled to become one herself.

“It’s awesome to be able to answer questions about WVU and tell people what I love about it,” she said.

In addition to being an ambassador, Stevenson is also involved in multiple extracurricular activities including the Professional Recreation and Parks Society, the WVU Timbersports team, Climbing and Outdoor Adventure Clubs, and WVU Cru.

experience at WVU through adventure education programming.

“My main role in the organization is to take incoming freshmen on weeklong backpacking trips in Dolly Sods,” she said. “While we’re there, we teach them backcountry skills, leave-no-trace principles and orientation classes. We take students outside of their comfort zone and show them how to take on responsibility.

It’s an effective way to transition students from high school to college and showcases the beautiful state of West Virginia.”

For some people, that would be more than enough time in the great outdoors.

But, not for Tanner.

She also works at the Outdoor Recreation Center where she rents outdoor gear to students and accompanies them on recreational trips like skiing.

ASHLEY LINDO York, Pennsylvania Reproductive Physiology

ASHLEY LINDO

As a high school student, Ashley Lindo learned an important lesson — life is a balancing act and being able to multitask is important.

That nugget of knowledge has served her well as a graduate student at WVU. The bulk of her week is spent in the laboratory with Stan Hileman, professor of physiology and pharmacology, studying how parts of the brain — specifically group of cells present in the hypothalamus called KNDy neurons — influence the onset of puberty and the mechanisms involved throughout.

“We’re currently using the pig as a model because the attainment of puberty is critical for animal reproduction and the efficient production of animal food products. As the pork industry in America continues to grow, the importance of pig reproduction research increases as well,” Lindo explained.

Even with a full class schedule and conducting research, Lindo still finds time to be involved in four student organizations and volunteer as a Davis College Ambassador.

“In order to manage it all, I rely heavily on my agenda, phone calendar and my own

JOHN HARLESS

Red House, West Virginia Animal and Nutritional Sciences

already graduated; however, talking to student ambassadors allows them to see what it’s like to be a student at WVU.” When he’s not fulfilling all of those roles, you can find Harless wearing his cowboy hat and riding in the rodeo ring.

A five-year veteran of the sport, he has competed in rodeos across the state of West Virginia and earned a spot in the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyoming, during the 2014 and 2015 seasons.

“I love getting to travel the country with friends and family competing in a sport that I love. Winning isn’t too bad either,” he said with a grin.

Although Harless has aged out of high school competitions, he still relishes every opportunity to ride. He’s also exploring the option of establishing a rodeo team at WVU.

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JOHN HARLESS

John Harless wears many hats — figuratively and literally.

He’s a student first and foremost, but he’s also a community assistant at University Park Apartments and a two-year member of the Davis College Ambassadors program.

Harless takes advantage of the ability to receive college credit for his work as an ambassador. Students can sign up for one credit hour per semester equaling 20 hours of service.

While that’s a nice perk, it’s not what keeps him coming back year after year.

“I like that being an ambassador gives me the opportunity to meet new people and be involved with the College and all of the activities it has,” he said. “I also like being able to meet future students.

When looking at colleges, they usually talk to faculty and staff members who have

memory to make sure I stay up-to-date with all of my tasks,” she said.

When asked if she would change anything — including selecting a less demanding volunteer opportunity — Lindo responded, “Not a chance. I love every aspect of what I do, so I’d rather learn how to handle it all than have to stop doing some of it.”

Coming to Morgantown from the University of Miami, she had a challenging time acclimating to rural West Virginia.

Becoming an ambassador helped her meet new students and form a support system.

It has also given her the opportunity to be part of the reason a student decides to attend WVU. “I especially love being a Davis Ambassador because it allows me to have a greater connection to incoming students,” she said. “Being a woman of color, I thoroughly believe in the strength of diversity, and I am proud to be part of a group of ambassadors who strive to bring that strength to the Davis College.”

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Research at Work

Forestry for the Future

WVU-led research shows loss of tree diversity could lower global forest productivity.

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WRITTEN BY MARISSA SURA

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The world’s forests constitute the most varied and diverse terrestrial ecosystems on the planet, and are home to thousands of species of plants, animals and micro-organisms.

A new study coordinated and co-authored by West Virginia University researchers and published in Science reveals that biodiversity — the variety of living things on Earth — in forests promotes productivity. In other words, when the number of tree species increases, so does the amount of timber that can be harvested. They also found the opposite to be true — a decline in biodiversity would result in an accelerating decline in forest productivity.

The study was led by Jingjing Liang, assistant professor of forest ecology in the Davis College; Peter B. Reich, professor and F.B. Hubachek senior chair in forest ecology at the University of Minnesota and tree physiology resident fellow at the Institute on the Environment; and Thomas W. Crowther, Marie Curie fellow at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology.

Mo Zhou, assistant professor of forest economics in the Davis College; Eungul Lee, assistant professor of geography in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at WVU; and James V. Watson, a forestry Ph.D. student working with Liang, were also co-authors of the paper.

Scientists from 90 institutions consolidated field-based data forming one of the largest global forest inventory databases in the history of forestry research.

Over a period of 150 years, data was collected from more than 770,000 plots consisting of more than 30 million trees across more than 8,700 species.

“We are very fortunate to have worked with so many dedicated foresters and researchers on this study,” said Liang. “This team by itself shows that diversity can bring forth great productivity in scientific collaboration.”

After analyzing the data, researchers determined that loss of tree species richness — through deforestation, forest degradation and climate change — would cause the amount that can be harvested to decline. The underpinning ecological mechanisms are complicated, but most recent theories attribute the phenomenon to improved resource utilization as plant diversity increases.

Researchers calculated that the amount of loss in productivity associated with loss of tree species richness would have an economic value of up to a $500 billion per year across the world.

“The strongest economic message of this study is that the economic benefit of forest species diversity far exceeds the cost of preserving it, even when we only consider its role in maintaining the global commercial productivity of forests,” said Zhou.

In addition to the high benefit-to-cost ratio of biological conservation, species richness provides considerable social, ecological and environmental benefits, including climate regulation, habitat, water-flow regulation and genetic resources.

Additionally, the relationship between conservation and poverty is becoming more important, particularly in rural areas where jobs and livelihoods are dependent on forests. The loss of species in these areas, and the diminishing forest productivity that goes along with it, could exacerbate local poverty.

“It is important to remember that this economic evaluation does not take into account the many other ecosystem services provided by forests, so the total value of diversity is likely to be many times higher than this,” said Crowther.

From Mars to a Greenhouse

A team of WVU researchers is transitioning a robot from rover to pollinator.

WRITTEN BY MARY DILLON

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Pollinators play a significant role in the production of more than 150 food crops in the United States, with almost all fruit and grain crops requiring pollination to produce their crop.

Pollinators come in all shapes and sizes and if a research team from West Virginia University has its way, they may also one day come in the form of a robot.

And it’s not just any robot; it’s Cataglyphis, winner of the Sample Return Robot Challenge, part of NASA’s Centennial Challenge.

Yu Gu, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, will lead a team of researchers that includes faculty from the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design as they attempt to turn the robot into a precision pollination robot. The three-year study is being funded by a more than $700,000 grant for the first two years from the National Robotics Initiative, a multi-agency effort that includes the National Science Foundation, NASA, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Defense.

Other members of the research team from WVU include Jason Gross, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering; Xin Li, professor of computer science and electrical engineering; Giacomo Marani, research engineer with West Virginia’s Robotic Technology Center; Yong Lak Park, associate professor of entomology; and Nicole Waterland, assistant professor of horticulture.

The former collection basket on Cataglyphis will be turned into a robotic arm that will be used for precise flower manipulation including pollination. It will be tested in a greenhouse environment on bramble fruit, most notably blackberries and raspberries.

“Approximately $24 billion worth of crops per year in the U.S. rely on pollination by various pollinators,” said Park. “However, the recent decline of honeybees has greatly threatened productivity and the shortages of pollinators in the U.S. have significantly increased the cost of farmers’ renting them for pollination services.”

The pollinator robot design will support four main functions: robot navigation and mapping; flower detection, localization and evaluation; flower manipulation for pollination; and human-robot interaction.

Through the use of computer vision algorithms, which use image and video data to control the robot’s function, the robot will be able to estimate the flower position, size, orientation and physical condition, and to guide the robotic arm to capture and interact with flowers. A set of soft brush tips, mimicking bee’s hairs and motion, will then be used to pollinate the flowers.

The design parameters of the delicate robot-flower interface will be driven by a series of insect pollination experiments. The precision rover navigation, mapping and localization of individual flowers within complex greenhouse environments will be provided through a sensor fusion algorithm.

“A database will be automatically generated and updated by the robot, recording the history of flower development and pollination status,” Gu said. “This intelligent system will allow more selective, consistent and uniform pollination, which has the potential of leading to better fruit set and production at a large scale.”

According to Gu, robot experiments will be performed with incremental difficulties.

“The first two years of the project will be spent achieving precision autonomous robot navigation and mapping inside a greenhouse and identifying and cataloging the flowers through computer vision,” he said. “In year two, we will begin using the robotic manipulator, which will initially be fixed to a bench top, to pollinate flowers.”

The final evaluation of the prototype pollinator robot’s effectiveness will be performed in WVU’s Evansdale Greenhouse during the third year of the project.

“Blackberries and raspberries will be grown in the Greenhouse under ambient light,” Gu said. “Four methods of pollination — bee pollination, manual pollination, autonomous robot pollination and mixed human-robot teaming on pollination — in addition to no pollination, will be performed and the efficiency of each pollination method will be compared.”

The effectiveness of pollination will be evaluated by determining the fruit yield per plant, fruit size, fruit weight, harvest time and overall distribution of fruit across a plant.

“Although the proposed experiments will only be focused on pollination, the technology can be further adapted for many other precision agriculture applications,” Waterland said. “Toward the end of the project, we will identify and work with 17 commercial partners to transition the developed precision robotics technology into real productivity in the agriculture field.”

Consulting on the project are Aaron Dollar, associate professor of mechanical engineering and materials science at Yale University, and Bob McConnell, grower, with McConnell Berry Farm, in Independence.

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THE LEGACY PROJECT Mile by mile, WVU is trailblazing recreational paths for current and future Mountaineers to enjoy.

WRITTEN BY LINDSAY WILLEY PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRIAN PERSINGER

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Service Learning It’s an unseasonably warm February day in Morgantown, but a cool breeze is moving through a wooded valley tucked away in West Virginia University’s downtown area.

At the end of Outlook Street, less than one-half mile from the Mountainlair student union, Vaike Haas, assistant professor of landscape architecture, and a group of her students are taking advantage of the nice weather to work on a project near and dear to her heart.

Donning hard hats and carrying shovels, garden hoes and spades, the students walk down a dirt trail leading into a forest-like area.

Today's task is to work in teams of two or three to uproot invasive, non-native plants and replace them with persimmon.

Their efforts are part of the Falling Run Greenspace project, an ongoing Universitywide venture that began in 2012 with the acquisition of the Falling Run Valley property.

The vision evolved into a strategy to turn over 94 acres of underutilized wooded space into a series of trails connecting WVU's downtown area to the Organic Research Farm on Route 705 and Mileground Road.

In the spring of 2014, as a relatively new faculty member at WVU, Haas was approached by Dan Robison, dean of the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, about serving as the lead designer on the new initiative.

University’s land-grant mission and strengthen ties with the Morgantown community, the Core Arboretum and the Farm properties.

“We brainstormed ideas including the possibility of the space being an extension of the Core Arboretum or of the farm properties,” Robison said. “The only thing we knew for sure was the need to form a committee of stakeholders who might find this exciting and identify a faculty member — or members — who would really embrace this project.”

Although a vision for the space had yet to be identified, it was obvious to the deans landscape architecture was going to play a pivotal role in helping the project come to life.

“ We saw an opportunity to establish a natural space that could serve as a potential complement to the Core Arboretum and as student recreation.”

— Narvel Weese

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Robison and Bob Jones, then dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, advocated finding a way to utilize the newly acquired University property — which is adjacent to Falling Run Road — to complement the

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about the greenspace project:

"As someone with a strong disciplinary interest in natural systems, Vaike was the perfect choice to take the design reigns," Robison said. "Additionally, she was a new faculty member, and we saw this as a great

NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS

757

opportunity to get her engaged right away."

When Haas talks about the project, you can see the excitement, dedication and pride in her eyes.

"This is a legacy project," she said.

"We're creating an accessible, vibrant oasis with the potential to become a central park for Morgantown.”

Over the last two-and-a-half years, Haas has worked with a small committee of WVU personnel to spearhead the planning efforts, including faculty and staff from the Eberly and Davis Colleges, Facilities and Planning, and the Office of the Vice President for Administration and Finance.

As the project scope has grown, the Center for Service and Learning has embraced the Falling Run Trail project and highlighted the opportunity in its programming.

With 13 offices involved, the effort can truly be defined as OneWVU. Since 2014, Haas has dedicated over 963 hours to analyzing the space, conceptualizing and developing the design, and developing the master plan.

She even involved several of her landscape architecture classes to help identify vegetation, develop restoration strategies and align, grade and pin flag trails.

And that's a fraction of the total time — and workforce — invested University-wide.

NUMBER OF VOLUNTEER HOURS

2,923

build it, whether or not they take to trailbuilding, they know it’s something that’s going to be there for the next four years and beyond. That’s a huge advantage to this style of volunteer coordination. The sense of ownership dramatically increases.”

With assistance from the Center for Service and Learning, Kate Bolyard, a graduate assistant in Weese’s office, mobilized 495 volunteers — including recruitment and training of crew leaders — to help with trail construction.

“After such a successful Welcome Week, I started planning fall 2016 volunteer sessions to keep moving forward in the trail-building,”

she said. “So far, we’ve been able to build roughly 2.8 miles of trail with the help of 153 crew leaders and 727 student volunteers.”

Additionally, the sheer volume of volunteer hours dedicated to the project has allowed for the dedicated $104,000 budget to remain, as of right now, to go untouched. The teams can put those funds toward bridges, gravel paving, and boardwalk and ramps to make the primary trails ADA accessible.

A grand opening and ribbon-cutting is scheduled for April 29 at 3:30 p.m. at the trailhead at the end of Outlook Street.

WVU DEPARTMENTS INVOLVED

NUMBER OF TRAILS

TOTAL LENGTH OF PLANNED TRAILS

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3.77 mi

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One of the staunchest supporters has been Vice President for Administration and Finance Narvel Weese, who saw the potential for the property when it was acquired in 2012.

“We saw an opportunity to establish a natural space that could serve as a potential complement to the Core Arboretum and as student recreation,” he said. “This is one of the last large undeveloped tracts in central Morgantown. We have a real opportunity to create something extraordinary and of lasting value for generations to come.

“It is wonderful to see the enthusiasm that students have for participating in the building of the trail network. We hope this will serve as a real connection to the community.”

To help bring an administrative voice and knowledge to the table, he tasked his senior advisor, Julie Robison, with serving as the initiative's project coordinator.

Robison, who has a background in urban planning, was particularly eager to step into the role.

“When all is said and done, this will be a place where you can really go and get away and experience a very pristine nature close to campus,” she said. “I think that all people need that. They need to be rejuvenated by nature, and this will be a beautiful place for that to be.”

In early 2016, the project’s master plan was presented to both college deans and then to Weese, who proposed engaging students in trail-building as part of new service learning initiatives.

In May, the University Planning Committee approved a construction budget for the initial phases of the Falling Run Greenspace.

What had been theoretical until this point was now becoming a reality.

Every August, thousands of new students descend on WVU’s Morgantown campus; the University greets them with a variety of Welcome Week activities to help ease the transition into college life.

The 2016 event included, for the first time, a service component for all freshmen.

“It was a deliberate choice to involve freshmen,” Haas said. “When they helped

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Two Davis College alumni are making a name for themselves in the craft brew industry while helping to stimulate West Virginia’s economy.

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WRITTEN BY JULIE CRYSER PHOTOGRAPHS BY M.G. ELLIS

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Alumni Success

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Josh Bennett and Will Lewis share a passion for sustainable agriculture and for West Virginia.

“We both had ideals of making a living off of farming,” said Bennett, a WVU Davis College 2009 Horticulture graduate. He and Lewis, also a 2009 Horticulture grad, met while attending the university. And their interest in brewing ciders and mead built the bond.

The two now own and operate Hawk Knob Appalachian Hard Cider & Mead, which brews and distributes traditional-style ciders and mead from their leased Lewisburg location on Blue Sulphur Pike in the former Watts Roost Winery Building. But their aspirations are greater than just brewing ciders and mead. They want to stimulate West Virginia’s economy and prove the state can make value-added agricultural products.

“We are dedicated to having 100 percent West Virginia-grown product and to source as locally as possible,” Bennett said. “We really feel that’s what the state needs — people having passion for the state.”

Bennett grew up in Virginia just a mile across the state line from Pendleton County, but considers himself a lifelong West Virginian, having spent most of his childhood stomping around Seneca Rocks. He started making hard cider “with the old-timers” at about the age of 12.

According to Bennett, meads, honey wine and ciders are resurging after prohibition wiped out the industry. He says ciders and meads represent one of the fastest growing alcoholic beverage markets. And he also contends there’s a market for dry, complex ciders like those he and Lewis make.

“There is a West Virginia palate that likes refined ciders,” Bennett said.

The two have been perfecting their recipes for years. After graduation, Bennett served in the military and was 26 when he entered WVU. Lewis grew up in Lewisburg with an interest in horticulture. At the WVU Davis College, professors like Sven Verlinden, an associate professor of horticulture, helped to bring the two together and to teach them

about both wine-making and horticulture.

It was Verlinden, originally from Belgium, who taught Lewis to make mead.

“We made a batch or two as students and began thinking about making it commercially,” Bennett said.

Bennett and Lewis said they quickly found a handful of professors who were encouraging and assisted them with learning everything from tending bees to organic growing.

“They really catered to us in a way and offered up courses,” Bennett said. “They got just as enthusiastic as we did. Those kind of professors are imperative.”

Lewis was heavily influenced by the WVU Organic Farm and had the opportunity to conduct undergraduate research at the WVU Farm in Kearneysville in the Eastern Panhandle.

“I really fell in love with working on the orchard there and the organic farm,” Lewis said.

Verlinden said he has a very open mind with students, especially those who want to explore their own passions.

“I let them explore and experiment as

much as practical through independent studies, undergraduate research, and club activities,” he said. “I love to encourage creativity and dreaming. I often met with Josh and Will to discuss not only horticulture but life philosophy.”

Verlinden said he doesn’t judge students based on their grades, but rather on their willingness to serve others and build better communities, and students respond well to that philosophy.

Verlinden used to do some home brewing and together with the horticulture club made beer, mead and wine and worked with both Bennett and Lewis.

“I firmly believe that much learning happens outside of the classroom and that people have to be encouraged in their hobbies, interests and relationships they build,” Verlinden said. “Basically, I believe in a holistic approach to education. I try to be an advisor, mentor, counselor, and in the process I have made many friends in current and past students.”

He remembers Bennett and Lewis well.

“I believe Josh and Will embody the free spirit in our state motto: ‘Mountaineers will always be free,’” he said. “They are fiercely independent, bright, and motivated. We should encourage this type of free-spirited thinking and entrepreneurship in all of our students.”

After college, Lewis went to California and Bennett went into carpentry to pay the bills. Lewis continued making mead in California and sent some to international competitions and earned high marks and accolades. It was after Bennett purchased a farm in Pocahontas County that he convinced Lewis to return to his home state.

“We wanted to make a value-added product,” he said.

In the end, the number-one lesson the two learned at WVU was how to research.

And that skill has saved Bennett and Lewis on several occasions, including when they applied for state and federal licenses to brew.

It wasn’t easy getting up and running.

Licensing on the federal level was simple, Bennett said, compared to issues he had getting a license from the State. But they

were already deeply invested and it had to work. The two ended up with a Farm Winery License, which requires them to make their product with 25 percent of the raw materials coming from Bennett’s farm, 50 percent from West Virginia growers and 25 percent from outside the state. They get most of their apples from an orchard in Monroe County, with nearly 100 percent of their product coming from West Virginia.

summer. Currently they have several types of cider, including Appalachian Classic Hard Cider, Bourbon Barrel Aged Appalachian Classic and Elderberry Infused Hard Cider.

Skeptics told the two at first that they would not be able to sell a dry cider or wine, that West Virginians only drank sweet wines. But the two stuck to their guns and insisted that the product be made without added sugars, preservatives or sulfites, and they are not backsweetened, either.

“It’s about as raw and natural of a product you can find,” Bennett said.

Eventually they plan to have events at their tasting room.

“A lot of where — Sven Verlinden we’re going to be in the next couple of years depends on the facility and how much it can handle,” Bennett said.

But he knows one thing for sure. He wants to continue building West Virginia’s agricultural sector, even if it’s one apple at a time. Bennett’s sense of pride in the state of West Virginia is palpable.

“We can grow beef, sheep, turkeys, apples,” he said. “West Virginia is one of the best agricultural and horticultural states in the country. We want to have a West Virginia-grown product.”

“This is a passion for us,” Lewis said.

“ I BELIEVE JOSH AND WILL EMBODY THE FREE SPIRIT IN OUR STATE MOTTO: ‘MOUNTAINEERS WILL ALWAYS BE FREE. THEY ARE FIERCELY INDEPENDENT, BRIGHT, AND MOTIVATED. WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE THIS TYPE OF FREE-SPIRITED THINKING AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN ALL OF OUR STUDENTS.”

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In 2014, the two started churning out hard cider. Their first year they made 1,200 gallons. In 2015, they more than doubled production to 3,500 gallons. In 2016, they made between 6,500 and 7,000 gallons.

They have 10 locations where they distribute their cider, including in Greenbrier County, Fayette County, Beckley, Charleston, Morgantown, Canaan Valley and Harper’s Ferry. In 2016 they were self-distributed, but they hope to bring on a distributor this year.

The two said they are investing most of their earnings back into the business but started paying themselves a salary last

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Taking Flight While owning or flying a drone is currently a popular “bucket list” item for many people, faculty members in the WVU Davis College have been using the unmanned aerial vehicles to aid their research efforts in the Mountain State. From stream restoration planning and monitoring to assessing crop damage from wildlife, researchers are using data gathered in-flight to help better manage our natural resources. The technology also provides a bird’s eye view of West Virginia’s most notable landmarks like Seneca Rocks, seen here, in Pendelton County.

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Research

Growing a Natural Partnership WVU researchers are partnering with the West Virginia Natural Resources Conservation Service to improve the lives of West Virginians.

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WRITTEN BY NIKKY LUNA PHOTO BY M.G. ELLIS

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When it comes to problem-solving, the WVU Davis College and the West Virginia Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) have a lot in common. This is one of the many reasons why the two entities developed a five-year project agreement in 2015, initially allocating resources for six research projects to be carried out by WVU researchers.

With the aim of leveraging resources of both organizations, NRCS project support enables researchers to address conservation-related problems throughout the state. From improving soil health and wetland functions to extending the service reach of NRCS to its constituents, faculty and student researchers’ efforts are centered on one common goal: improving the lives of West Virginians.

Following is a brief overview of five of the projects. To learn more, visit davis.wvu.edu.

Project: Assessment of the Distribution of NRCS Assistance Programs in West Virginia and Strategic Enhancement of Future Efforts roblem: Due to various obstacles and resource P limitations, some parts of the state receive more NRCS services than others, creating “service gaps” throughout West Virginia.

Natural Resource Analysis Center; Gaillynn Bowman, Ph.D. student, resource economics and management; Brianne Zimmerman, Ph.D. student, resource economics and management.

Project: Defoliation Impacts on Grassland Rooting, Soil Microbial Communities, and Soil Health

Goal: Determine what parts of the state are overserved and underserved by NRCS, then develop an outreach program, in collaboration with NRCS, to overcome barriers and resource limitations.

roblem: There is little knowledge about the P processes occurring below the ground as pastures are defoliated by grazing animals.

Defoliation removes grass and legume parts by cutting or grazing and can result in positive or negative impacts on soil quality, which is becoming an increasingly important focus for researchers, agriculturists and society.

I mpact: By meeting the goals of this project, NRCS will broaden its outreach, connecting its services with a greater number of underserved citizens throughout the state.

Goal: Ultimately, to determine how to maintain and improve soil organic matter, which is central to soil health, through the pasture defoliation process.

Researchers: Alan Collins, professor of resource economics and management; Don Lacombe, associate professor, personal financial planning, Texas Tech University; Jackie Strager, research coordinator,

I mpact: Improved soil organic matter leads to improved water retention and soil and plant health. Additionally, a deeper understanding of the defoliation process can ultimately lead to mitigating climate change.

esearchers: Thomas Griggs, associate R professor of agronomy; Zachary Feedman, assistant professor of environmental microbiology; Charlene Kelly, visiting assistant professor of forest resources management; Jordan Koos, graduate research assistant.

Project: Evaluating Wetland Functions and Ecosystem Services in West Virginia Wetlands Problem: NRCS currently lacks the necessary information and resources to determine the functionality and ecosystem services of 23 easement wetland sites in West Virginia.

Goal: Evaluate wetland functions and identify potential flaws — both functionally and structurally — of each of the 23 sites, then develop recommendations to make improvements.

I mpact: When the wetlands function properly, it helps the environment and saves money.

Wetlands fulfill a critical role in ecosystem services, preventing flooding, maximizing soil health and irrigating crops. They are also crucial to maintaining high water quality by removing extra nutrients and storing them in the soil and plants. This prevents the costly process of artificial removal.

Researchers: James T. Anderson, DavisMichael professor of foresty and natural resources; Donald J. Brown, research assistant professor of wildlife resources; Christopher Rota, assistant professor of wildlife and fisheries resources; Joseph Hatton, graduate student committee member and deputy commissioner of agriculture, West Virginia Department of Agriculture; Alissa Gulette,

graduate student researcher; Katharine Lewis, graduate student researcher.

Project: Mine Soil Health Problem: Surface mining removes soil and rock overlying a mineral deposit, then replaces the rock materials to rebuild the site to its original landscape during reclamation.

Even with topsoil replaced on the surface, the resulting soils are difficult to use for agricultural and horticultural purposes — activities in which there is a rapidly growing interest and need. Hundreds of thousands of acres of reclaimed land exist in West Virginia with low productivity levels, but over time they improve due to soil building processes.

Goal: Determine mine soil health on new and old reclaimed sites by evaluating their soil properties, including bulk density, nutrients and pH levels. This will lead to a much better understanding of how these soils change over time and how we can use these soils to meet the needs of landowners.

I mpact: This new knowledge will enable researchers to provide guidance to landowners on the best crops and practices to use on such lands. The project can expand into the southern West Virginia coal fields, where large reclaimed areas can also be evaluated for their potential for agricultural enterprises. This will lead to positive economic and health-related impacts for the entire state.

Yewtukhiw, associate professor of soil science; Louis McDonald, Jr., professor of soil science; Katie Stutler, graduate research assistant.

Project: Revisiting the Poultry Litter Issue in the Potomac Basin, West Virginia Problem: Nutrient overload in streams continues to be a problem in the Potomac watershed, or basin, in West Virginia, resulting in environmental challenges. It stems from poultry industry growth and the production and disposal of poultry litter. While poultry litter can be a valuable commodity in many contexts, it can also contain dangerous pathogens and fecal bacteria that can lead to water quality problems in our nation’s rivers and streams and, in this instance, the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Goal: To assess current conditions and evaluate feasibility of poultry litter export outside the Potomac watershed via bulk rail transport and/or other means.

Impact: The efficient collection, processing and export of poultry litter may reduce negative environmental impacts to streams and groundwater resources. It could also lead to local business development opportunities and regional economic development.

Researchers: Paul J. Kinder, Jr., research scientist, WVU Davis College; Pamela Yost, watershed economist, NRCS; Kelly Kulp, undergraduate research assistant, WVU Davis College.

Researchers: Jeff Skousen, professor of soil science and land reclamation specialist for the WVU Extension Service; Eugenia Pena-

RECOGNIZING THE VALUE TO WEST VIRGINIANS

— Brianne Zimmerman, doctoral student in natural resource economics

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This partnership also provides WVU students the chance to work at the state NRCS office in Morgantown. "I work in the Programs Department, assisting with various projects, including dam rehabilitation projects that provide flood protection and other resources throughout the state. After the recent flooding in the southern part of the state, it is easy to recognize the value of my work."

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The Croc Hunter from Calgary Graduate researcher Miriam Boucher charts new territory in the emerging field of bioacoustics.

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WRITTEN BY NIKKY LUNA PHOTOGRAPHS BY MIRIAM BOUCHER AND M.G. ELLIS

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“Everywhere I go people always ask me who I am and where I come from. So, I tell them I am the croc hunter and I come from Calgary, and I will help you with all your animal needs.”

Those are the opening words from a letter penned by thensecond-grade Miriam Boucher, now a graduate student in the Wildlife and Fisheries Resources program at West Virginia University. Even as a youngling, she’d already figured it out: if you follow your heart and let your passions take the lead, you’ll end up exactly where you want to be, doing the very thing you love.

For Boucher, what she loves is being at the WVU Davis College School of Natural Resources, studying crocodilian acoustics in an effort to better understand the American crocodile while helping address a myriad of other increasingly important environmental issues.

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Ten Thousand Miles and Counting So, what does it take to move a girl, who has loved crocodiles from the time she was 5 years old, from southwestern Canada to the Appalachian region to study acoustics in crocodiles? It was a series of calculated decisions — some prompted by careful planning and others by serendipitous fortune — that ultimately led Boucher to WVU. After receiving her bachelor’s in environmental biology from Wingate University in Wingate, North Carolina, Boucher began to focus her efforts on gaining some experience in the field.

Her first stop: the rainforests of Brazil, where she worked for six months as an intern for a nonprofit organization focused on community empowerment programs and the creation of wildlife corridors.

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Student Research

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“I was a volunteer coordinator, so I ran the research center and student, and that makes things a little bit harder,” Boucher said. “I helped catalog various species identified on their properties, which was also applying in Canada, but the biggest stumbling block was was really fun,” Boucher said. that most of my experience was in the tropics. People weren’t as In addition to those responsibilities, she was given the keen on that.” opportunity to do some hydrology and forest plot work. Boucher An opportunity at WVU caught her attention, so she applied, even cheerfully recalled being "dumped in the jungle" with her fellow though it was for a bobcat research project. researchers and told, "here, you can use all of this!" And she couldn't “I was really excited because if I couldn’t do crocs, the next-best have been happier. thing for me was cats,” Boucher recalled. “I love reptiles, but I also love The next stop on her journey: Belize. Boucher landed another big cats — I don’t know why, but I’ve just always liked predators.” internship with an organization that focused on American crocodiles.

Jim Anderson, WVU Davis-Michael Professor of Forestry and She did capture training, trapping, nest and population surveys, and Natural Resources, was committed to bringing her on board. guided tour groups. It was there “Miriam is truly dedicated to that she met her current mentor, the conservation of American research partner and future crocodiles,” Anderson said. graduate research committee “Though she had originally member, Marisa Tellez, a applied to the advertisement parisitologist who worked I had posted for a bobcat specifically with crocodiles. ecology project, her letter about In 2014, she met up with crocodiles and conservation Tellez twice more to do research was so profound that I just had for a collaboration project to find a place for her at WVU with the Crocodile Research so that she could continue Coalition (CRC), a Belize-based pursuing her research.” nonprofit founded by Tellez So, he did, and Boucher and her husband that seeks to came on as a graduate teaching preserve crocodiles and their assistant in January 2015. environments throughout When she’s not teaching Central America. biology labs in the Life Sciences Around this same time, Building, she’s working on Boucher had begun applying to her research, completing her graduate schools, but without coursework for her graduate much luck. certificate in GIS and spatial “I was applying to grad analysis, and making intermittent schools, but receiving rejections research trips to Belize.

AN EXCERPT OF BOUCHER'S SECOND-GRADE LETTER ON ITS because there wasn’t space, or Last year, Boucher received ORIGINAL STATIONERY. because I was an international a scholarship from the Joel

and Suellen Newman Dean’s Opportunity Fund that allowed her to present her thesis research at the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Crocodile Specialist meeting in South Africa.

In total, Boucher’s transcontinental travels have added up to more than 10,000 miles — spanning from Calgary to Brazil, then landing her in the West Virginia hills, where she now charts new territory in the emerging field of bioacoustics.

Croc Talk Aside from simply characterizing and classifying crocodile calls and general behaviors, not much has been researched in acoustics in crocodiles. That is one reason why Boucher wants to pursue it.

“Most species haven’t been studied,” Boucher said. “So I want to fill that information gap.”

As Boucher began to classify and catalog American crocodile calls during her trips to Belize, she started to notice there was something distinct about their distress calls.

“Distress calls are repetitive chirps that young crocs do to elicit a defense response,” she explained. “So when they start to make this call, the mom and other crocs in the area will come to its defense. Once they reach maturity, that type of calling usually stops because they’ve outgrown most predators.”

Boucher was finding that in areas with high human disturbance, all age classes of crocodiles — from hatchlings up to adults — were giving distress calls.

In addition to acoustics, Boucher has been examining crocodiles’ behaviors and physical characteristics.

In terms of observing their behavior, she looks for proportional differences with the types of behavior between sites, grouping them into three categories: constructive, maintenance and destructive. The latter involves things like increased aggression and posturing without any context, foraging for nonfood items, and chasing and fighting.

Her behavioral data corresponded to the acoustical data. Crocs were exhibiting more destructive behaviors on the site with higher human impact, she said.

To collect data for physical characteristics, Boucher looks at the crocodiles’ black marking patterns on their tails and their upright scutes, which are the bony, ridged plates, resembling “mini-spikes,” that make up the crocodile’s tough skin.

After developing and finetuning a crocodile identification and cataloging process, Boucher developed an open source database, achieving 99 percent uniqueness in a total of 101 tail patterns acquired. As an added bonus, she was able to engage the community members of Belize in the data collection process and give them access to the information.

Passion + Motivation = Impact Boucher is motivated for a variety of reasons.

“We research to understand and that, alone, is extremely important,” she explained.

“Despite the knowledge that we have currently, we know very little about what goes on in the world around us. We have a long way to go to fully understanding how losing species will affect people in general.”

And even though she’s dealing with crocodiles in Central America, much of what Boucher is researching and the protocols she has established can be applied in the Appalachian region, especially as it pertains to energy development and its impact on — Miriam Boucher animals in the area.

“Wildlife are among the first indicators when things are going wrong,” she said. “For instance, if you’re losing species because water quality is dropping and people are obviously using that water, the issue is inevitably going to come around and directly affect you. We really need to be receptive to what we’re doing to wildlife because, ultimately, it will come back on us.”

And that’s true whether you’re in Calgary, Belize or West Virginia.

“ WILDLIFE ARE AMONG THE FIRST INDICATORS WHEN THINGS ARE GOING WRONG. ... WE REALLY NEED TO BE RECEPTIVE TO WHAT WE’RE DOING TO WILDLIFE BECAUSE, ULTIMATELY, IT WILL COME BACK ON US.”

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Is there hope for hemp? Davis College researchers are examining the viability of the crop for West Virginia’s climate and economy.

WRITTEN BY JULIE CRYSER PHOTOGRAPHS BY M.G. ELLIS

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Research

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Last summer, nestled near a patch of tomato plants, tall stalks of industrial hemp grew on the WVU Organic Research Farm.

Susanna Wheeler, a master’s student in agriculture and West Virginia native, harvested the hemp during the fall to gather data from her plot as well as nearly a half dozen others to determine what varieties are best suited to grow in West Virginia’s soil and climate.

Louis McDonald, professor in environmental soil chemistry and soil fertility in the School of Agriculture and Food, also worked with Wheeler on a greenhouse trial to examine industrial hemp’s ability to attract metals from contaminated soils.

Dr. David DeVallance, an Associate Professor of Wood Science and Technology in the Davis College, is currently conducting carbonization and composite related research with the hemp Wheeler grew. The goal of this effort is to evaluate the properties of carbon materials and composites produced from hemp and compare the results to utilizing short rotation willow and traditional Appalachian hardwoods.

Last year’s industrial hemp crops at WVU and on five private farms across the state were the first to be grown in West Virginia since 1957, when the federal government banned hemp production. The 2014 Federal Farm Bill opened the door for institutions of higher education or state departments of agriculture to conduct research and pilot programs. The crop’s versatility is worth researching to determine if West Virginia farmers can profit and to see if industrial hemp can create an economic advantage for the state, McDonald and Wheeler say.

“For most agricultural products, first in wins,” said McDonald. “We have the opportunity to be at least near the top of the pack in industrial hemp research.”

Industrial hemp has a variety of uses, from food to fiber to building materials.

“It is a new crop, at least in the modern era, with the potential to increase West Virginia farm incomes,” McDonald said.

Last year was the first year that the West Virginia Department of Agriculture issued permits for research plots. The process was rigorous, requiring farmers to pass background checks from the state and FBI and fingerprinting. Farmers also had to map the exact location of their plots and submit to inspections and testing to ensure the levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) were below the 0.3 percent mandated by the federal government.

And that’s the big difference between industrial hemp and recreational marijuana.

Although the two products look very similar, industrial hemp won’t get you high. It doesn’t contain enough THC and the cultivation is different. But it can be made into a grain for animal feed, oils for cosmetics, fiber for clothing, and even building materials like concrete.

“Anything that we can use cotton or wool for, industrial hemp can be used as well,” McDonald said.

Opportunities for hemp research are extensive, he said.

“We do all kinds of things with corn and soybeans, but most crops are single purpose,” McDonald said. “Industrial hemp could potentially be a dual use crop.”

There are some hurdles to growing hemp in the state, however. All products made from industrial hemp are imported at this time, and the infrastructure for transforming hemp into products doesn’t currently exist.

“Because we haven’t grown industrial hemp in a long time, we don’t have good processing equipment,” McDonald said.

“That’s an infrastructure that must be

developed, but first there has to be a critical mass of products.”

Hemp has historically been an important crop throughout many regions of the world. It originated in temperate Asia, with records of Chinese hemp harvesting dating back 8,500 years ago, said Wheeler.

Over time it began to be cultivated in Europe and eventually in the United States, with Kentucky farmers taking the lead. In West Virginia, farmers grew hemp, as in many other states, until the industry began to decline following World War I. The Marijuana Tax Act of 1937 imposed a tax on the sale of cannabis, hemp and marijuana.

This act, along with market forces, led to a decline in hemp production.

However, during World War II, the government gave out seed and encouraged farmers to grow hemp as imports became scarce and manufacturers used the hemp fibers for parachutes. In 1943, 375,000 acres of hemp were grown in the U.S., including West Virginia.

The Controlled Substance Act of 1970, however, mandated that a permit was required from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency to be able to grow hemp, but permits were impossible to get. The Federal Farm Bill in 2014 changed all that. And in the summer of 2015 West Virginia passed legislation that allowed state residents to apply for a permit from the West Virginia Department of Agriculture to grow hemp.

Wheeler got involved with industrial hemp research after hearing about the legislation that had passed in West Virginia.

“I started my program in August of 2015 and was not working on any funded research

so I had some control over what I wanted to study,” Wheeler said. “I thought it would be neat to do a side project so I linked up with some of the folks who had advocated for the legislation just to see what was happening in the state. They really wanted to see WVU get involved with the research, and I decided that I would pick it up for my thesis work.”

Wheeler said research will help define the role that hemp will play in West Virginia’s farm economy.

"Hemp can be a valuable crop due to its thousands of end uses. I think there is potential for the U.S. industry since there is already a demand for hemp seed products as well as research to develop new industrial materials from cellulose; the environmental issues associated with the cotton industry could cause farmers to adopt industrial hemp for use in fiber products.

— Louis McDonald However, all of this is dependent upon successful development of processing and distribution infrastructure."

Funding is a major hurdle to more research, though.

“A continuation of the variety trial would be great,” said Wheeler, who will graduate this spring. “Each year it would be nice to increase the varieties being assessed, and to also look at how they before under different management practices. The idea would be to make recommendations to farmers about what varieties to use for what end use and for each management style.”

“I hope it opens the door to other funds so we can help West Virginia farmers take advantage of the opportunities provided by industrial hemp,” McDonald said.

“ For most agricultural products, first in wins.

We have the opportunity to be at least near the top of the pack in industrial hemp research.”

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Ask the Expert

Ask the (Tomato) Expert QUESTIONS BY NIKKY LUNA PHOTOGRAPHS BY M.G. ELLIS AND BRIAN PERSINGER

PHOTO BY M.G. ELLIS.

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For more than half of his life, Mannon Gallegly, professor emeritus of plant pathology, has been perfecting the tomato. To be exact, it’s been 67 years since the time he started the initial breeding program at West Virginia University that resulted in the popular West Virginia ’63, a first-of-its-kind tomato that is resistant to late blight, a disease that attacks and kills tomato plants.

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Now, at 94 years young, Gallegly is poised to unveil a new tomato.

Since 2013, he and Mahfuz Rahman, assistant professor and Extension specialist in plant pathology at WVU, have been developing two new tomato varieties that are late blight resistant and exhibit tolerance to

a fungus that causes Septoria leaf spot, a growing problem for local tomato growers.

The new tomato varieties, which are a hybrid of the ’63 and another tomato called the Iron Lady, will be released later this year in honor of the 150th anniversary of the WVU Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design. Currently, Gallegly refers to the tomatoes as the West Virginia '17A and West Virginia '17B, with a final name for the anniversary tomato yet to be determined.

What is Septoria leaf spot (SLS) and how does it affect tomato plants?

SLS is caused by Septoria lycopersici, a fungus that is one of the most destructive diseases of tomato foliage. It seems to be exacerbated in areas where wet, humid weather persists for extended periods. It produces spots on the leaves and lesions on

GALLEGLY AND RAHMAN MEET IN THE EVANSDALE GREENHOUSE WITH GAIL SIKORSKY, DAVIS COLLEGE HORTICULTURAL WORKER, WHO HAS AIDED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW VARIETIES.

WEST VIRGINIA '63 TOMATOES. PHOTO BY BRIAN PERSINGER

the stems. The centers of the spots are gray or tan, and within those spots are these tiny bodies that you can only see with a microscope — they look like little black dots. When it rains, or when the dew forms at night, those little black dots exude a substance that contains jillions of sticky spores.

SLS has actually been around a long time. We always had a little of it, but it wasn’t severe enough to worry about it. But now, it’s coming in early and it’s knocking the yield out.

get them. Then, they come out at night and crawl around, spreading the sticky spores all over the leaves, stems and fruit. And wherever there's a spore, it will germinate and form another spot.

When did you start to notice it being a problem?

So, we didn’t have much complaint until the marmorated stink bug showed up, believe it or not. I’m asserting that without any scientific evidence — this is based simply on observation. The common stink bug has been with us a long time, but this new strain of the insect — the marmorated stink bug — was recently imported into the country.

It’s the one you commonly see in your house. And they don’t seem to have any natural control, so the population has been very high in recent years.

These bugs love tomatoes. They'll puncture them, then feed on them, leaving little ghost-like white rings on the fruit. They like to hide underneath the plants during the daytime — maybe so the birds won't

What makes these tomatoes — the West Virginia ’63, ’17A and ’17B — distinct from one another?

The ’17A is more prolific, producing more fruit. It’s a firmer fruit that is less sweet than the ’17B variety. The ’17B is more of a beefsteak type. It’s larger than ’17A and sweeter than both the ’17A and the West Virginia ’63.

And of course, both the ’17A and ’17B are a late blight resistant variety, just like their ancestor, the West Virginia ’63. But, unlike the ’63, they have low-level resistance to SLS, giving growers better control over the disease with a fungicide treatment.

Both the ’17A and ’17B have indeterminate vine types, just like the West Virginia ’63, which is preferred by most growers. The fruit carry a uniform ripening gene and high color.

HELP THE DAVIS COLLEGE NAME THE NEW TOMATO! A committee will select the top three to five entries. The WVU Davis College will then invite students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends to vote on their favorite from those top entries. The winning name will be announced in the fall.

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Submit your proposed name for the tomato by visiting davis.wvu.edu/celebrate150.

Deadline for submissions is August 1, 2017.

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A Fashion, Dress and Merchandising student stepped outside her comfort zone and was rewarded by being named WVU’s first winner of the Student Design League.

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WRITTEN BY LINDSAY WILLEY PHOTOGRAPHS BY BRIAN PERSINGER

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Student Spotlight

McGreevy wanted to create something that she wasn’t able to find in stores.

“I wanted it to be unique in comparison to the typical WVU shirts that I see time and time again,” she said. “I was inspired by the thought of combining my love for the state of West Virginia with the love of the University. I think something special about West Virginia is how beautiful it is, so I wanted to incorporate aspects of nature and not just focus on the University entirely.”

Her “Wild and Wonderful” T-shirt incorporates outlines of the state of West Virginia and the Mountaineer mascot on the front, and the phrase Montani Semper Liberi (“Mountaineers are always free”) as well as the Flying WV on the back. Varying shades of gold, blue and grey trees surround the bottom of the shirt.

“I think my favorite thing about my design is that it's completely different from what I normally like to create, but it's still me,” McGreevy said. “I'm really proud of where I'm from, and it feels awesome to have made something that other West Virginians want to wear.”

Although she knows her T-shirt will be produced, McGreevy is still awaiting a decision on the internship.

“I’ve had an interview, but there are still a few more steps before they decide,” she said. “It would be exciting to intern for Robin Ruth, but even if it doesn’t work out the fact that my shirt is being produced and sold is more than enough for me."

Although her first T-shirt design was successful, her true passion still revolves around bridal and formal wear.

“One day I want to be a wedding or formal wear designer and own my own boutique,” she said. “It would be such a privilege to create one of the most important dresses a woman will ever wear. For a bride to put on one of my designs and feel like she wants to walk down the aisle in it would be amazing. I'd love to be a part of that.”

DAVIS .W VU. E DU

Lindsey McGreevy likes a challenge, to take design risks.

Last fall, the Fashion, Dress and Merchandising student stepped outside her comfort zone of designing formal gowns and participated in the Student Design League, a T-shirt design competition created to empower student designers and give them the chance to showcase their talents and school pride.

It proved to be a smart decision.

McGreevy’s T-shirt design was selected as the WVU fan favorite; it’ll be available on campus this fall.

“I feel incredibly excited,” she said. “It’s unbelievable that I could end up seeing people walking around campus in something I designed, and I haven’t even graduated yet. This was an amazing opportunity.”

Last fall, students from WVU’s Graphic Design and Fashion, Dress and Merchandising programs joined an elite group of designers from Auburn University, Florida State University, University of Alabama, University of Arkansas, and University of Tennessee to create a unique shirt or hat design that embodies their perceptions of school spirit and pride.

The top-four designs from each university were made available for public vote. In addition to having their designs produced and made available for sale, students were also competing for a chance to intern at Robin Ruth, an international casual lifestyle and traveler’s brand, and to raise money for their programs.

McGreevy, a native of Keyser, West Virginia, was the only Fashion, Dress and Merchandising student to be selected for the public vote.

The design was difficult to conceptualize at first.

“I'm used to designing these really feminine gowns and there I was trying to create something that all sorts of people would want to wear,” she said. “It was definitely out of my comfort zone, but I feel like I was able to stay true to my design aesthetic and ended up with something I really love.”

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The Last Word with Aisury Vasquez WRITTEN BY LINDSAY WILLEY

Aisury Vasquez, a native of Whitney, Texas, graduated from WVU in May 2016 with a master’s degree in Agricultural and Resource Economics. As one of the final students at WVU to graduate from the Peace Corps Master’s International program — which was retired after nearly 30 years of partnership with universities around the country — she is currently serving two years of service with the organization in Paraguay.

Q A

What were the key influences in your decision to join the Peace Corps?

I’ve always wanted to do international work. Through the Peace Corps' Masters International program I was able to complete my master’s while also committing to two years abroad in a sector I’m passionate about.

When did you arrive in Paraguay? How long will you stay?

I arrived in Paraguay September 21, 2016.

Peace Corps is a 27-month commitment.

Three months of training and two years of service. My close of service date is December 7, 2018.

S PR I N G 2 0 1 7

Can you describe your work in Paraguay?

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I’m currently serving as a farm management extensionist in the agriculture sector. My work depends on what my community wants. Although I am in the agriculture sector, my work thus far hasn’t had much to do with agriculture. The youth in my community want to learn English; the women in my community want to take Zumba classes; other community members are interested in learning how to make soaps, shampoos and other household items they can sell to increase household income. Right now schools are out for summer vacation, but come March I’ll be working with the schools in my community by helping them get gardens started, raising chickens and teaching economics classes.

I’m hoping to train the high-school-age students in agriculture extension work so they can teach their families and neighbors.

It all comes down to them. My main goal is to connect Paraguayans with Paraguayans, so when my two-year assignment is up they can continue to work successfully on any projects we might have started or they know where to get the correct information

for any projects they may want to start. For example, instead of teaching the Zumba classes myself, I’m learning the dances with my host sister, then she teaches the actual class. Ultimately, my work objective is to make sure my community no longer needs a volunteer in 24 months.

What do you like most about your Peace Corps assignment? What are some of the challenges?

I love the fresh fruit availability, the willingness of my community to work with a foreigner, and the unpredictability of my everyday life. I don’t have a set schedule, and although it’s incredibly refreshing after six years of college life, it’s also one of the things I struggle with. I was used to constantly being on the go, and life in Paraguay is much more peaceful. Paraguayans aren’t in a hurry to get things done; they like to take time to breathe. So I’m getting accustomed to a slower pace of life. Another challenge I’ve faced is my heritage. Being Hispanic, I don’t look like what most people in Paraguay associate with the blonde-haired, blue-eyed American. When I meet someone new it always takes time to convince him or her that I am in fact American. The question I receive most is “If you’re from America, how come you speak Spanish?” However, that in itself provides an opportunity to explain that America is a melting pot of many different cultures, ethnicities and religions. That we aren’t a country with one standard look or way of life.

Are there particular skills or qualities you find most helpful being a Peace Corps Volunteer?

I’ve got to be honest, not particularly. I’ve met Peace Corps volunteers from all walks of life who have done remarkable work in their communities. I think it depends on the volunteer and their willingness to work and commit. I guess that’s the one thing all volunteers have in common — dedication and perseverance.

Finally, what one thing are you most looking forward to doing when you arrive home?

Eating at Black Bear. I could really go for a RailTrail and some queso right now.

REGISTER TODAY! ENHANCE YOUR CAMPUS BRAND, CONNECT WITH STUDENTS AND UNIVERSITY LEADERS, BECOME AN EMPLOYER OF CHOICE.

ABOUT THE EMPLOYER SUMMIT June 27, 2017 / Waterfront Place Hotel

Hear industry leaders discuss ways to create a holistic talent acquisition strategy for your organization—from making data-driven hiring decisions to improving your employer brand through improved application and onboarding experiences. Other topics include: employee retention initiatives, creating meaningful internship programs, and more!

ABOUT THE DAVIS COLLEGE CAREER AND INTERNSHIP FAIR

October 11, 2017 / Agricultural Sciences Building This is a great opportunity for you to meet students seeking internships and entry-level jobs.

This career fair will connect you with students across all the majors within the College from Forestry and Agriculture to Landscape Architecture and Design Studies.

For more information, contact Rachael Conrad, employer relations specialist at: rachael.conrad@mail.wvu.edu or visit careerservices.wvu.edu.

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