News - February 2021

Hailey Yondo works in a stream
Change of plans: Novel data from Warnell researchers informs the future of North Georgia Trout

The fish writhed and splashed inside the plastic bucket as Kevin Thomas hustled down the pathway. He ducked off to the side, steadied his load over the water’s edge, and emptied its contents into the chilly waters of Smith Creek. The rainbow trout shimmied into the deep and disappeared. Although, perhaps, not for long—several anglers out enjoying the crisp, sunny day at Unicoi State Park eyed Thomas and his truck, fresh from a Georgia Department…

Audrey Ballou
USDA program helps Langdale Center bring underrepresented students into forestry field

 The threads connecting Audrey Ballou’s life seemed disjointed at first: A love of the outdoors, the drive of a student athlete, an undergraduate degree in parks and recreation. But over time, experiences began to weave together and a pattern emerged. A natural resources law class sparked an interest in legal studies, but the tuition was a heavy burden to carry. Then Ballou saw a flier for the National Needs Graduate and Postgraduate…

A small panda can be seen inside a growing container.
Rooted in revelation: A researcher's dogged quest aims to reveal the genetic diversity of a mysterious tree

William Bartram was struck by the beauty of the trees he found along the banks of Georgia’s Altamaha River in 1773. The trees, Bartram noted, had flowers that “are very large, expand themselves perfectly, are of a snow-white colour, and ornamented with a crown or tassel of gold coloured refulgent staminae in their centre.” Bartram had encountered the same trees when he and his father, John Bartram, went on their first expedition in 1765 to…

Rex Benham speaks on a Zoom screen
Warnell honors 1st African American undergraduate student

Faculty, students, alumni and friends recently had the opportunity to recognize a Warnell trailblazer. In a Feb. 10 Zoom event that took the place of a Forestry Club meeting, guests welcomed Rex Benham (BSFR ’82), Warnell’s first African American undergraduate student to graduate from the school. Benham, who majored in forestry and is now an area manager for RMS LLC in Texas, Spent the better part of the hourlong program answering questions…

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