News - December 2024

Elena Ramos Elvira
Seminar: Urban biodiversity monitoring: from bird species in campus to pollution assessment in Spain

This is a recording of the Urban biodiversity monitoring: from bird species in campus to pollution assessment in Spain seminar by Elena Ramos Elvira. Elena is a biologist and PhD student at Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain. Currently, she is a visiting scholar at Warnell, working with Dr. Sonia Hernández. Her PhD research focuses on the effects of plastic pollution on urban bird populations. During her time at Warnell, Elena…

workshop
Wild Spotter(TM) Invasive Species Ambassador Training Returning in 2025

In February 2025, the second annual Wild Spotter Invasive Species Ambassador Training will take place at Lake Guntersville State Park in Alabama. This three-day workshop is designed to equip natural resource managers and community leaders with practical skills and tools to strengthen invasive species management, local program engagement, and community outreach. Over 60 participants, selected through an application process, are expected to…

Firescaping Plan
Raising Wildfire Awareness and Building Wildfire Resilient Communities in Georgia

Georgia experienced a relatively dry summer across much of the state this year and by late September, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, over half of the state was rated from abnormally dry to having extreme drought. These climatic conditions combined with entering typically the state’s driest time of the year (autumn) may lead to increased wildfire risk.  Some Georgia residents may believe wildfires are only problematic in Western U.S…

Southern pine beetle adult
Southern Pine Beetle Outbreaks in Georgia

Southern pine beetle (SPB) is a small native beetle that can cause a widespread damage in pine forests. SPB bore into pine trees and feed on the tree’s vascular tissue right under the bark. Female SPB will enter the tree and dig tunnels to lay their eggs. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae excavate their own tunnels, feeding on tree tissues and destroying the vascular tissues that deliver starches and carbohydrates from the leaves to other parts of…

Timber stand damage from Hurricane Helene
After Hurricane Helene: How to Claim Timber Casualty Losses and Defer Taxes on Salvage Timber Sales

The impact of Hurricane Helene has been devastating. As of October 21st, 2024, 91 Georgia counties have been declared by the President as federal disaster areas (DR-4830-GA) eligible for individual and/or public assistance (see Figure 1). Many timber owners in and near these areas have suffered significant timber losses. While full recovery will take time, there are some immediate actions timber owners can take to offset a portion of their…

timber
South Georgia timber prices plummet in Q3 2024; Impact of Hurricane Helene looms

In the third quarter of 2024, Georgia’s timber markets showed mixed trends. Stumpage prices for major timber products in South Georgia, except for hardwood pulpwood, fell from the last quarter. Pine sawtimber and pine chip-n-saw (CNS) prices in the region dropped significantly after three consecutive quarters of growth. Meanwhile, sawtimber prices in North Georgia continued to rise modestly. According to TimberMart-South (2024), the average pine…

pond turnover
Understanding Fall Pond Turnover and Fish Kills

Farm ponds in the south almost always become stratified in the summer. Stratification occurs when the water column separates into oxygen-rich water at the surface and oxygen-poor water at the bottom separated by an abrupt transition layer called the thermocline. In general, the longer a pond is stratified, the shallower the thermocline becomes, increasing the amount of oxygen-poor water at the bottom. A pond turnover occurs when a pond…

Mary Kahrs Warnell Education Center
Facility Spotlight: UGA Mary Kahrs Warnell Forest Education Center

The UGA Mary Kahrs Warnell Forest Education Center, located in Effingham County, encompasses 3,200 acres of managed forests. The center offers a variety of educational programs and workshops for students, educators, and the general public, focusing on topics such as wildlife conservation, forestry techniques, and the importance of biodiversity. All youth programs are aligned with Georgia's Quality Core Curriculum standards and feature activities…

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