News - May 2025

Spring 2025 Convocation
From field labs to the future: Warnell honors 2025 graduates

On a sunny May 9th afternoon at the Classic Center in Athens, a crowd of proud families, friends, faculty, and classmates gathered to celebrate a meaningful milestone: the next generation of Warnell alumni. The Spring 2025 Convocation ceremony honored 97 graduates—62 undergraduates and 35 graduate students—each shaped by fieldwork, late nights, and a degree that opens doors—and sometimes even gates to remote sites. “Today, you join a long line…

First Honor Regalia
Science, service and straight A’s: Two Warnell students named first honor graduates

This spring, the University of Georgia recognized two standout students from the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources as First Honor Graduates—an achievement reserved for undergraduates who maintain a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout their academic careers, including all transfer coursework. Out of nearly 6,000 spring and 953 summer undergraduate degree candidates, only 152 earned this distinction. Among them were Sarah Carnes and Ryan…

Extension Urban Forestry Academy
Extension Urban Forestry Academy plants roots for stronger tree care

Approximately 82 percent of the U.S. population lives in urban and suburban areas, environments which have several socioeconomic and ecological stressors that can reduce human health and well-being and diminish ecosystem health. Urban trees help ameliorate many of the stressors urban areas face, for example by reducing air temperature and pollution, increasing health and well-being, and providing wildlife habitat and numerous ecosystem services…

Mary Kahrs Warnell Education Center at night
Discover nature up close at the Mary Kahrs Warnell Forest Education Center

The Mary Kahrs Warnell Forest Education Center is nestled in the 3,300-acre Dorothy Warnell Research, Education and Demonstration Forest, located outside of Savannah, Georgia in Effingham County. As part of the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, the center serves as a dynamic hub for environmental education and community outreach, providing an interactive learning environment that promotes awareness and…

Students conduct coyote research
Using camera collars to look at urban coyote behavior in Atlanta

Urban sprawl is on the rise across the country with more people moving into metropolitan areas. From 2010 to 2020, 36 new urban areas were classified within the U.S. and the urban population grew by 6.4% (2020 Census Bureau). As human populations grow and encroach upon wildlife habitats, the potential for human-wildlife interactions increases. Atlanta is home to over 6 million people and ranked as the 4th fastest-growing city in the United…

Hurricane Helene stand damage
Georgia enacts income and ad valorem tax relief for timber owners hit by Hurricane Helene

On May 8, Governor Brian Kemp signed HB 223 into law, providing multiple forms of tax relief for timber owners and farmers who suffered substantial economic losses from Hurricane Helene. Key provisions include: TEMPORARY AD VALOREM TAX RELIEF ON TIMBER HARVEST OR SALE Figure 1. Disaster areas eligible for the temporary ad valorem tax relief on timber harvest or sale.  The law allows eligible local counties to suspend the collection of…

pond with vegetation on surface
What’s on my pond? Common springtime lookalikes

Springtime in Georgia may be delightful, but for pond owners, it often brings about confusion and frustration as their ponds undergo seasonal changes. One such change is the appearance of plants and other organic materials on the surface of the pond. Larger floating plants, such as water lilies, are easy to identify from a distance. Smaller plants and organic materials are harder to identify and must be viewed up close. This includes Duckweed,…

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