November 30, 2007 Release

Events for the upcoming Week: Nov. 30 – Dec. 9
(Seminars, Symposiums, Conferences, Events, Field Trips, etc.)

A Project Wet Workshop will be held Sunday, Dec. 2nd from 9:00am to 3:00pm at Flinchum’s for anyone interested in enhancing their environmental education credentials. The cost is $35.00, which includes lunch, Project Wet curriculum and Urban Watersheds Guide. For more information, contact workshop coordinator Denise Carroll. 

The NRRT Society will host a potluck style dinner on Monday, Dec. 3 at 6:30pm in the Dean's Conference Room. Members are strongly encouraged to attend, but the dinner is open to anyone willing to bring some food. The winner of the NRRT Society Logo Competition will be announced at this time. Logo submissions are due no later than Dec. 1.

The Soil and Water Conservation Society will hold its next meeting Tuesday, December 4 at 6:30pm in Room 1-304. This meeting will feature Mr. Steven Dorsch of Athens-Clarke County Water Management speaking about the current drought situation in Athens-Clarke County. The title of the presentation will be "Public Water Supply and Drought Management." Mr. Dorsch received his B.S. in Forest Resources from UGA and Master's in Public Administration from GA College and State University.

The final TWS meeting of the semester will be Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 6:45pm in room 1-304. Conclave, Study Abroad in Bulgaria and graduate school will be the topics of discussion.

The next Conservation Seminar will be Wednesday, December 5 at 1:25pm in the Ecology Seminar Room. Byron Freeman, Georgia Museum of Natural History, will speak about "Diversity and Conservation of the Fishes of Georgia."

Senior exit interviews will be held Thurs., Dec. 6 from 5:00-7:00pm in the Dean’s Conference Room. All seniors graduating in December must attend this event! If you have a conflict please contact Emily Saunders as soon as possible. Dinner will be provided. 

A South Africa Study Abroad Informational Meeting will be held Friday, December 7 in room 1-209 at 12:00 Noon. There will be a short informational meeting regarding the 2008 South Africa Study Abroad course.  Ami Flowers will give a short presentation on the course and her experiences last year.  This will be a good time to ask questions if you are interested.

Mark Your Calendar

The Warnell School Holiday party for staff, faculty and retired faculty will be Friday, Dec. 14 at Flinchums beginning at 4:30pm. Games and door prizes will be provided along with wonderful holiday cuisine, so make sure to come kick-off your holiday celebrations with Warnell School family and friends.

Warnell School graduation ceremony for December graduates will be Sat., Dec. 15.  Students and their families are invited to attend the Warnell School's graduation ceremony followed by a reception in the courtyard and Building 4. The reception will begin about 30 minutes after the UGA undergraduate ceremony ends- around 12:00 noon. For more information contact Emily Saunders.

Achievements from the Previous Week: Nov. 16-30

“Thursday Seminar”

You may view the streaming video of Thursday's seminar, "Disease in Conservation and Wildlife Investigation: The triad of ecosystem, human and animal health" by Dr. Sonia Hernandez-Divers on the Warnell School website

You will need the most recent version of the Quicktime plugin (7.2)  and may download it from The Quicktime Website.

“In the News”

Kate Spear, Graduate student in the wildlife program, was featured this past week on the UGA website as one of UGA’s “Amazing Students”.
Read More Here

Drought Teaches Lessons for Future – UGA ecologist Jim Kundell and hydrologist Todd Rasmussen are quoted in a WXIA-TV news report on several lessons learned from the current drought.
Read More Here

Todd Rasmussen, professor of forest hydrology, was featured on WSB radio’s morning news on the morning of Monday, November 26 discussing the dangers of recycling untreated “Grey Water” for indoor and outdoor watering, and promoting future development and use of “Purple Water”, partially treated wastewater that can safely be re-applied to outdoor landscapes without creating a potential public health hazard. Also featured on WMGT website.
Read More Here

UGA hydrology professor Todd Rasmussen comments in an ABH story on the safety of “gray water,” which is not safe for outdoor use without some type of treatment, he says.
Read More Here

National forests are there for all of us to use
AJC-Opinion from retired wildlife biologists and fishery scientists with the USDA Forest Service (Chattahoochee National Forests)
Read More Here

“Awards/Appointments”

Sara Schweitzer, professor of wildlife ecology and management, was recognized at the Annual Conference of the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (SEAFWA), and annual meeting of the Southeastern Section of The Wildlife Society (SE TWS) this past October for her two years of service as Secretary / Treasurer of SE TWS (2006-07).

The photo above shows the officers who are transitioning to new positions as of January 2008.  Back row, left to right - Dr. Bruce Leopold (MSU) moves from Southeastern Section Representative to President Elect of The Wildlife Society; Dr. Darren Miller (of Westvaco) moves from President to Past-President of the Southeastern Section of TWS.  Front row, left to right - Dr. Jeanne Jones (MSU) transitions from Past-President of the Southeastern Section TWS to "retirement" from the Executive Board; Dr. Sara Schweitzer transitions from Secretary & Treasurer of the Southeastern Section TWS to "retirement" from the Executive Board.

“Research Findings/Outreach Service/Publications”

Andy Davis, wildlife graduate student; Dr. John Maerz, assistant professor of wildlife management and ecology; and Drs. Kevin Keel and Michael Yabsley of the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study based out of the Warnell School and the College of Veterinary Medicine, published an important article on an emerging wildlife disease threat to frogs in the latest edition of the journal, Ecohealth. The article is also featured in latest edition of the magazine, ScienceNews.

Warnell students from the Student Chapter SAF visited the International Paper Eastover Mill in Eastover, South Carolina on Wednesday, November 28th. Students received a tour from mill manager Harvey Westervelt, Andy Slocum, and John Myers. The Eastover mill was designed as the "mill of the future" and is one of the most technologically advanced pulp and paper mills in the world as well as a showplace for the Corporation and industry.

The Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at The University of Georgia provides UGA students with five degree path programs in forestry and natural resource science and management, include the forestry, fisheries and aquaculture, natural resources recreation and tourism, water and soil resources, and wildlife management and ecology majors. With more than fifty faculty and 23,000 acres of teaching lands, the Warnell School is the southeast’s oldest, and one of the most respected forestry and natural resource education providers in the United States. The school also houses one of the largest study abroad programs in the nation covering all seven continents to provide global learning opportunities for its students. For more information visit the Warnell School website at www.warnell.uga.edu.