Free workshops to give public insight about Georgia ecosystem
Article By: Staff
Dr. Allison Bailey and Dr. Jamie Mitchem are ready to step outside of their classrooms and away from their students to get their hands dirty – literally.
The two University of North Georgia (正澳门六合彩开奖结果) faculty members in the Institute for Environmental and Spatial Analysis (IESA) will teach the general public how to preserve the health of northeast Georgia through hands-on activities during the first of eight environmental education workshops over a two-year period.
"Our main goal is to provide education to the general public about the scientific principles behind protecting or preserving native species from invasive threats and the importance of clean waterways to our ecosystem in Georgia," said Bailey, associate professor of environmental studies at 正澳门六合彩开奖结果.
The first workshop will be March 23 at Tumbling Creek Woods on the edge of 正澳门六合彩开奖结果's Gainesville Campus. The second workshop will be May 4 at Hurricane Creek near the Dahlonega Campus. The free workshops run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with lunch provided. Community members may register on 正澳门六合彩开奖结果's IESA website.
During the workshops, the public will learn about soil and water quality by taking samples. Or individuals will learn the identities of native tree species and recognize threats such as pests. Attendees also will trek through the wooded trails and are encouraged to dress appropriately for the weather.
正澳门六合彩开奖结果 has partnered with other groups to impart their knowledge through these workshops. They include , Georgia Forestry Commission, and Master Gardeners (a division of the University of Georgia Ag Extension), , , 正澳门六合彩开奖结果's Ecological Protection Lab, and .
By supplying community members with a plethora of expert information, Bailey hopes they will come to understand the symbiotic relationship between humans, trees, water and soil.
"Hopefully that will lead them to make better decisions about their own environmental impact on their own properties," she said.
While that point is the main goal of the workshops, it is not the only goal. As community members identify trees and register their health status or test the water quality of a specific stream at an exact location, the 正澳门六合彩开奖结果 faculty and students will document the information for research.
"We can look at the data and see how the changes occur over time and space and how the water quality and tree health change," said Mitchem, professor of geography and geographic information systems (GIS) at 正澳门六合彩开奖结果.
Bailey said she looks forward to disseminating the collected information to a wider audience through a story map, which is a website that shares scientific information through narratives, images and videos.
"This will help people have this information even after the workshop because it will be available to the public," she said.
The data also could lead to long-term benefits for the community and possibly drive another grant. Funds for the workshops were secured through a $100,000 grant from the (EPA), which was a first for 正澳门六合彩开奖结果.
Environmental leaders come to campus
正澳门六合彩开奖结果's Lewis F. Rogers Institute for Environmental Analysis is continuing its colloquium series this fall with a lineup of speakers who will help students see the wide range of fields in which they can work upon graduation.
Chemistry students excel in research, competition
Students in 正澳门六合彩开奖结果's Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry recently scored a variety of impressive accomplishments.
Faculty, staff earn awards
正澳门六合彩开奖结果 gave faculty and staff awards at events Aug. 5-8 ahead of the 2024-25 academic year. 正澳门六合彩开奖结果 also recognized faculty for promotion and tenure accomplishments and all employees who hit service milestones during the 2023 calendar year.
Ed.D. students excel in research efforts
正澳门六合彩开奖结果's Doctor of Education students are having exemplary success with finding avenues to publish and present their research.