an adaptive teaching managment and outreach
DESCRIPTION
69th SWCS International Annual Conference July 27-30, 2014 Lombard, ILTRANSCRIPT
An Adaptive Teaching, Management, and Outreach Program for Protecting an Urban
Forest Watershed
Andy Scott, Southern Research Station, USFS
Daryl Lawson, Kenneth Ward, Wubishet Tadesse,Kozma Naka, and William E. Stone, Alabama A&M University
AAMU, Forest Service, BWWB
Forestry, Ecology and Wildlife ProgramEnvironmental, Soil and Water Sciences Program
US EPA “Center of Excellence in Watershed Management”First HBCU to achieve COE, 2009
US Forest Service “Center of Excellence in Forestry”1993‐PresentSAF Accreditation in 2002
Birmingham Water Works and Sewage BoardIndependent board, created 1951Manage 13000 acres (5000 ha) of Lake Purdy/Cahaba River WatershedBegan active watershed management 2007 (none since 1989)Active outreach effort to youth (Young Water Ambassadors)
AAMU‐FS‐BWWB Capacity Building Program
•Field lab experience•New research in pine & soils•Outreach to top minority youth•Solidifies partnership with BWWB
•Mountain longleaf and shortleaf restoration research•Fire & fuels research•Soil conservation•“All‐Lands Approach”
•State‐of‐the art GIS database•Best management demo areas•Social/Rec information•YWA support
Lake Purdy/Cahaba River Watershed
Watershed characteristics
Longest river solely in Alabama
1,870 sq. mi. watershed
200 sq. mi. water source for the BWWB system
TNC “hotspot of aquatic biodiversity”
64 TES
More fish species than any other river it's size in North America.
Lake Purdy/Cahaba River Watershed Valley & Ridge Province
Mountain longleaf, shortleaf and loblolly pines in uplands
Mixed upland hardwood species line ravines and the river's edge
Completely surrounded by WUI
Forested Watershed‐Management Issues
• Little management pre 2007• SPB outbreaks• Mature timber, high fuel loads• WUI issues• Legacy road system• Feral hog damage• 2007 AAMU Partnership
Work Objectives
1. Integrate Forestry Core Courses with GIS Spatial Field Exercises
2. Provide quality field work experiences for AAMU Forestry and Environmental Science majors
3. Provide usable digital data to the BWWB regarding the Lake Purdy/Cahaba River Watershed condition and future management to increase their ability to make good watershed management decisions
4. Increase the number, type, and scope of field opportunities for the Young Water Ambassadors as an outreach and recruitment tool
5. Increase opportunities for outreach to nearby urban, suburban, and rural landowners on forest watershed management by developing demonstration areas with the data collected.
Integrate Forestry Core Courses
Forestry courses• Forestry/Wildlife Relationships• Forest Pest Management• Forest Operation Systems & Mgmt. • Silviculture• Forest Fire Ecology & Mgmt.
School year2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014
Stud
ents
Atte
ndin
g
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Interactions of forest management• Fuel reduction• Silviculture• Red-Cockaded Woodpecker habitat• Southern pine beetle• Erosion control on harvest roads
Provide quality field work experiences
Primary fieldwork• Locate landlines• Flag harvest boundaries• Cruise timber and mark for harvest• Harvest inspections (early, mid, late)
Primary office work• Analyze data for timber sales• Write prospectus for timber sales• Incorporate all GPS data into
comprehensive GIS databaseStudent Workers• Field crews during winter breaks (10‐20)• Work‐study during semester (2‐3)• Field and office during summer (6)
Work outputs
Feature TypeBoundaries Roads Hdwd Pine-Hdwd Pine
Line
ar fe
atur
es
0
20
40
60
80
100
Fore
sted
sta
nds
(acr
es)
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
Property boundaries
Real‐life timber sale experience
Stand Size (Acres)
10 20 30 40 70 80
Tim
ber b
ids
($)
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
Student estimateAccepted bid
Logging inspections: improved watershed conservation
Outreach & recruitment
Young Water Ambassadors
Outreach & recruitment
Outreach & recruitment
Leveraged opportunities for landscape conservation
Leveraged opportunities for landscape conservation
Leveraged opportunities for outreach and recruitment
Apprenticeship Program
Leveraged opportunities for outreach and recruitment
Southern Region 1890 Summer Fire Academy
Student testimonials
• I have been employed and involved with the BWWB project since I entered AAMU as a freshman. I would not have been able to fund my schooling or to learn from the outdoor classroom exercises and assignments without this partnership. Backing up our academic coursework with real life practical application has allowed me to do better in my classes, since I am a hands on learner. Cory Tucker, Senior
• The two most important learning outcomes have been the ability to work with my classmates … and more confidence with public speaking” Micheal Cooper, Senior
• The project gives us the opportunity to work together and become very close much like a family. Mato Harlan, Freshman
Student Success Stories
Thanks!