Spring has sprung! A few short months ago, a historic snowstorm blanketed Ichauway resulting in a once-in-a-lifetime experience for the region. Nevertheless, our research, conservation, and education programs have flourished – allowing for an amazing start to 2025. This issue highlights our Woods program, where our staff continue to excel in their efforts to manage, learn about, and teach about our forests.  

RESEARCH – WOODS

Tree Winching Sheds Light on Hurricane Impacts and Timber Recovery 

Our Landscape Ecology Lab has been involved with a pair of studies to increase our understanding of the effects of hurricanes on forests and how to improve post-storm forest management. One study, led by the lab, used winches to pull down large pines to measure their stability and discovered that sandy soils which receive short-term increases in soil moisture—like those from hurricane rains—can actually enhance tree stability, challenging conventional wisdom. The second study, led by the USDA Forest Service, used acoustic testing to identify defects in downed, snapped wood. These measurements were used to make recommendations for landowners to more efficiently recover usable wood during timber salvage operations. These findings may prove imperative in mitigating the economic impacts of severe weather on timber resources.

New Plant Ecologist Brings Experience, Knowledge, and Enthusiasm

Last fall, The Center hired Dr. David Mason as the new scientist for the Plant Ecology Lab. Arriving at the beginning of 2025, David has hit the ground running with Research Associate Lisa Giencke and technician Madison Ohmen to enhance an already blossoming research program. David received his B.A. in Environmental Studies from Stockton University of New Jersey (2013), M.S. in Biology from Mississippi State University (2018), and Ph.D. in Wildlife Ecology and Conservation from the University of Florida (2022). Read more about the Plant Ecology Lab, David’s research goals, and the program’s outlook here.  

Drone Work Flys to New Heights

In the 21st century, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs, aka drones) for research has skyrocketed. This new technology allows scientists to collect landscape-scale data that can be critical to understanding ecosystem processes. At The Jones Center, several labs, scientists, and graduate students have utilized drones for projects across a variety of disciplines. Read more about our recent drone work. 

The Ichauway Seed Bank Expands

In 2019, our Plant Ecology Lab began collecting seeds to store in a seed bank – a cold-storage system designed to preserve plant seeds for a long period of time. Seed banks help ensure the future of our regional floral biodiversity against the threats posed by climate change and habitat loss. Read more about our seed bank effort.  

Ecological Silviculture Lab Strengthens Networks and Recruitment 

Dr. Josh Puhlick wrapped up a heavy travel year in 2024 focused on building collaborator networks, observing Adaptive Silviculture for Climate Change (ASCC) field sites, and recruiting for The Center’s flagship Ecological Forestry Workshop. Along the way, Dr. Puhlick gained two new Ph.D. students: Gabe Nyen and Bryce Messer. Nyen (co-advised by Dr. Marcella Windmuller-Campione at the University of Minnesota) will model snag residence time and dead wood decay class transitions which will contribute to carbon stock projections for the lab’s ASCC study site at Ichauway. Meanwhile, Messer (co-advised by Dr. Bob McCleery at the University of Florida) will explore the use of cattle grazing to supplement prescribed fire as a way to minimize hardwood growth into the midstory of longleaf pine forests. This is a collaborative research project with The Center’s Wildlife Ecology Lab.  

Graduate Research Featured in Fire Ecology Chats Podcast 

Two studies by Center graduate students on fuels in longleaf pine woodlands were recently featured on Fire Ecology Chats, a podcast hosted by Dr. Bob Keane for the Association for Fire Ecology. University of Georgia student Suzie (Henderson) Blaydes examined how needlecast—a key driver of fire behavior—varies with stand conditions like age and spacing. Listen to the interview or read the article. Auburn University student Luiza Gonçalves Lazzaro explored how individual trees influence their microclimate which affects fuel drying and fire behavior. Listen to her findings or explore the study. Both articles are published in the open-access journal Fire Ecology. 

CONSERVATION

We DID Start the Fire 

Our 2025 prescribed fire season is underway. Led by Assistant Natural Resources Manager David Sisson, our crews have burned nearly 6,500 acres as of March 31st. 

2025 Timber Management Operations  

This year, we are conducting two scheduled timber management operations for multiple objectives. A 190-acre single-tree selection harvest will focus on simultaneously improving wildlife habitat and timber stands. An additional 200-acre harvest is the first thinning of a planted longleaf pine stand, which is a crucial step to developing healthy, biodiverse habitat.  

Our Biggest Event Ever

On March 22, our biennial Open House event returned with 1,069 attendees descending upon Ichauway to learn about our ecosystems, discover our research, and observe our land management. New events were added to this year’s lineup including expert talks on snakes, prescribed fire, shoal bass, and freshwater mussels as well as outdoor demonstrations including an azalea and native plant walk, butterfly release, and “peeping” a red-cockaded woodpecker cavity tree. Fan favorites like our property wagon tours, Ichauway passport, and kids' activity tent complete with face painting kept folks of all ages entertained! Center staff always look forward to putting on this free public event. 

Baker County High School students got a partial preview of Open House the day before the event. Nearly 50 students visited our research labs and conservation leadership. 

Smoke is in the Air... 

In February, The Jones Center, in collaboration with Tall Timbers, developed and launched a prescribed fire communications campaign for the Albany, Georgia area. The campaign, which concludes in late April, features video ads on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube as well as broadcast and streaming radio ads. This project was funded by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources – Wildlife Resources Division. Read more and watch the videos. 

Education Season is Heating Up 

Many of our recurring and new Education and Outreach visiting groups have centered around fire and smoke 🔥. Here are just a few:  

• Over 70 wildland firefighters visited Ichauway over 2 days to kick off a 20-day training module by the National Interagency Prescribed Fire Center on prescribed fire implementation.   

• Over 40 students in Abraham Baldwin Agriculture College’s fire ecology and management course visited to discuss and explore ecological effects of different fire return intervals. 

• The University of Georgia’s Prescribed Fire Short Course returned for its 23rd visit since 2002 with instructor Dr. David Clabo. Eleven undergraduate and graduate students studying forestry, wildlife, aquatic sciences, and plant biology learned how we burn, the Ichauway way!  

• Smoke Summit VII, an initiative that began in 2014 to discuss and collaborate on emerging issues at the nexus of air quality and prescribed fire, convened in January. This year’s meeting included air and forestry agency leaders from Southeastern states (AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, and TN), the Environmental Protection Agency, and USDA Forest Service, along with NGO partners and Center staff.   

Strategic, Rare Species Conservation  

The Center hosted the first of a series of planning workshops for population management of the federally threatened Eastern indigo snake. Attendees represented the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, USDA Forest Service, U.S. Geological Survey Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at University of Florida, Alabama Natural Heritage Program, Alabama Department of Natural Resources, Florida Wildlife Commission, Orianne Society, Central Florida Zoo, and Zoo Atlanta. 

Other professional events at the Center this year included a Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance Southwest Georgia Planning Session, a Georgia Flow Incentive Trust (GA-FIT) Advisory Board meeting, and the National Peanut Board meeting. 

The Ties That Bind

In January, we kicked off a Jones Center Alumni Network mentorship program for our current graduate students. Currently, eight former Center graduate students are mentoring M.S. and Ph.D. students from our Ecological Silviculture, Entomology & Microbiology, Landscape Ecology, Herpetology, and Wildlife Ecology Labs. We look forward to connecting with our Alumni (both former students and staff) more in the future! 

Professional Development Starts Here 

Since December, we’ve hosted four daylong courses for students and staff and part of our internal Ichauway Conservation, Outreach & Research Experiences (CORE) Curriculum. Participants learned about planning and conducting flights with unmanned air vehicles in the LiDAR Field Day, the components of the Stoddard-Neel approach to forest management in a Silviculture Field Day, basics of bobwhite quail life history in a Conservation Field Day, and how much water a single, mature longleaf pine uses daily in an Ecohydrology Field Day. 

Kickstarting Young Natural Resource Professionals 

The National Science Foundation-funded Woods to Water Research and Mentorship for Postbaccalaureates (RaMP) program’s first 12-month mentee cohort will finish in late April! Seven mentees, many of whom have already accepted graduate assistantships or job offers, will then start the next chapter of their natural resource careers. The application process for Year 2 mentees is currently open with the fellowship duration of August 2025-July 2026. 

Ichauway on the Road

The Ecological Silviculture Lab was represented at the Southeast Society of American Foresters meeting in Auburn, AL in February. 

The affiliate Mussel Conservation Lab and its longtime partners the Georgia EPD and Albany State University Georgia Water Planning & Policy Center held a special session on collaborative partnerships at the Drought & Aquatic Ecosystems in the Southeast Workshop in Raleigh, NC in January. 

The Herpetology and Wildlife Ecology Labs represented The Jones Center at the Georgia Chapter of The Wildlife Society meeting in Augusta, GA in February.

The Ecological Silviculture and Landscape Ecology Labs attended the Biennial Southern Silviculture Researchers Conference in Greenville, SC. They attended field tours and gave oral presentations. 

The Jones Center was well-represented at the biennial Georgia Water Resources Conference in Athens, GA. We were delighted to be a conference sponsor and share research from our Aquatic Sciences, Ecohydrology, Herpetology, and Affiliate Mussel Conservation Labs! 

NEW STAFF ARRIVE AT ICHAUWAY

Achaia Graham started as our Human Resources Manager in March. Achaia formerly served as the Director of Human Resources and Training with Marine Corps Community Services in Albany, GA. She brings extensive experience to The Center, and we are excited to have her on board!  

Allie Mitchell started as our newest Ichauway Conservation Fellow in January. She has a B.S. in forestry from the University of Florida and most recently worked as a Seasonal Forester with the USDA Forest Service in Colorado. Allie will look to follow in the footsteps of the many former Conservation Fellows who have springboarded from Ichauway into successful careers in natural resource management and conservation.  

Emma York Marzolf, former Plant Ecology technician (under both Lisa Giencke and former plant ecologist Dr. Kay Kirkman), started as the new Research Associate for the Ecohydrology Lab this year. Emma holds a B.S. from Piedmont College and an M.S. from UNC Wilmington. In her new role, she is looking forward to researching the interaction between plants and water and is particularly interested in how this research can inform land management. 

Gabriel Tigreros started as the new Research Associate for the Entomology and Microbiology Lab in March. Gabriel obtained his B.S. from the University of Central Florida and is a former technician and graduate student with the lab who recently completely his M.S. from the University of Georgia on insects and fungi colonizing dead wood in the forests of Ichauway. 

Griffin Wells started as a Mechanic Fabricator Apprentice with Conservation in February. He will ensure our machinery and equipment are maintained at a high working standard.  

Trent Althen started as a Seasonal Conservation Ecology Technician in February. He assists with red-cockaded woodpecker management and other day-to-day activities with our Conservation team. 

Avery Holbrook (Technician, Ecological Silviculture Lab) completed an M.S. degree through Mississippi State University’s Online Forestry Graduate Program in December 2024.  

Behnoosh Abbasnezhad (Postdoctoral Associate, Landscape Ecology Lab) accepted a new position to conduct research with the Family Forest Research Center, a collaborative initiative between the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station. In Summer of 2025, Behnoosh will join the team in Amherst, MA to work with family forest owners to promote conservation and sustainable forestry.   

Christine Favorito (Research Associate, Entomology & Microbiology Lab) moved on to a new position as the Insect Conservation Coordinator for the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in Maryland/Virginia. We thank her for everything she has done for the lab and The Center!  

Jenna Myers (Ph.D. student, Wildlife Ecology Lab) won an award for Best Student Presentation for her talk Improving Mesopredator Monitoring: A Recommended Camera Trapping Protocol for Georgia at The Georgia Chapter of The Wildlife Society meeting in February. Jenna is co-advised by Dr. Steven Castleberry at the University of Georgia. 

Katy Perkins (M.S. student, Ecohydrology Lab) received a travel grant from The Wetlands Foundation to travel to the Society of Wetland Scientists annual meeting in Providence, Rhode Island in July. Katy's project focuses on the impacts of forest management on wetland hydrology.    

Layne Richardson (Conservation Fellow) successfully completed his fellowship in February and accepted a position as a Forestry Consultant for Baseline Forest Services in Alabama. Layne quickly grew to be an asset to the Conservation team and his skills will be missed. 

Stribling Stuber (Research Associate, Ecohydrology Lab) left The Jones Center to pursue a new opportunity as a Conservation Operations Specialist with The Nature Conservancy in Fort Collins, Colorado. Before serving as the Ecohydrology Research Associate, Stribling served as a technician and completed an M.S. in the Plant Ecology Lab. She will be sorely missed, not just for the work she did for the lab, but for her involvement in the Ichauway community. 

Tess Eichner (Seasonal Technician, Ecohydrology) left at the end of March to take a new job under Dr. Elizabeth Hunter at Virginia Tech. She will be working for postdoc Dr. Max Jones to monitor the populations of three species of freshwater turtles in Virginia and surrounding states.