Upcoming GIS Workshops at Tall Timbers Research Station

Tall Timbers Research Station is hosting 2 GIS workshops this Spring/Summer.

22 – 26 April 2013 – Applied Geospatial Solutions in Natural Resources

20 – 24 May 2013   – Advanced GIS Workshop focusing on Python scripting and GIS Programming

Please visit our website for more information and for an application form.  Note: there is a maximum number of workshop participants for each workshop so reserve your spot soon! A limited amount of on-site lodging will also be available!!

Instructors:                 Theron M. Terhune, PhD, GISp & Joe Noble, GIS Specialist

Course Website:         http://www.gis.ttrs.org/GISHome.html

Funding opportunity from the Gopher Tortoise Council

The J. Larry Landers Student Research Award
is a Gopher Tortoise Council competitive grant program for undergraduate
and graduate college students. Proposals can address research concerning
gopher tortoise biology or any other relevant aspect of upland habitat
conservation and management. The amount of the award is variable, but has
averaged $1,000.00 over the last few years.

The proposal should be limited to four pages in length and should include a
description of the project and a concise budget.  A brief resume of the
student also needs to be provided.

This is an excellent opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to
access funding for their projects.  In addition, students are expected to
present their research at the Annual Gopher Tortoise Council meeting or
contribute to an edition of "The Burrow", GTC's newsletter.

The deadline for grant proposals each year is the 15th of September.

Please send submissions to:

Bob Herrington Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biology
Georgia Southwestern State University
Americus, GA, 31709
229-931-2331
bob.herrington@gsw.edu

Call for Presentations or Posters: 25th Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference

Purpose

The purpose of the 25th Fire Ecology Conference is to bring together the fire management and research community to focus on fire ecology and management issues in northern coastal and interior climates.

Objectives

The objective of the 25th Tall Timbers Fire Ecology Conference is to present and publish current scientific research on topics that will likely influence the future of prescribed fire. Despite critical dependence of natural ecosystems and wildfire control efforts on the use of prescribed fire, many new challenges to its continued use have developed. These include the expansion of the wildland-urban interface, stricter air quality regulations, and concerns about the effects of fire on carbon sequestration and mercury cycling. Planning for the future of prescribed fire will require science-based information on which to build sound policy that provides for the public good, including protection from wildfire, conservation of natural areas, and provision of a safe and healthy environment.

Topics to be addressed may include:

•Fire Regimes

•Fire History

•Ecology and Management of the Pine Barrens

•Ecosystem function and restoration

•Fuels management, loading and particulate emissions

•Public awareness and education

•Smoke management and modeling

•Burning in the wildland-urban interface

•Tradeoffs between prescribed fire and wildfire

•Fire management policy

•Carbon sequestration

•Exotics and Invasives


Submit abstracts to fireabstract@ttrs.org

(instructions:  www.talltimbers.org/FEconference)


Registration Opens January 31, 2013. Visit the conference web site for registration deadline and conference fees: http://www.talltimbers.org/FEconference/register.htm.

On your mark, get set, NISAW!

Tomorrow starts Florida’s unofficial National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW). While the folks in DC have the dates from March 4-9, we in Florida decided we needed at least 4 extra days to celebrate.

Events in Florida range from workdays to potato pulls, pet amnesty day to steering committee meetings. All our activities serve to raise awareness of the threat of invasive species and serve to build camaraderie and cooperative efforts in our partnerships.

Here is a PDF calendar that shows events for the following 12 Florida Cooperative Invasive Species Management Areas (CISMAs):

1.       Apalachicola Regional Stewardship Alliance CISMA

2.       Central Florida CISMA

3.       East Central Florida CISMA

4.       Everglades CISMA

5.       First Coast Invasive Working Group

6.       Heartland CISMA

7.       Lake County CISMA

8.       Osceola County Cooperative Weed Management Area

9.       Six Rivers CISMA

10.   Suncoast CISMA

11.   Southwest Florida CISMA

12.   Treasure Coast CISMA

Here is an awesome one page handout on “What you can do” during NISAW that was created by Suncoast CISMA. Feel free to steal the idea and spread it wide and far – great message sent along with the flyer:

“National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW) is once again upon us! We invite you to make an effort to participate in some way this week. Whether you surf the web to learn a new plant, make a commitment to participate in an upcoming workday, or simply talk to your neighbor, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE. If you need ideas on what you can do to participate, see the attachment. It is full of ideas. Better yet, print the flyer and post it somewhere others will see it and that can be your contribution to NISAW!”