Progress 04/01/21 to 03/31/25
Outputs
Target Audience:Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability was created to serve a number of different target groups: Landowners and other stakeholders in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region. This region, much of which is is characterized as the Alabama/Mississippi Black Belt, is a largely undeveloped, rural region with a heavilyagricultural/forestry-based economy. Like other such regions, it faces a great many challenges - sociological, economic, and environmental. A primary goal of PAIS has been to assist stakeholders in dealing with those issues. College students in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region with an interest in conservation-based employment. PAIS created experiential learning opportunities for the student interns in the program. We believe these opportunities have assisted our interns in furthering their careers, and have assisted in work-force development in a region desperately in need of support. The PAIS project has sought to engage the general public in the region serviced by the three academic institutions involved. Experience has shown us that a disconnect often exists between the rural community and academic institutions serving it. PAIS has played a role in demonstrating to the people in our service area that academic and governmental bodies can do real work that can contribute to the well-being of the community. Changes/Problems:As we approached the planned end of this project in the Spring of 2024, it became clear that one of our partner institutions would not be able to make full utilization of their funding. As a result, we requested and received a one-year, no cost extension with the goal of developing an outreach program that would successfully utilize those resources. The PAIS team worked with the administration of the partner institutions (Coastal Alabama Community College and East Mississippi Community College) to develop an outreach program that will have lasting impact and result in ongoing benefits for the region. We conducted multiple outreach events in conjunction with partner institutions (detailed in the section on "Dissemination". Finally, PAIS coordinated with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Noxubee County, MS on a program that will provide feral swine traps for checkout to area landowners to continue the effort to control feral swine after the end of the project. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?The most significant training opportunity provided through Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability is the training provided for undergraduate student interns to provide hands-on assistance to area stakeholders. Over the four years of the PAIS 2.0 program, the program trained and employed 20student interns, who were employed by the participating institutions to assist area landowners. Two SummerIntern Boot Camps were conducted (Summer 2022 and Summer 2023). Training provided for interns included, but was not to: a. Required safety training. b. Leadership/team building activities provided at TrueVine Foundation in Eutaw, AL c. Invasive species training provided at UWA, including classroom and field sessions. d. Prescribe fire activities including classroom and field sessions. e. Introduction to native grasses and pollinators at Sumter Farms in Geiger, AL. f. Introduction to conservation activities at US Corps of Engineers facility in Demopolis, AL. g. Introduction to soil quality assessment at UWA. h.Application of drone technology to conservation practices. i.. Field trip to Soggy Bottom Hunting Lodge to see conservation practices at commercial site. Intern responsibilities included, but were not limited to: Maintenance, transport, and set-up of feral swine trapping apparatus on stakeholder property. After installation, interns andPAIS personnel instruct landowners in the use of the equipment. After the prescribed period of operations, interns disassemble the apparatus and install it elsewhere or return it to the storage facilities on the UWA campus. Survey of stakeholder property for issues related to invasive species management, prescribed fire recommendations, etc.c. Eradicate invasive plants (largely cogongrass) on stakeholder property. emove and relocate honeybee swarms. Apply prescribed fire on stakeholder property Participate in PAIS-related outreach activities Participate in PAIS-related community service (i.e., maintenance of UWA Community Garden & Orchard, maintenance ofWACCA site, etc.) From 8/29/23 through 9/1/23, six PAIS personnel (two investigators and four interns) participated in Certified Prescribed Burn Manager training offered at the Alabama Fire College in Tuscaloosa. This training allowed participants to become Certified Burn Managers to further support hands-on assistance with stakeholders in the application of prescribe fire. 3. On April 10, 2023, PAIS personnel visited West Alabama Bee Company in Fosters, AL to receive instruction on construction and installation of beehives. This was conducted in support of PAIS' efforts to support stakeholder interest in pollinator support. PAIS supported two graduate research assistants during the completion of their Master of Science degrees in Conservation Biology at the University of West Alabama. Both of these students successfully defended theses examining invasive species impacts. One (Caleb Mullins) has moved on to a Ph.D. program at Stephen F. Austin University and the other (Aubree Plymale) has accepted a position with Quail Forever. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The PAIS team has routinely relayedinformation about program activities through a variety of channels. Previous annual reports provided specific details regardingdissemination activities over the period from April 2021 through March 2024. In summary, these activities included: Town Halls and Other Local Group Meetings- 8 meetings with approximately 230 attendees Presentations at meetings of other organizations (National Wild Turkey Federation, Treasure Forest, etc.) - 6 meetings with approximately 270 attendees Visits/presentations at other academic institutions - 2 presentations with approximately 300 attendees In addition, the PAIS team has participated in three radio broadcasts providing information about the program and developed an independent web site. Results have been disseminated to the appropriate research community. Nine conference presentations and one master's thesis were developed by PAIS participants over the first three years of the program. Specific details on those presentations were provided in annual reports. During the final year of the program (4/1/2024 through 3/31/2025), dissemination efforts included: 1) Presentation by PAIS PI at 2024 In-Service Event for East Mississippi Community College. This presentation detailed PAIS efforts and the significance of building on the progress that had been generated. Approximately 300 EMCC faculty and staff were in attendance. AT this event, stakeholders in the East Mississippi region were introduced to plans to continue support in the region. 2) Presentation at EMCC Foundation Skeet Shoot with approximately 60 attendees. 3) Presentation to landowners in the East Mississippi region at Wildlife Dominion in Crawford, MS. At this event, the PAIS team detailed a plan to create ongoing impact on feral swine control for landowners in the region. Thsi event was attended by ~20 landowners in the region. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The PAIS team requested a one-year, no cost extension covering the period form April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025, to complete outreach activities with partner institutions. Activities during thefinal year of the project focused almost entirely on outreach activities conducted through East Mississippi Community College. In this report, we summarize accomplishments over the three previous years of the project, and desribed in more detail activities of the final year. The primary goalof PAIS 2.0 wasto provide support to stakeholders in the West Alabama and East Mississippi region through educational outreach and boots-on-the ground assistance, thereby enabling them to increase production and effectiveness. The specific objectives by which we attempted to reach this goal were: Objective 1: Development of a database of stakeholder awareness on critical topics affecting agriculture in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region. Objective 2: Development of an outreach program utilizing the information gathered through surveys. Objective 3: Provision of hands-on assistance to stakeholders by employing student interns, trained by the PAIS 2.0 team and operating out of the University of West Alabama (UWA), Coastal Alabama Community College (CACC), and East Mississippi Community College (EMCC). Objective 4: Enhancement of career opportunities for students inconservation biology programs, and stimulating development in sustainable agriculture in the region, through experience gained by student interns in the program. Objective 5: Continue the development of WACCA, the regional center of expertise initiated on the UWA campus through the original PAIS program. What was accomplished under these goals? Objective 1: PAIS 2.0 (Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability) continued the data collection initiated during the original PAIS project (Partners Against Invasive Species). Data was collected through a variety of Qualtrics survey instruments distributed to area stakeholders, both at town hall events and other meetings and through the PAIS web site. Participation in this survey served as the entry point into the PAIS programs, and has been summarized in previous progress reports. The original PAIS survey has accumulated 203 responses. A revised survey developed specifically for PAIS 2.0 in 2020has added, at this point, an additional 112responses. In this survey, respondents were asked to indicate their confidence in recognizing the presence of invasive species feral swine and cogongrass. Approximately 90% of respondents indicated that they were either "extremely confident" or "very confident" recognizing feral swine presence. Only 64% of respondents indicated similar confidence in the ability to recognize cogongrass. Still, we feel that these numbers indicate a much greater awareness of these two extremely impactful invasives than was the case when the PAIS project began. During the final year of the PAIS 2.0 project, the PAIS team conducted a number of outreach activities at East Mississippi Community College in Scooba, MS. This included: 1) Sponsoring and participating in EMCC's in-service event attended by the entire faculty and staff at the beginning of the school year. Approximately 500 attendees. 2) Hosting an information table on two home football games at the EMCC campus during the fall of 2024. Interacted with approximately 120 attendees. 3) Sponsoring the East Mississippi Community College Foundation Skeet Shoot in August of 2024. Interacted and collected information from 65 attendees. A each of theseevents, attendees were presented with information about the PAIS program, and encouraged to participate in a survey assessing awareness of agricultural issues such as invasive species, prescribed fire, pollinator support, etc. Objective 2: The PAIS 2.0 program has utilized a variety of venues to reach out to area stakeholders. Over the period from April 1, 2021 through March 21, 2024, the PAIS team took part in 16 scheduled outreach events with over 800 attendees. These outreach events are summarized in the section on "Dissemination to Communities of Interest", and documented in further detail in the corresponding annual reports. During the final year of the project, outreach focused on the area served by East Mississippi Community College in an effort to complete our efforts there. These efforts included three outreach events with a total attendance of ~ 380. More detail is included under "Dissemination to Communities of Interest". Objective 3: During reporting years 2021-2024, Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability conducted a high successful program of training undergraduate student interns and employing them to provide hands-on assistance to stakeholders in the region served by the project. PAIS employed, at some time during the reporting period, a total of twenty student interns. These interns provided approximately 7,400 man-hours of assistance. Training of interns is on-going, but begins with PAIS Intern Boot Camp in the summer. This is described in more detail under "Opportunities for Training and Professional Development". During the reporting period 2021-24, PAIS interns conducted 127 landowner visits, during which they treated over 930 cogongrass patches totaling ~ 3.8 million square feet of cogongrass. In addition, ~ 100 trap deployments resulted in the eradication of approximately 1700 feral swine. It is worth noting that both these results (cogongrass eradication and feral swine removal) indicated progressively fewer eradications each year of the program. We believe that this indicates a degree of success in addressing the problems these invasives are causing in our service area. Application of prescribed fire began during reporting year 2023-24. Training and deployment of PAIS interns provided assistance to eight stakeholders and the application of prescribed fire to approximately 900 acres in West Alabama. On February 15, 2024, four PAIS personnel participated in a visit to the US Army ERDC facility in Vicksburg, MS. This visit provided important exposure to education and training opportunities with the US Army Corps of Engineers. All funding for student interns in this grant were exhausted by March 31 of 2024. However, the success of PAIS 2.0 resulted in an agreement with Natural Resources Conservation Service. This has allowed the West Alabama Center for Conservation and Agriculture to continue to employ studnent interns to assist landowners. Objective 4: While we will continue to assess success under Objective 4, it appears at this time that Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability is succeeding in enhancing career opportunities for the participants in the program. At least six former interns have moved on to career opportunities or graduate school in conservation science. One has recently accepted an appointment with the Army Corps of Engineers ERCS facility in Vicksburg. The two graduate research assistants employed by the program are furthering their careers. One is progressing through a Ph.D. program in forestry at Stephen F. Austin University, conducing research on the impact of invasive Chinese tallow on amphibian populations. The other has accepted employment with the non-profit organization Quail Forever in Pickens County, AL. Objective 5: The West Alabama Center for Conservation and Agriculture (WACCA) now serves as the hub for activities related to conservation and agriculture on the UWA campus, and in the region. In June of 2024, WACCA entered into a two year agreement to continue working with area landowners to further the work initiated in this program. On Earth Day in April of 2025, WACCA was host to the first annual Conservation & Agriculture Celebration, an event designed to bring together the many diverse groups in West Alabama and East Mississippi that work at the interface of conservation and agriculture in hopes of fostering communication and collaboration.
Publications
|
Progress 04/01/23 to 03/31/24
Outputs
Target Audience:The target audience of the PAIS Projects has remained largely unchanged. The project is designed primarily to engage agricultural landowners and other stakeholders in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region. This region, in which agriculture and forestry form the base of the economy, is historically among the most socioeconomically depressed in the nation. The issues faced by landowners in the region have onlyl been exacerbated by the environmental and economic challenges of the last few years. Invasive species and other impacts have made an already challenging occupation even more difficult. Our primary goal is to assist stakeholders in dealing with those issues. The second primary target group are students in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region who wish to pursue careers in areas related to conservation and agriculture. The nature of the region produces a great many youth with a background in those areas that would like to find futures in that arena. However, opportunities are limited. The hands-on experience provided through the PAIS intern programprovides invaluable experience for these students to contribute to work-force development in a region desperately in need of support. Finally, PAIS seeks to reach the general public in the region serviced by the three academic institutions involved. For some time, there has been a disconnect between the rural community and the academic institutions - likely true of many colleges and universities in rural areas. PAIS has served a role to show the members of the community the types of things that academic instiutions can do to provide real support to the local economy. PAIS provides needed and assistance to stakeholders in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region. As a collaborative effort between The University of West Alabama (UWA), Coastal Alabama Community College (CA), East Mississippi Community College (EMCC), and the Sumter County Soil and Water Conservation District (SCSWCD), the project is positioned to assist agricultural stakeholders in West Alabama and East Mississippi. Our outreach efforts have demonstrated a significant impact on this region served, collectively, by 12 campuses in rural southwestern Alabama and eastern Mississippi. UWA is located in Livingston, Alabama. Livingston lies in the heart of the Black Belt region. The Black Belt was labeled such for its naturally fertile soil that was, and is, primarily used for agriculture. However, changing agricultural practices and socioeconomic conditions have led to the region becoming among the most impoverished in the nation. UWA is located in an area where funds and programs associated with land grant institutions often do not reach - Livingston is approximately 260 miles from Auburn University and approximately 80 miles from Mississippi State University. In light of this, in 2015 the University pursued and was granted designation as a Non-Land Grant College of Agriculture, allowing access to programs such as the USDA-NIFA capacity-building grant which funds this project. This has enabled the University ot better address agriculture-related issues within the region. CA, a public community college, operates nine campuses in southeastern Alabama serving a large swath of the state in five largely rural counties. EMCC operates two campus in rural Kemper and Lowndes County, Mississippi, and has a long history of collaboration with UWA. The service area of EMCC is actually a continuation of the geographical Black Belt region from Alabama into Mississippi. Collectively, the regions served by CACC and EMCC cover a wide swath of the largely rural Black Belt of Southwest Alabama and Eastern Mississippi. Agricultural production is a major economic force across the region, and producers in these regions face many of the same issues and problems as do those in UWA's service area. SCSWCD, a part of the larger Alabama Soil & Water Conservation Committee spearheads educational outreach for a multitude of agricultural and conservation projects in Sumter County, and has facilitated interaction with similar agencies across our service area. Many of the landowners served by SCSWCD are also among the target audience of PAIS. Changes/Problems:As noted earlier, Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability applied for and received a one-year, no-cost extension. This request was necessary largely because of difficulties in expending funds through community college partnerships. The PAIS team has taken measures to assure that remaining funds can be utilized to maximum benefit through focused outreach efforst with East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) and Coastal Alabama Community College (CA). Four focused events have already been discussed with the Dean of Instruction at EMCC, three for the Fall of 2023 and one for Spring 2024. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?1. The most significant training opportunity provided through Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability is the training provided for undergraduate student interns to provide hands-onassistanceto area stakeholders. While training is ongoing throughout intern employment, it begins with the Summer Intern Boot Camp. During this reporting cycle, the 2023 Intern Boot Camp was held on the University of West Alabama campus from July 23 through August 3, 2023. The training provided for interns during this camp included, but was not limited to: a. Required safety training. b. Leadership/team building activities provided at TrueVine Foundation in Eutaw, AL c.Invasive species training provided at UWA, including classroom and field sessions. d. Prescribe fire activities including classroom and field sessions. e. Introduction to native grasses and pollinators at Sumter Farms in Geiger, AL. f. Introduction to conservationactivities at US Corps of Engineers facility in Demopolis, AL. g. Introduction to soil quality assessment at UWA. h. Application of drone technologyto conservation practices. i.. Field trip to Soggy Bottom Hunting Lodge to see conservation practices at commercialsite. The Boot Camp concluded with the annual "PAIS Olympics", in which teams of interns compete with each other to apply the things they have learned during training. Intern responsibilities included, but were not limited to: a.Maintenance, transport, and set-up of feral swine trapping apparatus on stakeholder property. After installation, interns and PAIS personnel instruct landowners in the use of the equipment. After the prescribed period of operations, interns disassemble the apparatus and install it elsewhere or return it to the storage facilities on the UWA campus. b. Survey of stakeholder property for issues related to invasive species management, prescribed fire recommendations, etc. c. Eradicate invasive plants (largely cogongrass) on stakeholder property. d. Remove and relocate honeybee swarms. e. Apply prescribed fire on stakeholder property. f. Participate in PAIS-related outreach activities. g. Participate in PAIS-related community service (i.e., maintenance of UWA Community Garden & Orchard, maintenance of WACCA site, etc.) 2. From 8/29/23 through 9/1/23, six PAIS personnel (two investigators and four interns) participated in Certified Prescribed Burn Manager training offered at the Alabama Fire College in Tuscaloosa. This training allowed participants to become Certified Burn Managers to further support hands-on assistance with stakeholders in the application of prescribe fire. 3. On April 10, 2023, PAIS personnel visited West Alabama Bee Company in Fosters, AL to receive instruction on construction and installation of beehives. This was conducted in support of PAIS' efforts to support stakeholder interest in pollinator support. 4. On February 15, 2024, four PAIS personnel participated in a visit to the US Army ERDC facility in Vicksburg, MS. This visit provided important exposure to education and training opportunities with the US Army Corps of Engineers. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?During reporting year 2023-24, members of the PAIS team presented project results at three scientific conferences. These presentations are cited under "Products". In addition, PAIS graduate research assistant Caleb Mullins successfully defended his thesis examining impacts of feral swine on amphibian communities. This is also cited under Products. In additon to formal scientific presentations, the PAIS team participated in a number of scheduled outreach events during reporting year 2023-24. At these events, PAIS personnel shared answered landowner questions and shared information about the PAIS project. Following is a list of scheduled outreach over the reporting period April 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024. Included is date, event, location, and approximate number of attendees/stakeholders engaged. Note that this is a list of scheduled outreach events only. It does not include conference presentations, thesis defenses, etc., which are listed elsewhere. It also does not include unscheduled serendipitous outreach activities. April 20, 2023 - PAIS Outreach Event, Fairhope, AL - ~ 15 May 16, 2023 - Dog Street Café Pub Talk (Beekeeping & Pollination), Livingston, AL - ~ 20 May 19, 2023 - EMCC Foundation Skeet Shoot - ~ 80 August 14, 2023 - In-Service Meeting, Coastal Alabama Community College, Bay Minette, AL - ~ 320 September 5, 2023 - Dog Street Café Pub Talk (Native Grasses) - ~ 25 October 3, 2023 - Dog Street Café Pub Talk (Student Opportunities), Livingston, AL - ~ 20 November 7, 2023 - Dog Street Café Pub Talk (Prescribed Fire), Livingston, AL - ~ 20 November 20, 2023 - Alabama Treasure Forest Meeting, Livingston AL - ~30 December 4, 2023 - Central Alabama Prescribed Burn Association Meeting, Columbiana, AL - ~ 80 December 20, 2023 - Southern Regional Technical College, Tifton, GA - ~ 25 March 6, 2024 - Sumter County Farmer's Federation Meeting, Livingston, AL - 18 Total Number of Attendees - ~ 645 Area stakeholders are also kept informed about PAIS-related activities through the West Alabama Center for Conservation and Agriculture website and through social media postings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainabiltiy applied for an received a one-year, no-cost extension. This was due to difficulty in scheduling outreach with partner institutions. At this time, PAIS leadership has already scheduled a number of outreach activities with partner East Mississippi Community College (EMCC) to engage stakeholders in that region. This opportunites include: 1. EMCC Convocation at beginning of 2024 Academic Year. PAIS PI will address the EMCC faculty. 2. EMCC football games. PAIS will sponsor an outreach tent during the games. 3. EMCC fund-raising skeet shoot. PAIS will sponsor and have an information table. 4. EMCC Spring Rodeo. PAIS will sponsor and have an information table. Other smaller-scale activites will be scheduled with our other community college partner, Coastal Alabama Community College, to ensure maximum utilization of outreach efforts.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1:Development of a database of stakeholder awareness on critical topics affecting agriculture in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region. Stakeholder knowledge data collection continues through the operation of a Qualtrics survey instrument. This survey is distributed to stakeholders at the initiation of PAIS interaction with them, andmust be completed before PAIS interns assist them with issues on their property. The survey developed for the Partners Against Invasive Species project (PAIS 1.0) collected 205 responses. To date, the Qualtrics survey for Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability has collected 103 responses. We believe that the decline in landowner "initiation" indicates that we are reaching saturation with regard to the number of landowners willing and able to participate in the project. This data will be incorporated into a publication detailing the results of both PAIS projects.This publicationis currently in preparation. Pertinent results from the Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability Survey show that responding stakeholders are confident in their ability to recognize the presence of invasive species of focus, with >90% of respondents expressing "extreme" or "high" confidence in their ability to recognize the presence of feral swine (Sus scrofa), and 73% expressing extreme or high confidence in their ability to recognize the presence of cogongrass (Imperata cylindrica). At the same time, 23.4% of respondents report "very high" levels of damage from wild pigs on their property. 11.7% report "very high" cogongrass abundance on their property. It should be noted, however, that these surveys are typically initiated by landowners seeking assistance. Therefore, high impact levels are likely to be expected. Survey respondents are asked to identify other invasive species that are impacting their operations. Species appearing most often include kudzu (Peuraria montana), Chinese tallow, (Triadica sebifera)and Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense). Survey respondents are also asked to rate the importance of a number of agricultural and conservation issues. For PAIS respondents, the item ranked as "very important" by the largest number of respondents was Wildlife Habitat(77.6%). Survey results over the six years of the PAIS programs indicate that, while awareness of invasive species and their impacts has increased, awareness of the significance of pollinators and their plight lags behind a bit. Only 13% of respondents indicated that they considered themselves to be very informed on the topic of pollination., 38.6% of respondents indicated a desire to learn more about IPM (integrated pest management) on their property, while > 42% indicate that they are only "slightly knowledgeable" or "not knowledgeable at all" about the role of pollinators in crop production.PAIS plans to incorporate such outreach into future plans. With regard to soil quality, 49% of survey respondents indicate a concern about soil fertility, while 33% express concern about erosion. 41% of respondents utilize cover crops for soil protection, while 31.8% practive no-till cultivation. Such practices will also be the focus of future outreach. Objective 2:Development of an outreach program utilizing the information gathered through surveys. This outreach program will address gaps in the knowledge base of regional stakeholders. PAIS 2.0 has utilized a variety of venues to reach out to area stakeholders. Over this reporting period, PAIS participated in ten scheduled outreach events allowing interaction with over 640stakeholders. These outreach efforts are recorded in more detail below under "Dissemination to Communities of Interest" Objective 3:Provision of hands-on assistance to stakeholders by employing student interns, trained by the PAIS 2.0 team and operating out of the University of West Alabama (UWA), Coastal Alabama Community College (CACC), and East Mississippi Community College (EMCC). During reporting year 2023-2024, Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability continued a successful program of training undergraduate student interns and employing them to provide hands-on assistance to stakeholders in the region served by the project. PAIS employed, at some time during the reporting period, a total of eleven student interns. These interns provided approximately 2,400 man-hours of assistance. Training of interns is on-going, but begins with PAIS Intern Boot Camp in the summer. This is described in more detail under "Opportunities for Training and Professional Development". During the reporting year 2023-24, PAIS interns assisted 44 landowners in the eradication of 358 cogongrass patches. These patches of invasive grass totaled approximately 1.34 million square feet. In addition, 27 landowners were assisted with feral swine trapping, resulting in the removal of over 500 swine. It is worth noting that both these results (cogongrass eradication and feral swine removal) are somewhat lower than PAIS has reported in previous years. We believe that this indicates a degree of success in addressing the problems these invasives are causing in our service area. Application of prescribed fire began during reporting year 2023-24. Training and deployment of PAIS interns provided assistance to eight stakeholders and the application of prescribed fire to approximately 900 acres in West Alabama. ?Objective 4:Enhancement of career opportunities for students in conservation biology programs, and stimulating development in sustainable agriculture in the region, through experience gained by student interns in the program. Evaluation of accomplishments under Objective 4 will be an ongoing effort, however there are encouraging results indicating that Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability is, in fact, enhancing career opportunities for interns (and other student participants) in the program. At least four former interns have moved on either graduate training or career opportunities in conservation. With regard tothe current cohort of interns, two graduated during Academic Year 2023-24 with degrees in environmental science or conservation field/biology. One of these has moved on into graduate study in Conservation Biology at UWA and the other is employed in the conservation arena. The first graduate research assistant in the program, Caleb Mullins, successfully defended his thesis in July of 2023 and is now in a Ph.D. program in forestryat Stephen F. Austin State University where he continues to investigate the impact of invasive species (Chinese tallow). The second PAIS graduate research assistant, Aubree Plymale, is scheduled to defend her thesis in July of 2024 and has accepted an employment opportunity with Quail Forever in Carrolton, AL. Objective 5:Continue the development of WACCA, the regional center of expertise initiated on the UWA campus through the original PAIS program. The West Alabama Center for Conservation and Agriculture now serves as a hub of PAIS activities on campus. WACCA coordinates conservation activities among various internal and external partners, and is currently finalizing an agreement to work with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. WACCA will coordinate with another USDA-NIFA project (Partners for Agribusiness and Conservation Enterprises) in continuing to find opportunities for students.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability: Collaboration in West Alabama and East Mississippi in Support of Conservation and Agriculture. A. Plymale, C. Mullins, J. McCall. Annual Meeting of the Association of Southeasteern Biologists, Chattanooga, TN. 2024.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2024
Citation:
Partners in Action for Integral Solutions (PAIS 3.0): A Proposal to Provide Continued Assistance to Sumter County Agricultural Stakeholders. A. Plymale, C. Mullins, J. McCall. 2024 University Research Symposium, Livingston, AL.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
The effects of feral swine disturbance on fire-dominated plant communities in West Alabama. A. Plymale. 2023 Fire in Eastern Oaks Conference. Tyler, TX.
- Type:
Theses/Dissertations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Examining the Ecological Impact of Feral Swine on Amphibian Populations in West Alabama. Caleb Mullins.
|
Progress 04/01/22 to 03/31/23
Outputs
Target Audience:Target Audience PAIS (Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability) is designed to target several specific groups:. Landowners and other stakeholders in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region. This highly rural region with a heavilyagricultural/forestry-based economy is faced with many challenges, which have become increasingly difficult over the last few years because of environmental and socioeconomic changes.Our primary goal is to assist stakeholders in dealing with those issues. Students in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region with an interest in conservation-based employment. The rural nature of the region produces many students with an interest in conservation and agriculture, but there are relatively few opportunities for these students. Through the experiential training provided to student interns in the PAIS program, we provide opportunities for these students to contribute to work-force development in a region desperately in need of support. PAIS provides needed and assistance to stakeholders in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region. As a collaborative effort between The University of West Alabama (UWA), Coastal Alabama Community College (CA), East Mississippi Community College (EMCC), and the Sumter County Soil and Water Conservation District (SCSWCD), the project is positioned to assist agricultural stakeholders in West Alabama and East Mississippi. Our outreach efforts have demonstrated a significant impact on this region served, collectively, by 12campuses in rural southwestern Alabama and eastern Mississippi. UWA is located in Livingston, Alabama. Livingston lies in the heart of the Black Belt region. The Black Belt was labeled such for its naturally fertile soil that was, and is, primarily used for agriculture. However, changing agricultural practices and socioeconomic conditions have led to the region becoming among the most impoverished in the nation. UWA is located in an area where funds and programs associated with land grant institutions often do not reach - Livingston is approximately 260 miles from Auburn University and approximately 80 miles from Mississippi State University. In light of this, in 2015 the University pursued and was granted designationas a Non-Land Grant College of Agriculture, allowing access to programs such as the USDA-NIFA capacity-building grant which funds this project. This has enabled the University ot better address agriculture-related issues within the region. CA, a public community college, operates nine campuses in southeastern Alabama serving a large swath of the state in five largely rural counties. EMCC operates two campus in rural Kemper and Lowndes County, Mississippi, and has a long history of collaboration with UWA. The service area of EMCC is actually a continuation of the geographical Black Belt region from Alabama into Mississippi. Collectively, the regions served by CACC and EMCC cover a wide swath of the largely rural Black Belt of Southwest Alabama and Eastern Mississippi. Agricultural production is a major economic force across the region, and producers in these regions face many of the same issues and problems as do those in UWA's service area. SCSWCD, a part of the larger Alabama Soil & Water Conservation Committee spearheads educational outreach for a multitude of agricultural and conservation projects in Sumter County, and has facilitated interaction with similar agencies across our service area. Many of the landowners served by SCSWCD are also among the target audience of PAIS. Changes/Problems:No major changes are anticipated. As we enter our final year, Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability will likely request minor budget changes to better utilize the allocated funds. As with any program, experience has allowed us to save funds in some areas, while we have experienced a need for additional funds in others. The partnering community colleges have not always been able to effectively utilize the same techniques, and we will be examing methods to better allocate resources for them. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?A primary goal of the PAIS project is the recruitment and training of student interns to assist area stakeholders in their agricultural endeavors. Interns are employed through all of the educational institutions participating in the project (University of West Alabama, Coastal Alabama Community College, and East Mississippi Community College). On employment, new interns are provided safety training prior to participating in PAIS activities. This is followed by the PAIS Intern Training Camp ("Boot Camp"). In 2022, this camp was held at the West Alabama Center for Conservation and Agriculture on the UWA campus. Ten interns attended the training, and were trained in all aspects of the PAIS project. This included classroom training in invasive species management, forest management, soil quality, pollinator support activities, and other aspects of land management. The camp concluded with the "PAIS Olympics", in which teams completed in various activities related to landowner support. All member of the PAIS team (including the intern supervisor) conductongoing training at the University of West Alabama, and travels to the participating community college to assist in training interns there. Plans are in place to host the 2023PAIS Intern Training Camp on the campus of the University of West Alabama from July 23through August 4. In addition to training provided by PAIS, many of the interns (as well as other students at the participating campuses) have benefited from associated training provided through UWA's program in Conservation Enterprises. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Publications are reported elsewhere in this report. Otherwise, results have been disseminated largely through meetings with interested parties. A partial list of these meetings is provided below. The number of individuals involved is include parenthetically. Outreach and Dissemination June 14, 2022 - PAIS Efforts in Community Garden Cookout July 14, 2022 - PAIS Presentation at Area II Association of Conservation Districts Meeting (100) July 24 - August 5, 2022 - PAIS Intern Boot Camp (200) August 5, 2023 - PAIS Attendance at AWF Governor's Conservation Achievement Awards (100) PAIS awarded Land Conservationist of the Year August 18, 2022 - Meeting with OSPR regarding WACCA and Rodeo Complex (5) August 30, 2022 - Meeting with NSM regarding WACCA and Training Center (5) September 1, 2022 - PAIS Graduate Research Students Orientation (3) September 8, 2022 - PAIS reps attend Alabama Prescribed Fire Council Meeting (50) September 9, 2022 - Meeting with NSM to Discuss Agri-Business (10) September 12, 2022 - PAIS Update for Sumter County Soil & Water Conservation District (12) September 12, 2022 - PAIS Update at Farmer's Federation Dinner (30) September 13, 2022 - Black Belt Trails Discussion with UWA Representatives (5) September 13, 2022 - NARRU Discussion with OSPR (3) September 20, 2022 - Fire Training Discussion with PAIS and NSM (6) September 27, 2022 - Meeting with OSPR to Discuss Maintenance of Garden Trails (3) October 20, 2022 - Graduate Research Assistant Drone Strategy Meeting (4) October 24, 2022 - Sumter Farms Visit by Graduate Research Assistant (3) November 7, 2022 - WACCA Web Page Discussion with IMC Reps (5) November 8, 2022 - WACCA Infrastructure Discussion with UWA President's Council (15) November 10, 2022 - WACCA Strategy Discussion with Office of Sponsored Programs and Research (3) November 28, 2023 - Meeting with President's Council for WACCA Discussion (10) November 29, 2023 - NLGCA Meeting with Rodney Granec (2) January 17, 2023 - PAIS Web Site Meeting (5) January 24, 2023 - Visit to Sumter Farms for Partnership Discussion (3) February 3, 2023 - Meeting with Baldwin County Soil and Water Conservation District (8) February 6, 2023 - PAIS Prescribed Fire Trailer Meeting (6) February 8, 2023 - PAIS Pollinator Team Meeting (6) February 21, 2023 - PAIS Presentation to Alabama Treasured Forests Meeting (30) February 24, 2023 - PAIS Interns Assist with SCSWCD Tree Giveaway (40) February 25, 2023 - PAIS Presentation to Sumter County National Wild Turkey Federation (150) March 3, 2023 - PAIS Presentation at Bay Minette National Wild Turkey Federation (100) March 9, 2023 - PAIS Pollinator Group Meeting with Beekeeper (6) March 15, 2023 - Pickens County Wild Pig Management Workshop (15) March 22 - March 25, 2023 - Association of Southeastern Biologists, Winston-Salem, NC (40) In addition, the PAIS team is currently developing an independent web page (apart from the web page that operates through the University of West Alabama site). This web page will be used to provide constantly updated information about the progress of the PAIS program. This web site should be fully operational by Fall of 2023. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?As Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainabiltiy enters its final year, we anticipate continued expansion during the next reporting period. We are preparing to train a full slate of interns to continue the hands-on support that distinguishes the program. We plan to continue our established program in invasive species support, while greatly expanding our assistance in the area of prescribed fire and pollilnator support. A primary goal in Year 3 is to develop partnerships supporting the PAIS effort as we strive to become self-sustaining. We plan to develop new strategies to couple the model of PAIS intern training with the developing Conservation Enterprises major at UWA to attract additional students to provide conservation and agriculture training for the youth of the Black Belt region.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1: Development of a database of stakeholder awareness on critical topics affecting agriculture in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region. PAIS 2.0 (Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability) continued the development of a database of stakeholder awareness related to invasive species that was initiated under the original PAIS Project (Partners Against Invasive Species). This database was established by the creation of a Qualtrics survey which is distributed to area stakeholders, both at town hall events and other meetings and through the PAIS web site. The original PAIS survey created under the Partners Against Invasive Species program accumulated 203 responses. A revised survey developed specifically for PAIS 2.0 has added, at this point, an additional 84 responses. In all likelihood, the declining number of responses indicates that many of the eligibile landowners in the region have been contacted. With regard to invasive species, 97% of respondents indicate that they are moderately (45%) or extremely (52%) with the concept. This encouraging result indicates that the PAIS program has been effective in familiarizing area stakeholders with this issue. As for specific invasives of particular concern, 94% of respondents indicate that they are very confident in their ability to recognize the presence of feral swine, while 65% demonstrate the same level of confidence with regard to cogon grass. However, a high percentage of respondents 70% of respondents indicate that property damage from feral swine is either "abundant" or "very high" on their land. 61% of repondents indicate the cogongrass is either "abundant" or "very high) on their property. Of course, it should be noted that respondents have typically reached out to PAIS for assistance. It should not be surprising that levels of perceived impact will be high among respondents. Surveys indicated that respondents have concern with other non-native species, including Chinese privet and Chinese tallow. The PAIS team is planning a response to these concerns. In addition to information about invasive species, Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability alsocollects information about stakeholder awareness regarding pollinators, forest management, and soil quality. When queried regarding the signficance of various factors for their property, maintenance of wildlife habitat ranked highest with 78% of respondents listing it as "very important". 61.8% indicated that timber production was very important, while recreation (61.8%) and aesthetics (52.9%) were also indicated by most respondents as being very important to their land ownership. Over 50% of respondents indicated that wildlife support techniques (73%),selective harvest education (58%), prescribed burn support (57%), and non-timber forest products (51%) were of high ormoderate significance. All respondents indicated an awareness of the significance of pollinators, with high percentages of respondents indicating an interest in learning about integrated pest management (38%), bee pastures (27%), buffer strips (20%) and bee husbandry (15%). Nearly half (47.4%) indicated a high level of concern about soil health on their property. The information collected in the PAIS survey (ongoing) will be fundamental in designing activities to be implemented in the coming years. Objective 2. Development of outreach program to address gaps in knowledge base. PAIS employs a variety of methods to engage area landowners, with Town Hall meetings and other gatherings of area landowners proving to the most effective venues. A partial list of outreach efforts during this reporting period is provided in the section on dissemination of results. The PAIS program brought in a graduate research assistant in 2021, and a second graduate student came aboard in August of 2022. In addition to assisting in the coordination of PAIS activities, graduate students are thesis research on the ecological impacts of feral swine. Graduate student Caleb Mullins has completed field work on the impact of feral swine on diversity and abundance of herpetofauna communities and will defend his MS thesis in summer of 2023. Graduate student Aubree Plymale has started her field work on feral swine impact on plant succession following prescribed fire in pine communities. Objective 3. Provision of hands-on assistance to stakeholders by employing student interns, trained by the PAIS 2.0 team. PAIS 2.0 has continued the successful program established in the original PAIS program (Partners Against Invasive Species). The inclusion of community college partners CA and EMCC have allowed the program to greatly expand its geographic footprint. At this point, ten interns are employed through UWA, three through Coastal Alabama Community College, and three through East Mississippi Community College. PAIS interns begin their training at the annual PAIS Boot Camp. This camp was conducted on the UWA campus from July 24 through August 5, 2022.Those interns have continued the successful programs with feral swine and cogongrass established under the original Partners Against Invasive Species grant. During this reporting year, program interns UWA interns assisted 33 landowners with cogon grass infestations. They treated 250 individual patches, totaling approximately 1.2 million square feet. Interns also continued to work with area landowners on the eradication of feral swine. Program traps were deployed a total of 42 times, resulting in the eradication of 679 feral swine between April 1, 2022 and March 31, 2023.In addition, PAIS interns assisted in the development a community garden and the restoration of the Black Belt Community Orchard on the UWA campus. PAIS interns also initiated a beekeeping facility on the UWA campusas part of a pilot pollinator support project. Objective 4: Enhancement of career opportunities for students in conservation biology programs, and stimulating development in sustainabile agriculture in the region through experience gained by student interns in the program. While evaluation of the degree to which this goal has been attained will be an ongoing process over the coming years, there are indications that PAIS has been effective in helping to achieve Objective 4. Student interns from this program's predecessor, Partners Against Invasive Species, have been successful in using their experience to further their careers, both academically and professionally. In fact, one former intern has completed training in forestry at Auburn University. The opportunities and recognition afforded through PAIS played a major role in the development of UWA's program in Conservation Enterprises, which promises to provided work-related skills for future conservation professionals in the region. Several of the interns employed at the partner community colleges plan to transfer to UWA to further their education and training. Objective 5: Continue the development of the West Alabama Center for Conservation and Agriculture (WACCA), the regional center of expertise initiated on the UWA campus through the original PAIS program. As of this date, WACCA is thriving. It is the hub of all PAIS activities, and now provides housing for vehicles, traps, and other equipment employed in the program. In addition, WACCA has served as the site for two joint outreach efforts by the PAIS program and the Alabama Feral Swine Control Program. WACCA will serve as the center of operation for research activities conducted by two PAIS graduate research students. In addition, WACCA will serve as the site for the 2023 PAIS Intern Training Camp. Plans now are to develop means of making WACCA self-sustaining.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Collaboration for the Management of Invasive Species. 2022. International Wild Pig Conference (Virtual). Caleb Mullins and John McCall.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Examining the Ecological Impact of Feral Swine (Sus scrofa) on Amphibian Populations in West Alabama. 2023. Southeastern Partners in Amphibian Populations in West Alabama. Caleb Mullins and John McCall.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2023
Citation:
Fostering Collaboration in West Alabama and East Mississippi through Education and Outreach. 2023. Association of Southeastern Biologists, Winston-Salem, NC. Caleb Mullins, Aubree Plymale, John McCall.
|
Progress 04/01/21 to 03/31/22
Outputs
Target Audience:Several distinct groups constitute the target audience for Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability (PAIS). 1. Landowners and other stakeholders in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region. This highly rural region with a heavily agricultural/forestry-based economy faces a great many challenges in the coming years. Our primary goal is to assist stakeholders in dealing with those issues. 2. Students in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region with an interest in conservation-based employment. Through the training provided to student interns in the PAIS program, we hope to provide opportunities for work-force development in a region desperately in need of support. PAIS provides needed and assistance to stakeholders in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region. As a collaborative effort between The University of West Alabama (UWA), Coastal Alabama Community College (CA), East Mississippi Community College (EMCC), and the Sumter County Soil and Water Conservation District (SCSWCD), mittee, the project is positioned to assist agricultural stakeholders in West Alabama and East Mississippi. Our outreach efforts can impact ther regions served, collectively, by 11 campuses in rural southwestern Alabama and eastern Mississippi. UWA is located in Livingston, AL, in the heart of the south's Black Belt region. It was labeled such for its natural fertile soil that was, and is, primarily used for agriculture.UWA is located in an area where funds and programs associated with land grant institutions often do not reach (approximately 260 miles from Auburn University and approximately 80 miles from Mississippi State University). In light of this, the University was granted designation in 2015 as a Non-Land Grant College of Agriculture, allowing access to programs such as this to strengthen the institution's capacity to address issues within the region.CA, a public community college, operates nine campuses in southeastern Alabama serving a large swath of the state in five largely rural counties.EMCC operates two campus in rural Kemper and Lowndes County, Mississippi, and has a long history of collaboration with UWA. The service area of EMCC is actually a continuation of the geographical Black Belt region from Alabama into Mississippi.Collectively, the regions served by CACC and EMCC cover a wide swath of the largely rural Black Belt of Southwest Alabama and Eastern Mississippi. Agricultural production is a major economic force across the region, and producers in these regions face many of the same issues and problems as do those in UWA's service area. SCSWCD, a part of the larger Alabama Soil & Water Conservation Committeespearheads educational outreach for a multitude of agricultural and conservation projects in Sumter County, and has facilitated interaction with similar agencies across our service area. Changes/Problems:While not necessarily a problem, Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability has requested a major budget change. Recent developments in technology designed for trapping of feral swine have resulted in the program utilizing a different form of trap. The PAIS team budgeted for the purchase of three steel, remotely-operated "drop" traps. These traps are very expensive, and require that the landowner be available at all times to trigger the release of the trap to capture swine. A more recently developed net-based trap is considerably cheaper and operates passively, meaning that constant attention is not required. We were able to acquire some of these traps through other means and, on trial, found them to be equal in efficiency to the more expensive traps. For that reason, we did not use $24,000 budgeted in our equipment line for trap purchase, but rather purchased four of the less expensive traps using funds in the supply line. However, field experience has revealed to us the essential nature of a reliable utility terrain vehicle. Such a vehicle allows our interns to access remote locations on landowner's properties and transport gear. We have been able to utilize two such vehicles on loan to the PAIS project from the Alabama Forestry Commission. These machines have become unreliable. It is our hope that we can utiliize funds in the equipment line of this award to purchase a reliable UTV, and a request to that point has been made. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?A primary goal of the PAIS project is the recruitment and training of student interns to assist area stakeholders in their agricultural endeavors. Interns are employed through all of the educational institutions participating in the project (University of West Alabama, Coastal Alabama Community College, and East Mississippi Community College). On employment, new interns are provided safety training prior to participating in PAIS activities. The PAIS protocol provides for an intern training camp in the summer prior to each academic year of the program. Due to the date of funding for this project, we were unable to conduct the planned training camp in the Summer of 2021 (most prospective interns had already made other plans for the summer). Rather than a 2021 intern camp, the PAIS team held a planning summit of the participating staff. This three-day event was used to develop training plans that could be implemented for interns at each participating campus during the academic year. In addition, PAIS staff (including the intern supervisor) conducts ongoing training at the University of West Alabama, and travels to the participating community college to assist in training interns there. Plans are in place to host the 2022 PAIS Intern Training Camp on the campus of the University of West Alabama from July 24 through August 5. In addition to training provided by PAIS, many of the interns (as well as other students at the participating campuses) have benefited from associated training provided through UWA's program in Conservation Enterprises. This program, supported in part by the PAIS program,features practica, available for credit or through auditing, which provide practical training for students in the conservation arena. In the past year, the program has offered training in invasive species management, wildland fire-fighting, and pollinator support. A practicum beginning June of 2022 will offer training in chainsaw operation and safety. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The PAIS team routinely relays information about program activities through a variety of channels. Town Hall Meetings Bay Minette, AL - August 2, 2021 (6 attendees) Bay Minette, AL - February 25, 2022 (4 attendees) Scooba, MS - September 2021 (5 attendees) Annual Meetings of chapters of the National Wild Turkey Federation Kemper County, MS - March 26, 2022 (~ 50 attendees) Tom Kelly Chapter (Bay Minette, AL) - March 4, 2022 (~ 100 attendees) Sumter County, AL Chapter - February 26, 2022 (~ 100 attendees) Joint Meetings with Feral Swine Control Program Livingston, AL - September 9, 2021 (~ 50 attendees) Livingston, AL - December 2, 2021 (~ 50 attendees) In addition, information about the program is regularly shared on the University of West Alabama web site and through social media platforms operated by the program. The PAIS program was also the subject of radio show conducted by PI McCall on WSLY Radio in York, AL. Results have been disseminated to the appropriate research community. Four conference presentations were developed by PAIS participants over the first year of the program. Specific details on those presentations are provided elsewhere in this report. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?We anticipate dramatic expansion during the next reporting period. The ability to host a full intern training camp will allow full development of the other areas of support to be provided through the program. Training related to pollinator support, forest management, and soil assessment will be incorporated into our outreach programs. We believe that the continuing recovery from the pandemic will create more opportunities for face-to-face outreach opportunities.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Objective 1:Development of a database of stakeholder awareness on critical topics affecting agriculture in the West Alabama/East Mississippi region. Topics addressed will include: Invasive species Pollinator support Soil health Forest management Others to be Added as Identified PAIS 2.0 (Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability) continued the development of a database of stakeholder awareness related to invasive species that was initiated under the original PAIS Project (Partners Against Invasive Species). This database was established by the creation of a Qualtrics survey which is distributed to area stakeholders, both at town hall events and other meetings and through the PAIS web site. The original PAIS survey has accumulated 203 responses. A revised survey developed specifically for PAIS 2.0 has added, at this point, an additional 48 responses. A summary of the data collected indicated that 51.2% (104/203) of the respondents to the original survey considered themselves "very familiar" with the concept of invasive species, while an additional 45.3% (92/203) considered themselves to be "moderately familiar" with the concept. In the new survey distributed for PAIS 2.0, 55.3% of the responses received to date indicated a high degree of familiarity with the concept. In addition to information about invasive species, Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability also collectsinformation about stakeholder awareness regarding pollinators, forest management, and soil quality. When queried regarding the signficance of various factors for their property 60.5% indicated that timber production was very important. Wildlife habitat was even more significant, rated as very important by 79% of respondents. Recreation (63.2%) and aesthetics (57.9%) were also indicated by most respondents as being very important to their land ownership. Over 50% of respondents indicated that prescribed burn support (59%), selective harvest education (64%), wildlife support techniques (84%), and non-timber forest products (56%) were of high are moderate significance. All respondents indicated an awareness of the significance of pollinators. Nearly half (47.2%) indicated a high level of concern about soil health on their property. When queried about needed resources, 70% of respondents indicated that education and awareness was "extremely important" or "very important" in helping them manage their property. The information collected in the PAIS survey (ongoing) will be fundamental in designing activities to be implemented in the coming years. Objective 2. Development of outreach program to address gaps in knowledge base. Thus far in PAIS 2.0, the outreach program has primarily revolved around Town Hall meetings and other activities to directly engage area landowners. The most effective outreach has utilized our several years experience in dealing with the invasive species feral swine and cogongrass. Materials are currenty in development to broaden that outreach with information regarding pollinators, forest management, and soil issues. The PAIS program brought in a graduate research assistant in 2021. In addition to assisting in the coordination of PAIS activities, he is conducting thesis research on the ecological impacts of feral swine. A second graduate assistant will join the program in the summer of 2022 to work on impacts of swine on forest management. The form of outreach has been largely through PAIS participation in town hall meetings and other assemblies. At these events, PAIS staff inform participants about the significance of these topics to the management of their property. Meetings are detailed below in the section on dissemination of results. In addtion, results have been shared to research communities of interest through four conference presentations (detailed elsewhere in this report). Objective 3. Provision of hands-on assistance to stakeholders by employing student interns, trained by the PAIS 2.0 team. PAIS 2.0 has continued the successful program established in the original PAIS program (Partners Against Invasive Species). The inclusion of community college partners CA and EMCC have allowed the program to greatly expand its geographic footprint. Recruitment of interns housed at the partner community colleges was slow initially, perhaps because official funding and (therefore) marketing of the program occurred too late to engage many students in the summer of 2021. At this point, six interns are employed through UWA, three through Coastal Alabama Community College, and three through East Mississippi Community College. The interns housed at UWA are supervised by an intern coordinator (who also serves to advise interns at other locations). Those interns have continued the successful programs with feral swine and cogongrass established under the original Partners Against Invasive Species grant. Over the past year, UWA interns have treated cogongrass patches on the property of approximately 50 landowners, totaling ~ 1.2 million square feet. UWA interns worked with ..... landowners over the past year to eradicate .... feral swine. In addition, interns at UWA worked with the Sumter County Nature Trust (a non-profit conservation organization housed in the UWA Foundation) and local high school students to construct a community garden as part of a pilot pollinator support project. Objective 4: Enhancement of career opportunities for students in conservation biology programs, and stimulating development in sustainabile agriculture in the region through experience gained by student interns in the program. Given that the program is finishing its first year, it is difficult to assess our effectivness in achieving Objective 4. However, there are some indicators that give us great optimism. Student interns from this program's predecessor, Partners Against Invasive Species, have been successful in using their experience to further their careers, both academically and professionally. In fact, one former intern, now a graduate student in forestry at Auburn University, will return to UWA this summer to assist with the forestry component of the PAIS Intern Camp. The opportunities and recognition afforded through PAIS played a major role in the development of UWA's program in Conservation Enterprises, which promises to provided work-related skills for future conservation professionals in the region. Several of the interns employed at the partner community colleges plan to transfer to UWA to further their education and training. The success of PAIS has contributed to the planned development of an aquaculture training facility on the UWA campus. In general, PAIS has been a major part of a recognition of the sigificance of agriculture and natural resources to the development of the West Alabama/East Mississippi region. Objective 5: Continue the development of the West Alabama Center for Conservation and Agriculture (WACCA), the regional center of expertise initiated on the UWA campus through the original PAIS program. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on September 9, 2021 to dedicate teh West Alabama Center for Conservation and Agriculture (WACCA). The ceremony was attendees by state representatives from various agencies. As of this date, WACCA is thriving. It is the hub of all PAIS activities, and now provides housing for vehicles, traps, and other equipment employed in the program. In addition, WACCA has served as the site for two joint outreach efforts by the PAIS program and the Alabama Feral Swine Control Program. WACCA will serve as the center of operation for research activities conducted by two PAIS graduate research students. In addition, WACCA will serve as the site for the 2022 PAIS Intern Training Camp.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability: Battling Invasive Species in West Alabama. Presentation at annual meeting of Alabama Invasive Plant Council in Auburn, AL
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability: An Ongoing Effort of Foster Collaboration in West Alabama and East Mississippi. Presentation at Annual meeting of Association of Southeastern Biologists in Little Rock, AR.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability: An Ongoing Effort of Foster Collaboration in the Black Belt of West West Alabama and East Mississippi. Presentation at Annual meeting of Non-Land-Grant Agricultural and Renewable Resources Universities (NARRU) - Virtual Conference
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2022
Citation:
Collaboration for Management of Invasive Species: Partners for Agricultural Innovation and Sustainability and the Alabama Feral Swine Control Program. Presentation at 2022 International Wild Pig Conference.
|
|