Appalachian Laboratory
2020 End-of-Year E-Newsletter
Volume 3, Issue 1
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Richard Johnson Environmental Education Award |
Each year, thanks to the generosity of the Johnson Family and numerous community partners and friends, the Appalachian Laboratory recognizes the environmental education efforts of an individual or group in Garrett or Allegany County by awarding the Richard A. Johnson Environmental Education Award.
Francis "Champ" Zumbrun, retired Forest Manager of Green Ridge State Forest, was selected by the award committee in November 2020 as the next recipient of the Johnson Award for his "active and enthusiastic role as a communicator and promoter of natural history in western Maryland." For over 25 years, he has also played a critical role in Frostburg State University's Project Learning Tree program, and more recently, has become involved in the Allegany Forestry Board's Liberty Tree Project.
Unfortunately, due to concerns about the spread of COVID-19, the April 2020 award ceremony and reception were cancelled. Based on feedback from Champ, as well as our community partners, a rescheduled celebration will be planned for a future date when large, in-person events are once again safe. Until then, please join us in congratulating Champ on his selection!
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Appalachian Laboratory
Virtual Events
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Please plan to join us in spring 2021 for a series of virtual Watershed Moments events hosted via Zoom. Our first event is scheduled for Thursday, March 25, at 6:30pm, and will feature Dr. Rob Dunn, Professor of Applied Ecology at North Carolina State University, and author of Never Home Alone, Never Out of Season, and other books that explore the small species that surround us every day.
Details are still being finalized for this and other planned events. Our events will continue to be free and open to the public, but registration will be required. A link to register for events will be posted to our Watershed Moments website and a notice will be emailed to those on our email list. Once registered, attendees will receive Zoom access instructions by email.
Until we can safely meet in person again, we look forward to seeing you online! Please contact Rhonda Schwinabart at rschwinabart@umces.edu with any Watershed Moments-related questions. |
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Photo credit both photos: Frode Jacobson
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New Study Highlights Importance of U.S. Coastal Habitats for Migrating Birds |
Emily Cohen, Animal Ecologist and Assistant Professor at the Appalachian Laboratory, along with colleagues at the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Colorado State University, Georgetown University, University of Massachusetts and University of Delaware, recently led an important new study on bird migration.
Published in the journal Ecology Letters, the study is the first to link two phases of migration: passage (when birds are flying) and stopover (when the birds land to rest and refuel for the next leg of the journey) in a new metric. The new metric, named the stopover-to-passage ratio, helps researchers assess the importance of different regions, such as the habitats of the Gulf Coast, to migrating birds.
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Appalachian Laboratory Welcomes Rodney Richardson, Molecular Ecologist, to Faculty |
Dr. Rodney Richardson, a molecular ecologist studying honey bees and other insect pollinators, has joined the faculty of the Appalachian Laboratory of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) as an Assistant Professor.
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Photo left: Luke DeGroote; Photo right: Jonathan Johnson |
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Jonathan Johnson and Luke DeGroote Begin Ph.D. Studies at Appalachian Laboratory |
The Appalachian Laboratory of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) is pleased to welcome two new Ph.D. students this academic year. Jonathan Johnson has joined the laboratory of Dr. David Nelson, and Luke DeGroote has joined Dr. Emily Cohen’s laboratory. Both are enrolled in the Marine-Estuarine Environmental Sciences (MEES) Graduate Program of the University System of Maryland.
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Help Support the Work of Students at the Appalachian Laboratory
During this unprecedented year, students at the Appalachian Laboratory have faced multiple challenges in completing their degrees, including courses rapidly transitioning online, restricted access to laboratory and field sites during Phase 1 of the state's shutdown, prohibited travel, and more. These issues have forced many students to revise their research goals, plans and timelines in a short period of time, adding to their financial burden and mental stress.
You can help by making a gift to Student Support at the Appalachian Laboratory. Gifts to Student Support make it possible for the Laboratory to offer grants to students in support of their research activities. By making a gift today, you will be helping students continue their work through difficult times and fostering the next generation of scientists.
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