It’s fall at Ichauway! As the cooler temps and shorter days creep into southwest Georgia, our staff and students continue to excel in their research, management, and educational directives. This issue highlights our Wildlife research program, in which we strive to better understand and manage our incredible faunal diversity. 

RESEARCH – WILDLIFE

Herpetology Lab Continues to Monitor Striped Newt Wetlands Post-Reintroduction

Since 2023, the Herpetology Lab has released approximately 150 striped newts (Notophthalmus perstriatus) into three wetlands at Ichauway: one historic breeding site and two others with suitable habitat. The newts came from the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s captive-rearing facility. Concurrent with this effort in 2024, graduate student Jade Samples used screened enclosures within the wetland to monitor growth, reproduction, and survival of the recently introduced individuals. At the beginning of 2025, the Lab conducted dipnet surveys to detect newts post-reintroduction; however, water levels were too low for the sampling effort to be successful. When breeding wetlands dry, the newts can persist below ground in the wetland or in the surrounding longleaf pine forest and return to breed when the wetland fills. The Herpetology Lab hopes to receive additional newts for release soon and will continue to monitor the wetlands for striped newts for the foreseeable future.

New RaMP Fellow Works to Understand the Ecosystem Role of Wild Turkeys

According to Dr. David Mason (Plant Ecology Lab), the wild turkey is a charismatic and widespread North American game species whose role in generating habitat is vastly understudied compared to its population dynamics. One of our new Research and Mentorship for Postbaccalaureates (RaMP) Fellows, Oriana Gutierrez, is addressing this gap by leading a collaboration with the University of Florida G.A.M.E. Lab that leverages their one-of-a-kind captive rearing facility to conduct feeding trials for approximately 20 species of native fruits. By extracting seeds from samples that have passed through turkey digestive systems and conducting germination trials, her research will further integrate seed dispersal into our understanding of native groundcover and habitat management in the longleaf pine ecosystem and beyond. 

Meso-carnivore Exclosure Research Persists

For over 20 years, the long-term predator exclosure study at Ichauway has yielded many interesting observations, including the discoveries of new trends in behavior among white-tailed deer, population changes in gopher tortoises, and even responses of plant communities. Year after year, our Herpetology and Wildlife Ecology Labs maximize the use of this long-term research endeavor, and 2025 was no different. Our Herpetology Lab individually captured and marked 90 gopher tortoises to estimate tortoise survival in the absence of mammalian predators that prey on eggs and juvenile tortoises. Meanwhile, Wildlife Ecology PhD student Varsha Shastry is attempting to determine how mammalian predator exclusion affects competition among prey species and their foraging behavior. The continuity of this long-term experiment is vital to teasing apart the interactions between predators, prey, and their environment. 

Menaboni's Gamebirds in Flight: A Closer Look at Ichauway's First Wildlife Data Visualization

From the American Woodcock at a paltry 13 miles per hour to the blazing Canvasback at 72 miles per hour, Athos Menaboni’s 1941 piece entitled Gamebirds in Flight represents a midcentury version of the near ubiquitous data visualizations we encounter daily in our digital lives. Read more about how Menaboni’s flight speeds hold up against today’s data. 

CONSERVATION

Center Staff Assist with Regional Red-cockaded Woodpecker Conservation

Our Conservation team has been reaching out beyond our borders! Center Biologist Zach Henshaw, technician Ryan Grantham, and Conservation Fellows Allie Mitchell and Bradley Pruitt assisted the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR) with the installation of 56 artificial nest boxes, making up 14 clusters, at Chickasawhatchee Wildlife Management Area (CWMA) in SW Georgia. Along with CWMA, the team has provided GADNR with direct assistance in establishing new RCW populations at other properties and will support translocation efforts from Ft. Stewart in December. Additionally, Henshaw and staff joined the Longleaf Alliance and the USDA Forest Service to capture RCWs at Apalachicola National Forest for translocation to Tuskegee and Conecuh National Forests, both in Alabama. 

Conservation Fellowship Program Expands

In August, the Center added Dalton Ferguson as the newest member of our Conservation Fellowship Program. Advised by Dr. Adam Polinko of Mississippi State University, Ferguson joins Bradley Pruitt and Allie Mitchell, both of whom are well into their fellowships. Pruitt is nearing the end of his second year and has been instrumental in the integration of the new Fellows into the program. He recently completed his Master of Forest Resources and Conservation degree through the University of Florida in August, and Mitchell, nearing the end of her first year, is on track for the same degree. Read more about the Ichauway Conservation Fellowship Program and some perspectives from our three fellows here.

Wildlife Management Updates

Ichauway's White-Tailed Deer Population

Ichauway’s white-tailed deer population remains high at an average of nearly 48 deer per square mile, above our target herd density of 20-40 deer per square mile. The current population estimate is an average of annual spotlight survey and track-count survey data. Our primary objective for our white-tailed deer herd is to regulate population density to limit potential damage to sensitive ecological communities.

Ichauway's 2025 Quail Density

Conservation staff conduct Fall Quail Covey Call Counts annually on Ichauway. These counts are used to estimate our quail population density and to provide information for the land manager before quail season. A covey count consists of an observer monitoring and recording the number of quail coveys heard from an established location (point). The location of each covey is recorded on a map, and this information is then analyzed and used to estimate quail density (quail per acre) for the property. Covey call counts are conducted in various habitat types, both within and outside of areas that are more intensively managed for quail (quail courses). Counts are conducted at sunrise from mid-October to early November, during the peak of calling. Fall covey counts have been conducted on Ichauway since 2007.

Postbaccalaureate Fellow Program Starts New Cohort

Year 2 of the National Science Foundation-funded Woods to Water Research and Mentorship for Postbaccalaureates kicked off in August with a cohort of 10 fellows selected from nearly 100 applicants. After a successful orientation week in Tuscaloosa, the first five fellows moved down to The Jones Center, where they began lab rotations before ultimately being placed with a home lab. Education staff continued project coordination, while five research labs (Aquatic Sciences, Ecohydrology, Ecological Silviculture, Landscape Ecology, and Plant Ecology) will host the current five fellows until mid-February 2025 and provide support for each fellow’s capstone research project until Year 2 concludes in July 2027. Read more about our current five fellows.  

Ichauway CORE Field Courses: Rounding Out an "Ichauway Education" for Our Own

The Center’s Education team facilitated the launch of an internal professional development program called the Ichauway CORE (Conservation, Outreach & Research Experiences) Curriculum in 2024 for graduate students, seasonal and long-term research and conservation technicians, postbaccaulareate fellows, and, in some cases, research associates and Education staff. In 2025, we offered 8 field courses for 46 unique individuals. Perhaps an even more encouraging sign of this multi-disciplinary program’s growth is that 26 unique staff/students, 7 research labs, Conservation leadership, and the Education coordinator have contributed to or led course content.

Professional Groups

Ecological Forestry Workshop

One of our flagship educational programs, the annual Ecological Forestry Workshop, returned in November. A total of 14 participants representing the Longleaf Alliance, Gulf Coastal Plain Ecosytem Partnership, Auburn University, Fort Benning, Milliken, Larson & McGowin, and even the Bahamian government, convened to learn about the principles of ecological forestry in the context of the longleaf pine ecosystem. 

Striped Newt Working Group

Led by the Center’s Dr. Lora Smith, the group met to share updates on captive breeding efforts for the striped newt, the status of reintroductions at Apalachicola National Forest and The Center, and to facilitate discussions on future reintroductions and monitoring strategies.

International Conference on Forest Carbon & Resilience

Hosted by Auburn University, the conference concluded with an overnight field trip to Ichauway, where Center staff and conference participants discussed carbon sequestration and forest resilience in the longleaf pine landscape. 

Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Basin Freshwater Mussel Workshop



This annual event for our affiliate Mussel Conservation Lab instructed 15 participants in freshwater mussel identification, ecology, and conservation in the classroom and in the field. 

Southern Pine Health Research Cooperative



In August, forest industry representatives, students, researchers, and Extension professionals met to discuss forest health and to learn about the Center’s management in the context of threats to our pine resources.

Institute of Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL) Returns to Ichauway

The year-long professional development program spent a week in southwest Georgia, visiting with local farmers, water policy and planning professionals, and Center research staff to discuss environmental challenges in our part of the state. Our very own, Dr. Josh Puhlick, is part of the 2025 IGEL Class and Center Director Dr. Kier Klepzig will assume the role of President of the Board for IGEL in 2026.

A Future Partnership is Brewing

In August, we hosted Conservation and Research staff from the Georgia Aquarium to discuss freshwater conservation needs, information gaps, and outreach efforts in the Flint River Basin. We’re excited about future collaborations with our new partner in water. A special thanks to the Georgia Aquarium’s dive team for assisting our Affiliate Mussel Conservation Lab with freshwater mussel field work on the Flint River for the Lower Flint Habitat Conservation Plan.

University Groups

Although late summer and fall visiting groups are typically working professionals, a couple of university courses spent time in the field with our research labs:

Arkansas Tech University’s Forest Ecology Course was hosted by Dr. Mike Conner and the Wildlife Ecology Lab.

College of Coastal Georgia’s Wetland Plant Taxonomy and ID Course was hosted by Dr. Steven Brantley and the Ecohydrology Lab. 

Recent Educational Film Efforts Shine

An Emmy Award Winning Exploration of Georgia's Forests

This year brought an exciting update on our Georgia Public Broadcasting and Georgia Forestry Association "Live Exploration" focused on Georgia's forests and associated industries. This highly engaging and successful event received the Southeast Regional Emmy for Outstanding Long Form Content.  

Video Collab with UGA Extension Highlights Efforts to Mitigate Damage to Pecan Orchards

Pecans are a 1.9-billion-dollar industry in Georgia, and recent hurricanes have been responsible for flattening orchards, resulting in major economic losses. A video collaboration with the University of Georgia Extension highlights new research that investigates tactics to mitigate damages and improve resilience among pecan orchards across the state. Check out the full video here. 

Alumni Mentor Program Expands

The Jones Center Alumni Mentor program officially launched in January 2025 as part of a larger effort to increase former graduate student engagement with current Center graduate students and staff. Starting with an initial eight mentor-mentee pairs, the program has now nearly doubled, with a total of 13 alumni mentors connecting with current Ichauway graduate students.    

We need Center Alumni Mentors!

We are looking for additional Alumni (former MS or PhD students of The Jones Center at Ichauway) to serve as mentors for incoming 2026 graduate students. If you are interested in being a mentor, please fill out this form.

SHARING OUR SCIENCE

While we commit to sharing our science throughout the year, many conferences are held in the fall, making for a busy travel season that was rounded out by seminars and invited presentations. 

In late July, members of the Ecohydrology Lab attended the Society of Wetland Scientists meeting in Providence, Rhode Island. Dr. Steven Brantley delivered an oral presentation on wetland ecosystem services, while graduate students Carlie Blackburn and Katy Perkins gave poster presentations on wetland connectivity and wetland bathymetry, respectively. 

In August, the Herpetology Lab’s Dr. Lora Smith gave an oral presentation at the Longleaf Alliance Gopher Tortoise Academy workshop in Andalusia, Alabama on habitat management and improvement techniques for the gopher tortoise. 

The Aquatic Sciences Lab’s Dr. Nick Marzolf delivered two invited seminars at the University of Georgia’s Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources and the Georgia Southern University’s Department of Biology on historical perspectives in hydrology to understand the ecology of isolated wetlands in the Lower Flint River Basin. 

Outreach and Education Coordinator Rachel McGuire and Katy Perkins attended the Alabama Water Resources Conference in Orange Beach, Alabama. Katy gave an oral presentation.

In October, members from our Wildlife Ecology Lab, including Dr. Mike Conner and graduate students Jordan Baron, Justine Smith, Lexie Dingerson, and Jenna Myers, attended the annual conference of The Wildlife Society (TWS) in Edmonton, Alberta. Jordan presented his work during the poster session, while the rest gave oral presentations. Additionally, Herpetology Research Associate Jen Howze delivered two oral presentations, and our Communications Specialist, Ben Thesing, attended to continue collaborations with TWS’s communications team and to build social media connections. Dr. Conner and Ben also sat down for a conversation with TWS’s Digital Content Manager, Katie Perkins, to chat about The Center and its research, which will be featured in an upcoming episode of TWS’s new podcast, Our Wild Lives.

Ecological Silviculture Scientist Josh Puhlick gave two presentations, including one within a panel session, at the Society of American Foresters Conference in Hartford, Connecticut. 

Ecological Silviculture Scientist Josh Puhlick gave two presentations, including one within a panel session, at the Society of American Foresters Conference in Hartford, Connecticut. 

Later in October, Members from our Education Department, the Herpetology Lab, and Wildlife Ecology Lab attended the Southeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies annual meeting in Biloxi, Mississippi. Grad students Maddie Zickgraf and Jordan Baron both presented posters. 

In November, members from our Plant Ecology Lab, including Research Associate Lisa Giencke, RaMP Fellow Oriana Gutierrez, and technicians Megan Herrman, Hannah Warmbrod, and Jess Maier, traveled to the Georgia Plant Conservation Alliance Annual Symposium in Augusta, Georgia. Giencke co-presented on Southwest Georgia Regional Updates with Georgia Department of Natural Resources senior botanist, Lisa Kruse. 

Director Kier Klepzig and graduate student Tom Sheehan attended and gave oral presentations at the annual meeting of the Entomological Society of America in Portland, Oregon. 

Later in November, members from the Herpetology Lab attended the Gopher Tortoise Council (GTC) meeting held this year at Tall Timbers Research Station. Graduate student Sam Smith gave an oral presentation while Scientist Lora Smith (Service Awards Committee Chair) and Research Associate Jen Howze (Membership Secretary) represented The Center through leadership positions within GTC.

Bradley Pruitt (Conservation Fellow) successfully completed a Master's in Forest Resources and Conservation at the University of Florida. As part of his curriculum, Bradley completed an individual project in which he sampled wild pigs to screen for diseases and analyze genetics. 

Jade Samples (MS Student, Herpetology) successfully defended her Master’s thesis at the University of Georgia. Jade’s research focused on habitat restoration for amphibians and an experimental translocation of captive-bred striped newts in a seasonally inundated wetland.

Katy Perkins (MS Student, Ecohydrology) won third place in the student oral presentation category at the Alabama Water Resources Conference in September. Her talk was titled “Characterizing Water Budgets and Landscape Connectivity in Isolated Wetlands.”

Nathan Moore (PhD student, Landscape Ecology) was awarded the Larry Ford Prescribed Fire Scholarship by the Alabama Prescribed Fire Council. Co-advised by Auburn professor Dr. Heather Alexander, Nathan’s PhD work will focus on spatial patterns and fire-fuel-vegetation feedback in longleaf pine sandhills and other fire-frequent systems.

Parker Trifiletti (MS student, Wildlife Ecology) successfully defended his Master’s thesis in September. Co-advised by Center alumni Dr. Mike Cherry (Texas A&M, Kingsville) and Dr. Steve Jack (Boggy Slough Conservation Area), Parker’s research involved studying how forest management affected predator communities, white-tailed deer, and how predators and wild pigs affected deer behavior.