It’s undeniable that summer has hit Ichauway. The temperatures (and heat index) are soaring, the eye gnats are swarming, and our Student-Technician Village is packed to the gills. Our Jones Center Advisory Committee visited in early June, which galvanized a season of reflection on our recent growth and showcased our intentional re-engagement with our Strategic Plan. As our prescribed fire season ends, our visiting group season slows, and our research fieldwork hits its peak, take a moment to cool off with this Water Issue of our newsletter. |
| Novel Freshwater Snail Research | |
| |  | As part of Courtney Fouke’s (RaMP fellow) project and Tayton Alvis’ graduate work (PhD student, the University of Alabama), the Aquatic Sciences Lab conducted surveys in Ichawaynochaway Creek for freshwater snails. The flaxen spike (Elimia albanyensis) is a species of Highest Conservation Concern in the 2025 Georgia State Wildlife Action Plan for the Lower Flint River Basin, and these surveys help describe abundance, density, and habitat preferences. Freshwater snails can be highly abundant and an important link between primary producers and consumers in the riverine food web; however, little is known about their taxonomy and life history in this region. Summer 2025 surveys identified up to 600 snails per square meter in some shoals, with greater densities on bedrock outcrops and large cobbles in the shoals. Summer 2026 surveys will provide finer-resolution estimates of snail densities and repeated measures from the start of the summer, peak summer, and early fall to identify seasonal patterns. Additionally, Alvis will quantify nitrogen excretion rates from snails, which will relate the role of snails to nutrient exports and transformations in the creek.
| | Unlocking Structural Drivers of Wetland Hydrology | | |
In 2026, the Ecohydrology Lab began a project to better understand the structural attributes that affect water use and productivity of Ichauway’s wetlands. The lab will measure tree density and basal area annually, and the optical leaf area index monthly, in several forested wetlands and pine savannas. These new measurements will contribute to several ongoing projects on wetland carbon storage and hydrology and complement Carlie Blackburn's (MS student, Auburn University) work on marsh biomass, productivity, and water use. So far, the data show that basal area in forested wetlands can be up to six times higher than in upland pine savannas. The new data will also help determine whether and when satellite remote sensing can penetrate dense forested wetland canopies.
| | Long-term Mussel Conservation Planning Continues | | Our Mussel Conservation Lab submitted a draft Habitat Conservation Plan for six freshwater mussel species in the Lower Flint River Basin in February 2025. The plan is currently undergoing multiple reviews by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and once finalized, will help guide water and species management over the next 30 years. During the review process, the lab is collecting additional field data to support implementation. This year, researchers shifted sampling efforts from the lower Flint River tributaries to the deeper mainstem. To safely survey mussel habitat in waters 5-15 feet deep, the team completed training to use surface air supply, allowing divers to remain submerged while a boat-based surface observer provided support. | | A Peek into Alabama Shad Migration | | |
The Aquatic Sciences Lab, alongside many collaborators, has contributed to understanding fish reintroduction and migration in the Lower Flint River Basin. Alabama shad (Alosa alabamae) are native to the Lower Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin but are blocked from moving upstream by the Jim Woodruff Lock and Dam at Lake Seminole. Shad are anadromous species, moving from the Gulf into freshwaters to reproduce.
In a spring 2026 pilot study, an acoustic monitoring system was deployed in the Flint River between Bainbridge and Albany to determine the migration patterns of tagged shad collected below the dam at Lake Seminole and moved upstream. Of the 38 tagged shad, acoustic receivers detected 22, and the most mobile fish moved upstream as far as Newton. The study results will be used to inform the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and a conservation locking program at Woodruff Lock and Dam, where release strategies from the dam are used to encourage anadromous fishes to move upstream.
Furthermore, shad eggs and ichthyoplankton (developing fish larvae in the water column) were collected along the river, which will help identify important reproductive reaches. A greater 2027 effort will move more shad upstream of Lake Seminole. The establishment of a working acoustic network in the Lower Flint River has positioned the Center to continue efforts to reintroduce fish to the river, including shad and other anadromous species (e.g., Gulf sturgeon).
| | Measuring the Invisible Carbon Exchange of a Wetland | | |
Wetlands store carbon in their sediments in amounts that are tremendously disproportionate to the area wetlands occupy on the landscape. Wetlands also emit potent greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide) from microbial activity in their sediments. Through Chloe Hall's (PhD student, UNC-Chapel Hill) research, as part of a larger effort to understand the complete wetland carbon cycle, we are learning just how much gas is emitted by isolated wetlands on Ichauway. Hall’s monthly wetland surveys will identify seasonal patterns and drivers of the carbon cycle, including temperature and sediment moisture content. Additionally, the Aquatic Sciences Lab measured hourly gas emissions over a 24-hour period in the field in a forested swamp and grassy marsh. This work will help researchers understand how much carbon wetlands emit and ultimately characterize wetlands as carbon sinks or sources.
| | Imperiled Amphibian Reintroductions to Wetlands | | |
With the recent drought-breaking rains in early June, the Herpetology Lab was able to sample for striped newts at our experimental release wetland. Although their dip netting did not detect striped newts or gopher frogs (which was not surprising since both typically enter wetlands to breed in late fall or early winter), they did find tadpoles of green treefrogs, southern toads, narrow mouth toads, barking treefrogs, and gray treefrogs.
The lab is optimistic that, with the recent prescribed fire in the newt reintroduction wetland and more favorable hydrologic conditions, they will see newts marked by former master’s student Jade Samples (MS, University of Georgia) later this year. The lab intends to release more captive-bred larval newts from their collaborators at the Atlanta Botanical Garden in 2026 or 2027. Additionally, the lab recently hosted Dr. Taylor Singleton, a Tifton-based Assistant Professor and Extension Sustainability Specialist in the University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. During her visit, Dr. Singleton discussed management issues for maintaining critical flatwoods salamander habitat in an agricultural landscape.
| | Conservation Through Collaboration | | |
The Mussel Conservation Lab has partnered with the developing Georgia Aquarium Freshwater Conservation Program. The Aquarium's cadre of certified research divers periodically assists the lab with mainstem mussel surveys. During a recent visit, the group found almost 100 of the federally listed fat-threeridge (Amblema neislerii), a mussel species previously known from only a few observations at a single location. The survey revealed a small but vibrant population, with evidence of reproduction. This partnership combines the Aquarium’s experience in scientific diving with the lab’s freshwater mussel knowledge, contributing to future conservation across the Flint River Basin.
| | Restoring One of Georgia's Seven Natural Wonders | Since 2023, The Jones Center has been a partner in the Skywater Restoration Project, a multi-organization effort led by the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District to restore the natural beauty and function of Radium Springs, which has been plagued by unusually low flows and nuisance plant growth in recent decades. Radium Springs is considered one of Georgia's Seven Natural Wonders and is part of the Albany Greenway along the Flint River. The Center provided expertise via technical consulting on the installation of groundwater and surface-water level sensors and developed datasets, led by Hydrologic Monitoring Technician Brian Clayton, to help guide restoration efforts. Recently, the Aquatic Sciences Lab partnered with the Flint Riverkeeper on a National Fish and Wildlife Foundation-funded effort to intensify data collection. Funding will allow for more detailed observations of spring flows and water quality, including the use of continuously recording sensors and a public-facing website to visualize data collected and managed by the Center. | Advancing State Water Planning | | |
Mussel Conservation Lab member Caitlin Sweeney is applying the geospatial analysis skills she developed at The Jones Center to Georgia’s statewide water planning process through a collaboration with the Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center at Albany State University. This year, she led analyses and helped prepare planning documents for all ten of Georgia’s regional water planning councils, presented at four council meetings, and will continue participating in updating regional water plans through 2028. The lab’s Habitat Conservation Plan work is directly informed by recommendations from the Lower Flint-Ochlockonee Regional Water Plan. Dr. Steve Golladay also continues to serve as a meeting host and advisor to the Lower Flint-Ochlockonee Water Council, which met at Ichauway in April to review implementation assessments and planning materials.
| | Prescribed Fire by the Numbers | | The Georgia Forestry Commission (GFC) issued a mandatory 30-day statewide burn ban on April 22 due to extreme drought and increased wildfire activity across the state. On May 12, the burn ban was lifted early due to improved conditions and efforts of wildland firefighters and first responders. Despite periods of exceptionally dry conditions on Ichauway, Conservation staff completed another successful burn season on July 2. Approximately 11,829 acres were burned, including 4,281 acres during the growing season (April 1 and later). Our long history of frequent fire, the Conservation staff’s ability to adapt to changing conditions, and cooperation with partners like GFC ensure the continued implementation of our prescribed fire program. | | |
11,829 acres
were burned in 2026
| | Wrapping up the RCW Breeding Season | | |
Ichauway’s red-cockaded woodpecker (RCW) program finished another successful nesting season. We identified 61 active clusters with 59 potential breeding groups in 2026. From 58 nesting attempts, 65 chicks were banded, 50 birds fledged, and 16 clusters nested in natural cavities. The federally threatened birds were not immune to the dry conditions this nesting season, and some of the lower productivity this year was likely the result of prolonged drought. Interestingly, one chick was banded on June 29, marking the latest date a chick has been banded on Ichauway. We speculate this may also be due to dry conditions early in the breeding season followed by more favorable conditions in late May and June.
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| America's Longleaf Releases its 2025 Accomplishment Report | | |
America's Longleaf Restoration Initiative (ALRI) is a broad collaborative effort dedicated to restoring longleaf pine ecosystems across the Southeast. We have been engaged with ALRI since its inception in 2012, and Brandon Rutledge, our Conservation Coordinator and Deputy Director of Partnerships, currently serves as Chair-Elect of the Longleaf Partnership Council, their central coordinating body. In fiscal year 2025, ALRI partners established nearly 95,000 acres of new longleaf pine, implemented prescribed fire on more than 1.5 million acres, and permanently protected more than 80,000 acres of land. To learn more about these and other accomplishments, read the report here.
| | Partnering for Wildlife Conservation | | In May, The Jones Center hosted a meeting of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Game Management Section program leaders including the Chief, Assistant Chief, Region Supervisors, and other leadership staff. Their staff engaged with the Center's Dr. Lora Smith and Dr. Mike Conner on current research on wetland management and restoration for rare amphibians and mesopredator control, respectively. | | |
The Mussel Conservation Lab hosted the annual visit of the UGA Ecological Problem Solving Maymester. Students learned about the natural ecology of longleaf pine and the history of water conservation efforts in the Lower Flint River Basin. The highlight of the visit was a field trip to the creek, where the class had the chance to swim with freshwater mussels.
In June, the Environmental Education Research Academy returned to Ichauway, training 13 educators (formal 7-12th grade teachers and informal environmental educators) over a 3-day period. The workshop objective was to further educators’ understanding of South Georgia’s woods, water, and wildlife with the intent to incorporate more natural resource and conservation content into their classrooms and curricula. Many research staff contributed to the event, including the Herpetology Lab, who covered snake safety and biodiversity, gopher tortoise ecology, and ‘Herpetology at Night’. The Mussel Conservation Lab gave participants a chance to snorkel with mussels on the mainstem of the Flint River, and the Aquatic Sciences Lab took the group to wetlands and the Ichawaynochaway Creek to sample for aquatic macroinvertebrates. This opportunity was made possible through a Georgia Outdoor Learning Demonstration Grant in partnership with Thomasville City Schools, the Georgia Youth Science and Technology Centers, and Georgia Adopt-A-Stream.
| | We coordinated a new early career professionals' course to develop practical, technical skills for wildlife professionals from the Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies member state agencies. The week-long course honed skills such as heavy equipment operation, chainsaw safety and maintenance, and wildlife damage management that are critical, yet often underrepresented in academic and career training. Course instructors represented Mississippi State University, the University of Georgia, Baptist Disaster Relief Network, USDA APHIS Wildlife Services, and The Jones Center at Ichauway. |
- Alabama Farmers Federation Forestry & Wildlife Committees
- College of Coastal Georgia Environmental Science Program
- Berry College Conservation Biology
- UGA Forestry Summer Camp
- Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District Board
- Southern Regional Technical College Aquatics Course
| | Internal Professional Development | As part of our education and outreach efforts, we hosted an Ecohydrology and Conservation Field Day for 29 staff, students, and fellows. Participants learned about wetland ecohydrology, longleaf pine ecology, and the conservation practices that support Ichauway's landscape. | Building the Next Generation of Scientists | | Our National Science Foundation-funded Woods to Water postbaccalaureate fellowship program participated in a two-part exchange with Georgia Southern University's counterpart program: Mentoring and Research Opportunities for Careers in Coastal Science led by Principal Investigators Drs. Checo Colón-Gaud and John Carroll, and coordinator Raymond Kidder. In April, the 10 fellows were immersed in Ichauway activities for two days, including a float of the Flint River, led by the Center’s Dr. Nick Marzolf and Jamie Rogers. In June, both programs’ collective 19 fellows and program managers from Georgia Southern, The Jones Center, and the University of Alabama convened at Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in Southeast Georgia for a speed talk symposium and exploring the largest freshwater swamp in North America. | | Research and Management in Print | | The 2024-2025 Biennial Report dropped in June! View the interactive, digital version to catch up on the work of our Research, Conservation, and Outreach & Education programs over the last two years. | | Growing Community Connections | | In April, the Center participated in the inaugural Upland Wildlife Festival at Chehaw Park & Zoo in Albany, Georgia. The event connected the local community with the importance of upland game species and conservation. | The Center received a Georgia DNR Wildlife Viewing Grant to install several Fishes of the Flint River posters at public boat ramps, Chehaw Park & Zoo, and Radium Springs in the Albany, Georgia area. | Center staff and Conservation Fellows assisted with a 6-acre groundcover planting in Paradise Park, part of a longleaf pine restoration project in the City of Thomasville, Georgia. The Center has also donated additional wiregrass seeds to be grown as plugs for a second understory planting. | | | The Mussel Conservation Lab and Conservation Fellows spent a morning on the Flint with 4H2O, a day camp for 4H students from surrounding counties organized by Mitchell County 4H and sponsored by the Stripling Irrigation Research Park. Around 120 middle and high school students learned about freshwater mussel life history and their importance to healthy rivers while observing 8 species of living native mussels. The Conservation Fellows taught campers about the longleaf forest and prescribed fire, and they demonstrated the equipment used to manage Ichauway. | | The Jones Center is committed to sharing research and conservation knowledge with scientists, natural resources professionals, and students. Through conferences and community outreach, our researchers communicate their science and extend the scope of their work beyond Ichauway. | Dr. Steven Brantley presented an invited seminar on the Center’s wetland research program at the University of Alabama-Huntsville’s (UAH) Earth Systems Science Center. The Ecohydrology Lab has been working with UAH and Auburn University faculty on NASA-funded research to measure wetland elevations from satellite sensors. | | Dr. Steve Golladay gave an invited seminar to Albany State University’s Department of Natural Sciences on an overview of water conservation efforts in the Lower Flint River Basin and the life history of freshwater mussels and their importance to stream health. | | Members of the Aquatic Sciences, Ecohydrology, and Mussel Conservation Labs attended the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint Waters Conference in Albany, GA. The three-day event, organized by the Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center at Albany State University, brought together diverse stakeholders, including state and federal water managers, researchers, non-profits, and private interests, to discuss the state of the Basin. Dr. Steve Golladay was a member of the organizing committee and moderated a session on recent highlights. Dr. Steven Brantley served as a panelist on Working Lands for Water. The Mussel Conservation Lab organized a poster session, during which Jones Center staff and students presented 8 posters. In a keynote talk, Georgia Aquarium Conservation Program Manager Katelyn Herman highlighted the developing partnership between the Georgia Aquarium, the Georgia Water Planning and Policy Center, and The Jones Center. | Dr. Nick Marzolf gave an invited seminar at the Florida State University Coastal and Marine Lab on long-term hydrology data from Ichauway. | Members of the Landscape Ecology Lab represented The Jones Center at the 40th Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Association for Landscape Ecology, held in Athens, Georgia. The lab delivered six presentations and posters highlighting research on restoration science and disturbance ecology. Dr. Jeffery Cannon and Leah Andino led a lidar workshop that introduced 15 conference attendees to the use of lidar data for forestry and natural resources applications, providing a hands-on primer on this rapidly growing technology. | Our Landscape Ecology Lab chaired a two-part session on hurricane-resilient forests and remote sensing at the 2026 biennial Forest Spatial and Technologies Conference held in Gainesville, Florida. Dr. Jeffery Cannon, Research Associate Leah Andino, and Auburn MS student Morné le Roux presented alongside collaborators, highlighting new research on hurricane impacts and forest recovery using lidar, unmanned aerial vehicles, and satellite data. | | NEW FACES AT THE JONES CENTER | | Amber Ingleburger, Outreach & Education Assistant Coordinator | | Lindsay Johnson, Research Technician, Entomology & Microbiology Lab | | |
Elaine Rice, Research Technician,
Aquatic Sciences Lab
| | Virginia Hudspeth (MS student, Ecohydrology) defended her thesis comparing the effects of prescribed fire on hydraulic function and carbohydrate balance in oak and pine saplings. Virginia was co-advised by the Center’s Dr. Steven Brantley and Dr. Dan Johnson of the University of Georgia and is heading to the University of Alabama for her PhD in the fall. | | Madeline Zickgraf (MS student, Herpetology) defended her thesis on the ecology of giant salamanders, Amphiuma means and Siren lacertina, in seasonal wetlands in May. Maddie was co-advised by the Center’s Dr. Lora Smith and Center Alumna Dr. Carla Atkinson at the University of Alabama. | | | | |
