APT series to showcase Auburn’s forestry, wildlife and environmental research and the state’s natural resource industries
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As part of Alabama Public Television’s ongoing “Spotlight on Agriculture” documentary series, the network is producing three episodes focused on Auburn University’s forestry, wildlife and natural resources research and the industry’s importance to the state.
The episodes will air in the first three quarters of 2019, with the first episode on “Forestry” scheduled to air Monday, Feb. 18, at 8 p.m. CST. To celebrate the launch of the three-part segment of the series, Auburn’s School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences will host a public screening and reception for the premiere of the “Forestry” episode.
The campus-wide screening will be held at the school, located at 602 Duncan Drive, in the Conference Hall, room 1101, at 3:30 p.m. CST on Wednesday, Feb. 13. The screening is free and open to the public.
The episode trilogy will highlight the importance of forests, wildlife and natural resources to the state’s economy and quality of life.
“These programs will help Alabamians to better understand the value of our state’s abundant natural resources and the innovative research being done at Auburn to assure we manage those resources for the wellbeing and enjoyment of future generations,” said Roy Clem, executive director of Alabama Public Television.
Through interviews with landowners, business, government and industry representatives, the documentary series will showcase how Auburn University’s research and Extension programs serve to convey science-based information to sustainably manage those resources for the future.
During the “Forestry” episode, viewers will learn how Auburn’s research is improving timber harvesting and forestry operations, developing sustainable products from forest biomass and discovering solutions to many of today’s most critical challenges facing wildlife and natural landscapes such as drought, habitat loss, pests and invasive species.
The “Wildlife” episode, to air in the second quarter of the year, will examine Auburn’s wildlife research and partnerships with landowners, agencies and other stakeholders to aid the development of policies that will assure healthy and sustainable game and non-game wildlife populations and their habitats.
The episode will also discuss the complex relationships between land use, climate change and population growth that alter the health-related interactions among people, animals and the environment that contribute to the presence of diseases such as rabies, Lyme disease and the West Nile and Zika viruses.
Finally, the episode on “Environment and Society,” to air in the third quarter of 2019, will discuss Auburn’s research to examine the relationships between humans and the environment as they relate to economics, policies and other organizational aspects of society.
“We are grateful to Alabama Public Television and the many organizations who participated in the series to showcase the collaborative research partnership between academia, industry and government,” said Janaki Alavalapati, dean of the School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences.
“This collaborative work and sharing of knowledge and resources is vital to the preservation of Alabama’s quality of life and the sustainable future of our society.”
More information about the Alabama Public Television broadcast.
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APT toured the IndusTREES company’s operations at its pole-and-piling sawmill near Wetumpka. IndusTREES President Larry Jones and Vice President Lee Davis talked about growth trends of the wood products industry and their research partnership with Auburn to improve profitability.
APT filmed harvesting operations at a Weyerhaeuser site in Tallapoosa County with Auburn University Regions Bank Professor of Forest Operations Tom Gallagher, Weyerhaeuser Harvesting Operations Manager Phil Tarver, and Tyler Slay, owner and operator of Slay Forest Enterprises LLC.
Auburn University Trustee James W. Rane, who is chairman, president and CEO of Great Southern Wood Preserving Inc., the leading producer of pressure treated lumber in the United States, sat with APT for an interview to talk about future trends in wood products and Auburn’s role in the forest products industry.
APT videographer Gary Brown, pictured, films Cross Laminated Timber, or CLT, manufacturing at the International Beams company’s recently opened $20 million facility near Dothan. Steve Lieberman, senior product engineer at International Beams, a producer of engineered Cross Laminated Timber wood product called IB MAX-CORE CLT, talked about the advantages of CLT and its unique decision to use southern yellow pine as the source of this innovative wood product. As another benefit of locating in Alabama, International Beams hopes to partner with Auburn University to further develop new mass timber products and the employee work force to service the growing industry.
Media interested in this story can contact Communications Director Preston Sparks at (334) 844-9999 or preston.sparks@auburn.edu.
The Auburn University College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment is a flagship institution for natural resources-based degrees including natural resource management, geospatial and environmental informatics and sustainable biomaterials and packaging. The school serves as the backbone for Alabama’s $30 billion+ forest, wildlife and natural resources related enterprises. Its mission is to create next-generation professionals and leaders, to develop new knowledge and disseminate science-based solutions to our clientele to improve the social, economic and environmental well-being of citizens in Alabama and beyond.
