Chattooga Quarterly, Fall, 2002
Dedicated to Dr. Eugene Odum
Commemorating the Life of the Father of Ecology
Director's Page
In my pursuit of the idea of conservation over the years, I consider myself extremely fortunate to have made the acquaintance of Dr. Eugene Odum. Though the number of occasions that I actually met with Dr. Odum was few, it is no exaggeration to say his influence on my conservation ethic was greater than anyone I have ever met. Read more.
Dr. Eugene Odum Father of Modern Ecology
In early August Eugene Odum passed away at the age of 88, and the world lost one of the most influential figures in the field of ecology. Dr. Odum has been dubbed “the father of modern ecology” and is credited with pioneering the concept of the ecosystem. Read more.
Interview with Dr. Odum
Through grade school I lived in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and at that time the town and the University were just stuck in the woods. You could walk out of your back door and be in the woods. So as a kid, I became interested in birds. Ever since I can remember, I’ve gone out into the woods looking for birds. If you live in the city, you can’t just step out the door and be in nature. I think E. O. Wilson has said he doesn’t think that there are going to be any more naturalists, because the majority of people live in cities now. Read More.
Early Successional Habitat vs. Old Growth
Almost two months ago, the Chattooga Conservancy received a letter from the Tallulah Ranger District scoping for public input on a proposed wildlife management project. As we gathered more information about the project, we discovered that one of the proposed project sites is in the middle of a very remote section of the Chattooga watershed, which many people frequent for the pristine high-elevation streams and substantial old growth forests. Read more.
Administration Attacks Environmental Policy
After almost two years in office, George Bush Jr. has earned the title of least friendly president toward the environment in U.S. history. Beginning on Inauguration Day, he and his administration have used questionably legal tactics to roll back pro-environment legislation and federal regulations that protect the safety and health of American citizens and our forests. The administration has clearly shown that it is not interested in allowing the public to participate in forming policy with regards to how our public lands are to be managed. Read More.
Overpopulation
On August 20, 1944 the U.S. Coast Guard introduced 29 reindeer to St. Matthew Island, a 128 square mile land mass located in the Bering Sea. On a predator-free range of bountiful vegetation, the herd increased its number to 1350 animals by 1957. At that time, field studies indicated the average weight of the reindeer exceeded that of a typical domesticated herd, which would normally outweigh its wild counterpart. In 1963, the population had exploded to 6000 reindeer. The animals showed a significant reduction in body mass, more closely resembling an archetypal wild herd. Researchers returned to the island in 1966 to discover that a massive die-off had left only 42 surviving reindeer. Further study revealed that the population crash was caused by starvation. Read More.
- Matching Funds Needed for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Control Project
- Bartram Trail Debacle
- ATVs in the National Forest