The Louisiana Tech student chapter of the American Forestry Association was the top winner in several competitions at the 2022 Southern Association of Forestry Clubs in Crossville, Tennessee, and the University Wildlife Society student chapter at the North Southeast Student Wildlife Conclave. Carolina
At the 63rd Annual Forestry Conclave in March, Tech’s student chapter competed against 11 other schools to earn these top honors.
- Compass and Pacing: First Place Adam Bryant;
- Women’s cross country: first place Annabeth Rawls and Paige Parks;
- Jack and Jill Crosscut Sewing: First Class, Aaron Taliaferro and Annabeth Raul;
- Photogrammetry: Second Place, Austin O’Neill;
- Throw: Sophomore, Adam Bryant and Nathan Price;
- Archery: second place, Jake White;
- Men’s Cross Country: Third place, Justin Taliaferro and Waylon Herring;
- Physical events: fourth place;
- Technical events: fifth place;
- Overall: fourth place.
The Student Chapter of the American Forestry Association, also known as the Forestry Club, is scheduled to host the 64th Annual Southern Forestry Clubs Conclave March 9-11, 2023 at Lincoln Parish Park.
The Conclave, the ultimate forest competition between schools in the South, is held at a different school each year and helps strengthen team building, camaraderie and social skills by strengthening teams through various competitions.
The Tech Wildlife Association delegation that traveled to North Carolina to compete in April included 21 students from both the School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry and the School of Biological Sciences, as well as faculty advisors Dr. Heidi Adams and Dr. Bill Patterson.
The event was hosted by Haywood Community College and Western Carolina University in Clyde, North Carolina. More than 300 students from 17 college and university wildlife programs from across the southeastern United States attended.
Student participants competed in intellectual, wildlife-based dendrology, radio telemetry, laboratory practical, field measurements, nature poetry, trap setting and field photography. Physical competitions include archery, rifle, pistol, obstacle course, kayak relay, fly casting and orienteering.
There were also artistic (drawing, painting, freeform, landscape photography, wildlife photography, game camera photography) and game calling (turkey, cervid, waterfowl) contests, as well as quiz bowl contests and team field contests.
“In addition to the competitions at the event, students were able to participate in workshops and field trips, such as chemical immobilization, herpetology and wildlife necropsy,” said Adams, an associate professor in Tech’s Agricultural Science and Forestry program. Additionally, they were able to interact with students and professors from various college and university wildlife programs across the southeastern United States.
Tech has entered these competitions:
- Archer: First place, Jake White;
- Orienteering: first place Waylon Herring and Adams Bryant;
- Cervid Calling, first place, Annabeth Rawls;
- Field measurements, second place, Nathan Price and Michael Gut;
- Nature Poetry: Second Place, Hailey Stroderd;
- Waterfowl Call, third place, Adam Bryant.
The Tech Wildlife Society is a student organization that any student interested in wildlife conservation can join, regardless of age.
