Experiential Learning At Its Best, In Greece!

Posted on August 15, 2011 by

Partnering with local schools to exchange recreation and cultural experiences,

Putting hearts and hands to work at the Antonis Environmental Park,

Attending the Special Olympics in Athens and meeting the U.S. volleyball team,

Seeing history in the making during street protests in the streets of Athens.

Those are just a few of the experiences shared recently by 15 NC State University students while completing PRT 491: History of Leisure/Visitor and Destination Management.

According to Janell Moretz, a lecurer in the Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management, the students focused on the history of leisure from its historical origins to how democracy changed the Greek culture and influenced leisure in modern society around the world.

Through excursions and cultural immersion experiences, the students learned how Ancient Greece gave rise to the concept of leisure, spectator sports, festivals, theater and tourism, saw historical sites and modern architecture, explored how the 2004 Olympic venue

development changed the landscape of Greece, examined how tourism affects community development and culture, and made friends throughout Greece and the nearby isles – gaining a comprehensive understanding of Greece’s culture and its people – all in 20 days!

After their return the students completed a reflection exercise which included developing comprehensive storyboards showcasing images and observations from the course experiences. “The students were able to express what they learned in their storyboard projects,” according to Moretz, “It was gratifying to learn how much the cultural exchanges, service learning and trip abroad enhanced their understanding of leisure, recreation and the Greek Culture. I’m look forward to sharing these experiences with more students on our next journey in 2012!

View 2 Student Storyboards – Lindsay Anderson Jason Batt
Learn more about NC State Study Abroad

Eco-friendly Super Foam Makes Contaminated Water Fit To Drink

Posted on July 25, 2011 by

Absorbance properties of "super foam" being tested in an NC State forest biomaterials labSuper Foam being tested

Reuters

It began as an experiment to create an absorbent material for the next generation of diapers, but potential uses may be much more far-reaching.

Using by-products of the lumber industry and pulverized crustacean shells, Dr. Joel Pawlak and his research team in the Department of Forest Biomaterials at NC State University came up with an eco-friendly super absorbent foam that has the potential to revolutionize efforts to purify drinking water in developing countries and disaster-stricken areas.

Watch the video – Source: Reuters / July 22, 2011

Strnad Receives Governor’s Conservation Achievement Award

Posted on June 30, 2011 by

Each year the North Carolina Wildlife Federation(NCWF) presents the prestigious Governor’s Conservation Achievement Awards. The awards honor individuals, governmental bodies, organizations, and others who have exhibited an unwavering commitment to conservation in North Carolina. These are the highest natural resource honors given in the state.

Renee Strnad - coordinator NC Project Learning Tree and Forestry Extension Specialist at NC State University

Renee Strnad - 2011 Environmental Educator of the Year - NC

We are very excited that Renee Strnad, Extension Forestry Specialist and Coordinator of NC Project Learning Tree ® (NCPLT) in the College of Natural Resources at NC State University was selected as Environmental Educator of the Year.

One of the goals of the NCWF Conservation Awards is to inspire all North Carolinians to take a more active role in protecting the natural resources of our state through the celebration of these individuals and organizations.

Strnad’s enthusiasm for her work with NC State Extension Forestry, NCPLT, the Fur, Fish & Game Rendezvous 4-H Camp and with organizations like the North American Association of Environmental Educators and Environmental Educators of North Carolina have given her ample opportunities to educate and inspire people of all ages to understand and embrace the natural world around them. We are excited and proud that she is being recognized.
Congratulations, Renee!

We are also proud to have long, rewarding relationships with several other honorees including but not limited to –

Lewis Ledford – CONSERVATIONIST of the Year
The longtime director of the North Carolina State Parks system, Ledford is a friend of the college and the 2009-2010 Lifetime Acheivement Award winner from our Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management

Wilburn (Wib) Owen – FOREST CONSERVATIONIST of the Year
An alumnus of our forestry ( ’78) and recreation (’84) programs, Owen has served at the Wildlife Resources Commission and as State Forester for North Carolina where he had responsibility to protect our forests for the people of our state, Owen and his staff were (and still are) are frequent partners and collaborators with researchers and extension specialists at NC State.

Hal Atkinson – SPORTSMAN of the Year
A 1966 alumnus, Atkinson served for 20 years as chief of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Division of Wildlife Management where he had daily impact on conservation in the state and where he championed collaboration with NC State’s wildife researchers and extension specialists.

See all the winners

We congratuate each awardee and thank them for their dedication to convervation in North Carolina and for their past and future support of the NC State College of Natural Resources.

A gala banquet is scheduled for August 27, 2011 at the Hilton Raleigh Durham where award recipients will be recognized and presented with a statuette and certificate.

Learn More about –
Extension Forestry
Project Learning Tree
NC Wildlife Federation

Investing in the Next Generation of Scientists

Posted on June 23, 2011 by

Forest Biomaterials professors Marty Hubbe and Lucian Lucia at NC State University already have busy schedules teaching, conducting research and serving their university. To these duties, they have taken on editing an open access journal BioResources which has seen tremendous growth since they established the journal in July of 2006.

Their work has the professors thinking daily about the future of the field, the challenges ahead and the talented scientists needed to tackle those challenges. In response to this need, they decided to invest some of the journal’s assets in the future by making annual contributions to fund one year scholarships for deserving students majoring in forest biomaterials at NC State.

Paper Science Students Tour Celulosa Arauco

“Not only do we want to benefit the renewable materials community with the journal, but our hope is to leverage the growth of the journal to support students going into the paper & science engineering major.” says Dr Lucia. “We count ourselves as very fortunate to be able to give back and provide scholarships to the meritorious undergrads that come into our Department.”

While they are starting small, the professors hope to grow the fund and increase the number of scholarships available in the future. Contributions to support the Journal and the BioResources Scholarship Fund are welcome. Make a gift to the BioResources Fund

ABOUT BIORESOURCES
BioResources is devoted to the science and technology of using materials, chemicals, or energy derived from predominantly lignocellulosic sources, such as wood, agricultural residues, paper, and related by products for new uses and new capabilities.

With a goal of promoting scientific discourse in an area of research that is critical to the future of us all, BioResources open-access, web-based format means that articles can be downloaded without cost by researchers around the world, helping to speed progress toward the solution of some pressing environmental issues. The journal is also available in print format.

Learning about an imPORTant partner

Posted on June 23, 2011 by

Forest products is a legacy industry and biomass a rapidly growing one for North Carolina. That’s why our Extension Forestry group took a recent field trip to the Port of Wilmington for a firsthand look at the vital role the Ports Authority plays in the export of these products.

Groups Tour Port of Wilmington Facility

Reprinted from Stem to Stern – May 2001 – the newsletter of the NC Ports Authority

Representatives of NC State University Extension Forestry, NC Division of Forest Resources, NC Association of Professional Loggers, Inc., and Eastern Wood Products visited the Port of Wilmington on May 11, 2011. Karen Fox in the Business & Economic Development Department served as their tour guide.

“The visitors are working to increase forest products and biomass exports out of North Carolina ports, especially wood pellets and logs,” said Fox. “They were especially interested in the logging operation at Wilmington,” Fox concluded.

Forestry Professionals Tour the NC Ports Authority in May 2011

Karen Fox, far right, gives a tour of the Port of Wilmington on May 11 to representatives of NC State University Extension Forestry, NC Division of Forest Resources, NC Association of Professional Loggers, Inc., and Eastern Wood Products. Front Row (left to right): Matt Sharpe, Bob Bardon, Helene Cser, Dennis Hazel and Karen Fox; back row (left to right): Duane Truslow, Les Hunter, Clay Altizer, and Doug Duncan. Photo by Susan N. Pridgen

“It’s great to see a fantastic partnership between the North Carolina Ports and the forest products industry since both are major contributors to North Carolina’s economy,” said Clay Altizer, Utilization Forester with the NC Department of Environment and Natural Resources Forest Resources Division. “Hopefully, we can work together to strengthen this vital relationship.”

“I also want to thank Mrs. Fox for the outstanding tour and appreciate her taking the time out of her schedule to educate us on the logistics of North Carolina’s Ports and for sharing her wealth of knowledge and experience with our group,” said Altizer.

“I think Karen did an excellent job and it was very informative. I’m glad I went,” said Matt Sharpe of Eastern Wood Products.

“Ms. Fox appeared to be very enthusiastic about helping the forest industry and the potential benefits both for the port and North Carolina citizens. The tour was very informative and I enjoyed learning the functionality of our state port,’ added Helene Cser, Extension Associate for North Carolina State University Extension Forestry.

“I wish that all the citizens of North Carolina had a better appreciation of the economic importance of our State Ports to the state and my hope is that our state will steadily and significantly support expanded capacity of our state ports. We all benefit!”

Dennis Hazel, Extension Specialist and Associate Professor
NC State University – Extension Forestry

“We now have a much better appreciation of North Carolina’s Ports and the many economic benefits they provide to our state,” Altizer concluded.

Learn more about Extension Forestry at NC State University