Heather Brasell demonstrated why she is the 2023 Tree Farmer of the Year of the American Tree Farm System, in a thorough discussion of many aspects of forest management, from water quality testing to logging, replanting, prescribed burns, and herbicides, to educating the public.

As she said, forestry is more than just Best Management Practices, and sustainable forestry is more than replanting trees. Plus good stewardship costs money that may not be offset by income.

Here is the video:
https://youtu.be/WLyaMNlBAx4

She spoke in a WWALS Webinar via zoom on the impacts of forest management on water quality, from noon to 1 PM, Thursday, November 14, 2024. WWALS president Sara Squires Jones gave a brief introduction before Heather spoke, and the last ten minutes were for questions and answers.

Forest Management and Waterways, Heather Brasell, GEFC, WWALS Webinar 2024-11-14

This is the same topic as when Heather spoke at the WWALS River Revue 2024, but in this WWALS Webinar she gets 45 minutes instead of 20 minutes.

Heather Brasell is the Founder of the Gaskins Forest Education Center, Alapaha, Georgia.

Heather Brasell, Gaskins Forest Education Center (GEFC)

There she holds frequent events for adults and children, such as the annual A Day in the Woods, where WWALS always has a booth.

Day in the Woods at GEFC

She has won state and national forestry awards: 2023 Tree Farmer of the Year by the American Tree Farm System (ATFS).

She owns several miles of the Alapaha River and has paddled many times with WWALS. She often helps at the WWALS booth at festivals.

Heather Brasell at WWALS booth at Alapaha Station Celebration 2024-11-09

She is a former WWALS board member. She is a WWALS water quality tester.

Water Testing

For other WWALS Webinars, see:
https://wwals.net/about/wwals-webinars/

They are usually on the second or third Thursday of the month, from noon to 1PM. After a brief introduction, the speaker has about 45 minutes, with the remaining time for questions and answers and discussion.

They are recorded, so if you miss one, you can see it later on YouTube. Here’s a WWALS video playlist:
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKwQ5xfKf-QxWRGrV9iExlyXQIVnzOtPX&si=0Atnjwrm_ikyV-sh

These WWALS Webinars are free, but we encourage you to join WWALS or otherwise donate to assist our advocacy and educational mission.
https://wwals.net/donations/

WWALS Webinars are organized by the WWALS Events Committee; maybe you’d like to join that committee and help.

About WWALS: Since June 2012, WWALS Watershed Coalition, Inc. (WWALS) is an IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity working for a healthy watershed with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable water.

Mission: WWALS advocates for conservation and stewardship of the surface waters and groundwater of the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary, in south Georgia and north Florida, among them the Withlacoochee, Willacoochee, Alapaha, Little, Santa Fe, and Suwannee River watersheds, through education, awareness, environmental monitoring, and citizen activities.

Our Watershed: The 10,000-square-mile WWALS territory includes the Suwannee River from the Okefenokee Swamp to the Gulf of Mexico, plus the Suwannee River Estuary, and tributaries such as the Withlacoochee and Alapaha Rivers as far north as Cordele in Georgia, as well as parts of the Floridan Aquifer, which is the primary water source for drinking, agriculture, and industry for millions of Georgia and Florida residents.

Suwannee Riverkeeper: Since December 2016, WWALS is the WATERKEEPER® Alliance Member for the Suwannee River Basin and Estuary as Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®, which is a project and a staff position of WWALS focusing on our advocacy.

Contact: John S. Quarterman
Suwannee Riverkeeper
wwalswatershed@gmail.com
850-290-2350

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Sara Squires Jones, WWALS Board President

 -jsq, John S. Quarterman, Suwannee RIVERKEEPER®

You can help with clean, swimmable, fishable, drinkable, water in the 10,000-square-mile Suwannee River Basin in Florida and Georgia by becoming a WWALS member today!
https://wwals.net/donations/

Short Link: