Grants and awards programs
The J. Larry Landers
Student Research Award
The J. Larry Landers Student Research Award is a Gopher Tortoise Council competitive grant program for undergraduate and graduate college students. Proposals can address research concerning gopher tortoise biology or any other relevant aspect of upland habitat conservation and management. The amount of the award is variable, but has averaged $1,000.00 over the last few years.
The proposal should be limited to four pages in length and should include a description of the project, a concise budget, and a brief resume of the student.
This is an excellent opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to access funding for their projects.
The deadline for grant proposals each year is the 15th of September.
Please send submissions to:
Bob Herrington Ph.D.
Professor
Department of Biology
Georgia Southwestern State University
Americus, GA, 31709
229-931-2331
Please contact Bob Herrington for further information.
Past Winners:
2009
Thomas W. Hentges, University of South Florida, Integrated Biology Department,
Tampa, FL. Is the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus)
compatible with cows? $1,000
Aaron Holbrook, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS.
Stress levels in female gopher tortoises and their eggs from low & high
impact areas. $1,000
Jessica Gonynor, University of Georgia, Warnell School of Forestry and
Natural Resources and the Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease
Study. Gopher Tortoise Population Health and Disease Ecology in Georgia.
$1,000
Anthony Lau (UF) – University of Florida, Department of Wildlife Ecology
and Conservation, Gainesville, FL. Home range and movement patterns
of Gopher Tortoises in Coastal Sand Dune Habitat. $1,000
2005
Danna Baxley, University of Southern Mississippi, Conservation biology and ecology of the black pine snake in Mississippi.
2004
Roger Birkhead, Auburn University
Natalie Hyslop, University of Georgia, Spatial ecology and habitat use of the threatened eastern indigo snake in southeast Georgia.
2001
Jamie Colson, University of South Florida, Determination of paternity patterns in gopher tortoises using DNA microsatellites .
Jayme Waldron, Clemson University, Ecology of the canebrake rattlesnake in areas of sympatry with the eastern diamondback rattlesnake.
2000
Erin Clark, University of Georgia, Research and development of conservation plans for the establishment of a reproductiely self-sustaining population of gopher tortoises on the Aiken gopher tortoise reserve
James Tuckers, Auburn University, Influence of season and frequency of fire on reproductive success of Bachman's sparrow in longleaf pine forests of the Gulf coastal plain
1999
Noah Anderson, Southeastern Louisiana University, Thermal ecology of gopher tortoises.
William Blihovde, University of Central Florida, Movements and site fidelity in gopher frogs.
Ghislaine Guyot, Upper Respiratory Tract Disease and tortoise relocation.
1998
Steve Johnson, University of Florida, Conservation genetics of the striped newt.
William Blihovde, University of Central Florida, The life history of the gopher frog in Central Florida.
Tracey Tuberville, University of Georgia, Movement and activity patterns of the southern hognose snake in South Carolina.
1997
Jeannine Ott, Auburn, The relationship between movement and the reproductive cycle in a natural population of gopher tortoises: applications to conservation and management.
Kathryn Buchanan, University of Central Florida, Lake Louisa Sandhill restoration experiment: restoring grasses and forbs.
Elenor Mobley, University of Central Florida, a baseline population study of the southern fence lizard in Central Florida.
1996
Melissa Dills, Auburn, Coloniality in the gopher tortoise, Gopherus polyphemus.
Karl Studenroth and Adrianne Bosarge, University of Mobile, A survey of the occurrence of Gopherus polyphemus on the campus of the University of Mobile, Mobile Co. Alabama.
1995
Michael Belson, University of Central Florida, Habitat selection by red-headed woodpeckers in the Wekiva River Basin, Florida.
Jeffrey P. Demuth, Southeastern Louisiana University, A test of the effects of incubation temperature on sex determination and performance of hatchling gopher tortoises.
1994
Gerald Johnson, University of Miami, Thermal ecology of the gopher tortoise in south-central Florida: seasonal and ontogenetic aspects.
Pamela Kwiatkowski, University of South Florida, Paternity determination and behavioral interaction in male gopher tortoises.
1992
Parks Small, University of Central Florida, Florida scrub jays in the Wekiva River Basin and an evaluation of a habitat management technique.
1991
Judith Hicklin, Florida Atlantic University, Gopher tortoise habitat utilization in relation to invading exotic woody plants.
Matt Osentoski, East Carolina University, Mitochondrial DNA variation in the gopher tortoise, gopher tick and gopher cricket.
1989
Lora Smith, University of Florida, Nesting ecology, female home range and activity, and survivorship in gopher tortoises.
The Gopher Tortoise Council’s Donna J. Heinrich
Environmental Education Grant
The deadline for applications is August 31st of each year.
The GTC environmental education grant was established to support educators and organizations committed to developing educational projects about the gopher tortoise and the fascinating world in which it lives. The grant also honors Donna June Heinrich, an environmental educator whose life was dedicated to conserving wildlife and their associated habitats.
Preference will be given to:
- Projects that reach diverse and new audiences.
- Projects that focus on the importance of the conservation of intact upland ecosystems.
- Projects that encourage community involvement.
- Projects that have matching funds.
Note:
- GTC’s annual environmental education grant budget is $4,000 with a maximum award of $2,000 per project.. This can be awarded to one recipient, or several.
- A project summary for “The Tortoise Burrow” newsletter and either a presentation or poster at the following years GTC annual meeting will be required.
To Apply:
Please download and submit the provided form along with the following information below:
- Cover Sheet
- Detailed budget that includes expenses and any matching funds
- A maximum two page summary that includes a description of:
- The goals and objectives.
- Details on the project.
- How this project will educate about the importance of gopher tortoises and/or upland ecosystems
- The target audienc
Please contact Laura Wewerka for further information.
Past Winners:
2009
Fort White Middle School/High School: Providing materials for their educational program: Restore the long leaf pine forest and preserve the upland sandhill ecosystem at Ichetucknee Springs State Park.
Friends of the Enchanted Forest: Providing materials for 3 educational programs: Gopher Tortoise Investigation, Gopher Tortoise Outreach and Gopher Tortoise Cart.
2008
The Jekyll Island Foundation. Materials for two educational programs: Turtles, Tortoises and Terrapins, Oh My! and Turtles for Tomorrow that teaches conservation of gopher tortoises considering habitat loss, modification and fragmentation, the illegal pet trade, URTD and the importance of tortoises as a keystone species.
2007
Kristin Wood, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Center. Chinsegut Nature Center Tortoise Trail.
2006
Abbe Gleicher, Carver Middle School, Carver Middle's Gopher Tortoise Preserve.
Sheryl Terepka, J. Collin English Elementary School. The Junior Creek Explorers Investigate Gopher Tortoises at Powell Creek Preserve.
2005
Daniel A DeSousa, Scrub Habitat Instructional Research Program.
2004
Paula H. Chambers, Ph.D. West Bainbridge Elementary School Look! Do You Think Something Lives in This Hole? Elementary students learn about the gopher tortoise and the characteristic animals that live in gopher tortoise burrows. Students examine the importance of conservation of the longleaf pine ecosystem.