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:
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.
GTC's Environmental Education Mini-grant Program
We are excited to announce our new mini-grant program to help support environmental educators throughout the range of the gopher tortoise. To start the program off, $500 was awarded at our 2004 annual meeting in October. Grant may be awarded to one or more educational projects.
Preference will be given to projects that:
- Reach diverse and non-traditional audiences
- Focus on the importance of conserving upland ecosystems
- Encourage community involvement
- Have matching funds
The deadline for grant proposals each year is the 31 of August.
Please contact Laura Wewerka for further information.
Past Winners:
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.
