Wallace State celebrates Earth Day with Dr. Todd Steury’s visit, Planting Seeds Community Garden awareness
HANCEVILLE, ALA. – Wallace State Community College recently continued its tradition of celebrating Earth Day, welcoming Auburn University professor Dr. Todd Steury, a wildlife ecologist, as a special guest to campus.
Dr. Stuery, an assistant professor at Auburn since 2008, presented on “Unseen Rare and Extirpated and Mythological Mammals of Alabama,” educating an engaged crowd at the William F. Peinhardt Conference Center.
Steury discussed mammals that are commonly found in Alabama, specifically pointing out rodents, bats, weasels, rabbits, armadillos, gophers, skunks and black bears. Steury said 64 native species of mammals live in Alabama.
In addition, Steury identified mammals that have been extirpated out the state such as elk and red wolves and said there are currently no traces of mountain lions in Alabama. He said individuals can easily mistake mountain lions for bobcats, which are common across the state and have longer tails than mountain lions.
Earth Day was also an opportune time for Wallace State students to learn more about the college’s Planting Seeds Community Garden initiative that is open to all Wallace State students and employees and Hanceville residents. The Garden has 20 beds to rent at the low-cost of $10.00 and it offers monthly educational sessions on gardening, food preservation, and much more.
AmeriCorp Vista volunteer Hannah Kren encouraged Wallace State students to find time to volunteer in the Planting Seeds Community Garden this spring. At the conclusion of the event, Kren distributed free plants from the garden to students in attendance.
Wallace State recognizes Earth Day each year, hosting a variety of speakers to commemorate the event and in the past has planted trees on campus.
Wallace State’s Green Team sponsors and organizes the event each year and leads an effort each Friday to recycle on campus.
Wallace State is also a tobacco-free campus, which is a valuable component of protecting the Earth.
For more information about Wallace State, visit www.wallacestate.edu.
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Russell Moore
Wallace State Community College
Staff Writer, Communications and Marketing
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russell.moore@wallacestate.edu
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Kristen Holmes
Assistant to the President for External and Cultural Affairs
Communications | Marketing | Museum | International | Government Affairs
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kristen.holmes@wallacestate.edu
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