By Eason Franklin
The Lowndes Signal

Nearly 150 Lowndes County students and teachers were taken on a recent free field trip to the Holy Ground Battlefield Park.

The Lowndes County Natural Resource Council (LCNRC) held its second annual Youth Forestry and Safety Day in White Hall on April 29.

About 10 classes and 12 teachers attended. The event was open to all Lowndes County fourth-graders from Central Elementary, Jackson-Steele Elementary and Ft. Deposit Elementary.

Students were taught the basics of forestry, wildlife management and conservation at the park, which contains an array of timber and wildlife.

Natural Resource professionals and volunteers were stationed around the park for the students to learn different facts about forestry and wildlife conservation.

Children were taught firearm safety by Sheriff Chip Williams, Meth Awareness by Ft. Deposit Police Chief Chris West, wildlife awareness from Paul Stuckey with the Alabama Forestry Commission and water safety covered by Park Rangers with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Theo Williams and Kelli Little among many more.

“We got a lot of good responses from the students,” said County Extension Coordinator Katanga Mants. “Many of the children commented on the useful tips given at the demonstrations.”

The program is aimed at educating fourth-grade students and teachers about why everyone is responsible for the wellbeing of natural resources as well as to involve and educate other landowners and the general public.

Everyone was given goodie bags and t-shirts provided by Progressive Agriculture Safety Day program and national sponsors.

The field trip was sponsored by the agencies of the Lowndes County Natural Resource Council which include Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, Alabama Forestry Commission, Alabama USDA Wildlife Services, Farm Service Agency, Tuskegee University Cooperative Extension Program, US Army Corp of Engineers and Private Landowners, according to Mants.
The funds and buses for the safety event were provided by Mid-South Resource Conservation & Development.