AUBURN UNIVERSITY, Ala. — Just as it takes many trees to make a forest, it takes many hands to make forestry education possible. Across the state, Alabama Cooperative Extension System employees partner with other organizations and volunteers to educate students about forestry and related topics.

For three decades now, sixth-graders in Cullman County have attended the Forestry Awareness Week Now (FAWN) program thanks in part to the staff of Alabama Extension at Auburn University. The most recent event took place May 6 and 8 at Sportsman Lake Park in Cullman.

“Over two days, 800 students from our county and city schools enjoyed a field day of forestry and natural resources education,” said Kira Sims, the Cullman County Extension director. “Teachers appreciate this program because we hit on the standards they’re teaching in classrooms.”

Foundations and Growth of FAWN

Students participating in FAWN (Forestry Awareness Week Now) learn about water quality and aquatic animals. FAWN is one example of forestry education that happens at the county level thanks in large part to the work of Alabama Extension employees.

Originally created in Louisiana, FAWN came to Alabama in 1994 with the first field day in Morgan County. The program expanded to Cullman County in 1995. Now, multiple Alabama counties host FAWN field days.

While the program’s roots started with the Alabama Forestry Commission (AFC), the breadth of FAWN requires numerous volunteers. In Cullman County, the local Natural Resources Planning Committee handles FAWN planning. Committee members include area representatives of AFC, Alabama Extension, Alabama Soil & Water Conservation Committee, Natural Resources Conservation Service and Quail Forever, among others.

“FAWN is truly a community event,” Sims said. “Our Master Gardeners serve as volunteers. Extension personnel teach at one of the stations. Other stations are staffed by experts from AFC, the Fish and Wildlife Service and other related organizations. After 30 years, this is now a generational program. We have students whose parents can remember attending FAWN when they were in sixth grade.”

Through educational stations, planning committees highlight a range of forestry and natural resources topics including tree identification, forest products, prescribed burns, drones, soils, forest animals and water conservation.

Legacy of Learning in Winston County

By 1998, FAWN field days had expanded into Winston County when then sixth-grader Zack Brannon attended.

“It was one of my favorite field trips as a kid,” said Brannon, Winston County Extension director. “When I went through FAWN, Mike Henshaw was our county Extension director, and I replaced him as director in 2020. Our FAWN happens at the same place it did back in 1998. It’s still a one of my favorite events that I look forward to every year.”

The Winston County Natural Resources Council hosts FAWN every October for around 200 sixth-graders from five schools. Brannon is the council’s vice president.

“The forestry industry is a big employer in Winston County,” Brannon said. “We want children to learn about different employment opportunities available in forestry. Also, we’re in a county of 24,000 people, so it takes more than a dozen partners to put this together. Hellen Keller once said, ‘Alone we can do so little, but together we can do so much.’ I’d almost call that my motto here at Extension.”

FAWN in Fayette County

Two hundred sixth-graders from Fayette County and neighboring Lamar County take part in FAWN every October.

“This area is heavily forested, and that makes forestry education that much more important,” said Ronni Rena Brasher, the Fayette County Extension director. “Every FAWN attendee receives a T-shirt, and I can’t tell you how often I see those T-shirts when I’m out and about. They really tell the story of the reach and impact we’ve created over decades of partnering with other groups for forestry education.”

As part of the local Forestry Planning Committee, which plans Fayette County’s FAWN, Extension personnel act as liaison between schools and the committee. They also work with other organizations to delive educational programming.

“Partnerships are everything,” Brasher said. “Partners amplify the work we do and make sure people who need to know about Extension learn about us. Many hands make light work. When we all come to the table together, everything we do is so much stronger.”

Extending the Land-Grant Mission

Sims, Brannon and Brasher agreed that planning and hosting FAWN field days have helped build relationships that make them even better at serving Alabamians through their Extension roles.

“I view our local Extension office as the place people come to connect with a network,” Sims said. “Working with all these groups helps me know the local people who work in forestry and natural resources. So, when someone calls our office and asks about something like a burn permit, I can tell them that’s not something we handle while still connecting them to the right person. We can’t just stay in our Extension offices all the time. If we did, we wouldn’t be serving people the way we’re meant to.”

While FAWN takes place in a handful of counties in Alabama, other county Extension offices assist with similar programs such as Classroom in the Forest or Friends of the Forest. Brannon said, no matter the name of the program, working together to educate Alabamians is always rewarding.

“Finding new ways to communicate and share information is hugely important to the success of Extension,” Brannon said. “That’s why, whenever possible, I collaborate and form bonds among different groups and organizations. These community partners trust and respect Extension, and we must always do everything we can to never jeopardize virtues with our partners.”

To learn more about Extension programming, visit aces.edu.