By Tanner Hood

National security and the common defense don’t often elicit ideas of forest and wildlife management, but at Auburn University’s (AU) Center for Natural Resources Management on Military Lands (CNRMML), these go hand in hand. 

CNRMML Director George Matusick said U.S. military installations function like cities with individual needs and services.

“The services an installation requires range broadly, from mowing the grass and garbage collection to high-tech targeting services,” Matusick said. “All installations need natural resources services, too, and CNRMML assists with much of that.”

Although AU has provided some services to military installations in the Southeast since the mid-2010s, an agreement between Installation Management Command (IMCOM) and CNRMML in 2022 opened new doors to partnerships with bases across the eastern U.S. The CNRMML operates mainly at Fort Moore in Georgia while also working with Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville and Fort Liberty in North Carolina. 

Projects are diverse. They include surveys for rare and endangered plant and animal species, invasive species treatment and control, prescribed burning, tree planting and analyzing forest monitoring data.

Housed within AU’s College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment (CFWE), the center’s mission is to serve the U.S. military while providing research, education and outreach opportunities for the university, Matusick said.  

“Our partner — the U.S. Army — manages the land, and we assist them with whatever they need,” Matusick said. “Part of the land-grant mission is service, and we view ourselves as a service organization.” 

The CNRMML uses a three-pronged approach to provide services requested by installation land managers. First, CNRMML considers whether current AU faculty and staff can manage the task. If that’s not feasible, they could hire new Auburn employees to work on-site or remotely. Another option is contracting with private companies, organizations or universities.

“We worked on a small base in Maryland last year planting trees, installing kestrel boxes and improving pollinator habitation,” Matusick said. “We contracted with a local nursery to provide the trees and were able to send AU staff up there to work on the project. We also had Auburn students collecting data and conducting research.”

The center provides unique opportunities for AU students through summer internships, which have led to full-time jobs, Matusick said. Employees include Administrative Support Specialist Anna Brazeal, who said she learns new, exciting ideas about natural resources every day thanks to the services they provide at the CNRMML.

“I get to work with people in the CFWE who truly care about what they do,” Brazeal said. “Seeing them and the efforts of the center has shown me the importance of forestry and natural resource management.”

Good stewardship on military installations impacts surrounding neighbors, Matusick added. 

“Military installation conservation benefits are greatest for other landowners,” Matusick said. “Forts impede urban development and help maintain a rural character for regions that wouldn’t otherwise have it. These installations are also home to many rare plants and animals due to constant burning from munitions tests and best management practices, which then promote resources in surrounding areas.”

AU CFWE Dean Janaki Alavalapati said the CNRMML exemplifies the college’s core mission.

“By leveraging the university’s resources and expertise, the CNRMML helps the military overcome significant challenges to ensure continued access and use of its lands while sustaining the long-term integrity of its natural resources,” Alavalapati said. “We are honored to have been entrusted with this task.”