Terry-Warner joins Extension Service
RUSSELLVILLE Katherine Terry-Warner still remembers her first field class in the Adirondack Mountains.
It was part of her undergraduate studies at the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Students lived in cabins, studied in the woods, and learned to observe the world around them. That early experience set her on a path toward a career in conservation.
She later earned a master’s degree from Texas A&M in wildlife and fishery sciences and spent more than a decade working in wetland restoration and habitat management roles with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Now she’s bringing that hands-on approach to Alabama as the new Forestry, Wildlife and Natural Resources Extension agent. Her coverage area includes Franklin County along with Limestone, Morgan, Lawrence, Winston, Walker, Marion, Lamar, Fayette, Lauderdale and Colbert.
Terry-Warner is based at the Limestone County Extension Office and is still getting to know the region. She’s exploring potential programs on topics such as forest thinning, invasive species, pond management and wildlife habitat improvement. She also hopes to offer birdwatching classes and eventually become certified to provide pesticide applicator training.
“This is a new chapter for me,” she said. “I’m excited about education and connecting people and resources.”
One of the challenges, she said, is that landowners often face barriers when trying to thin their forests.
“There’s a real need for forest thinning, especially in the southern parts of the region.”
Even when landowners are willing to take that step, the economics don’t always work in their favor.
“But there’s not always a market for the smaller trees that need to come out,” Terry-Warner said.
She said that means landowners may have to pay out-of-pocket instead of being able to sell pulpwood, because there’s no nearby facility.
Another area of interest for Terry-Warner is birdwatching. She said she hopes to offer an introductory class with tips for creating backyard habitat and identifying common species, possibly followed by a guided bird walk during spring migration.
Terry-Warner said she wants people to feel comfortable contacting her with questions, concerns or ideas for local programming. She said her goal is to be a helpful resource, even if it means connecting people with other experts.
“I want people to see me as approachable and knowledgeable and responsive,” she said. “If you ask me a question and I don’t know the answer, I’m going to find it and get back to you within a very reasonable amount of time.”
She can be reached by email at klt0072@auburn. edu, by phone at 256-2325510 (office) or 256-871-0133 (cell).
