One of North America’s rarest snakes gets a boost from military conservation efforts

CEMML biologists at Fort Johnson, located in west-central Louisiana, are working to change the negative perception that people have about snakes. Education and outreach to both soldiers and the broader community is a key effort in helping to ensure the survival of one of North America’s rarest snake species, the Louisiana pinesnake.

September 7, 2023

CEMML biologist’s “cool job” featured in regional magazine

In June, CEMML biologist Chris Melder was featured in Thrive Magazine. The “cool jobs” article highlighted Melder’s work involving the conservation of endangered species including the Red-cockaded Woodpecker and the Louisiana Pine Snake. Based at Fort Johnson (formerly Fort Polk) in west-central Louisiana, part of Melder’s role entails education and outreach in the community, including local schools.

August 30, 2023

Ph.D. candidate visits CEMML endangered species staff at Fort Polk

Ohio State University Ph.D. candidate Emily Rabung, recently met with CEMML endangered species staff Chris Melder, Matt Christiansen, Amy Brennan, and Andrhea Massey. They discussed conservation efforts on Fort Polk with the red-cockaded woodpecker and the Louisiana pine snake.

March 27, 2023

Childhood passion to the DoD: a natural resources expert shares CSU career progression

CEMML Principal Investigator, Chris Herron, talks about how his passion for the outdoors at an early age inspired him to pursue degrees related to rangeland ecology and forest management from CSU’s Warner College of Natural Resources. He now leads large-scale environmental management projects for the Department of Defense.

January 22, 2023

CEMML provides Red-Cockaded Woodpecker conservation expertise in Louisiana

CEMML Biologists at Fort Polk, Louisiana, are using banding efforts and the installation of artificial nesting cavities to help ensure the survival of the Red-Cockaded Woodpecker, an endangered species under the U.S. Federal Government’s Endangered Species Act.

January 19, 2023

Sustaining an optimal military training environment at Fort Polk, Louisiana

In west-central Louisiana, a group of just 16 people is responsible for maintaining 221,000 acres of military training land. This Integrated Training Area Management (ITAM) team, a partnership between Fort Polk and CEMML, provides an optimal training environment to prepare soldiers for deployment.

December 1, 2022