Page 21 - Georgia Forestry - Issue 2 - Spring 2024

tortoise and he listened to the birds. He made me realize that being a landowner is about being a steward,” said Brasell. “It’s not about just growing timber. By seeing it in terms of forest stewardship, that really aroused my passion and my love of ecology and conservation.”
The property within the Murray Gas- kins Marital Trust contains a mosaic of ecosystems spanning across 2,300 acres bordering the Alapaha River. From cypress ponds to riverine sloughs, Brasell has worked to foster a haven for biodiver- sity. As she oversees the planting of long- leaf, loblolly and slash pines, she strives not only for sustainable timber growth but also for the restoration and sustentation of the entire ecosystem. Her commitment to conservation includes invasive species control, herbicide application and under- story restoration, among other essential ecological management practices.
Educational Outreach:
A Commitment to the Future
Ignited by her passion for the land, Brasell’s journey did not end with only managing her property — it evolved into a commitment to education and outreach. Recognizing the importance of bridging the gap between the forestry industry and the public, Brasell launched the Gaskins Forest Education Center in 2011. From workshops for children to taxonomic workshops for professionals, she provides access and opportunities for diverse audi- ences to connect with nature.
“There is a huge need for us to do edu- cation outreach for forestry people to be able to do their job and do the good job they know how to do. We need to get peo- ple to understand and support what we do in terms of conservation, environmental issues, water quality, air quality, etc.,” said Brasell. “As time has gone on, I’ve spent more and more time in educational outreach and working not just with the people inside the industry and the [Geor- gia Department of Natural Resources] and the biologists who already know what a wonderful job forestry does for us all, but also working with the public and the people who don’t get to go into our woods and providing access and educational opportunities.”
Brasell’s efforts have included creat- ing an arboretum and demonstration
DJI Mavic 3 Enterprise Drone
Mapping missions Controller with screen
45 min. battery Tree counts Health/change data
SkyLab Image Processing
Orthophoto creation
A Great Combination for Forestry Mapping!
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