news
page 3 thursday 9.27.2012
thebattalion
Brazos Valley hit hard by 2011 drought Julie Blanco The Battalion According to a survey by the Texas A&M Forest Service released Tuesday, 301 million trees were killed in Texas as a result of the 2011 drought, with Brazos Valley as the region with the highest tree mortality rate at 9.7 percent — almost 25 million trees. The survey, done by the U.S. Forest Service Inventory and Analysis Program and the Texas A&M University Ecosystem Science and Management Department, used 599 field plots and satellite imagery to determine the tree mortality rate. “We looked at satellite imagery to identify areas that were green before the drought that weren’t green after,� said Burl Carraway, head of the Department for Texas A&M Forest Ser-
vice Sustainable Forestry. “Then we focused our efforts there.� Carraway said the original estimate of tree mortality from December 2011 was 100 to 500 million trees. “Leaves fall off trees so it’s hard to tell if a tree is alive or dead in the winter,� Carraway said. “That’s why we went back for a more definite study in the spring and summer.� The three areas hardest hit from the drought were Houston, Juniper-Crocket and CaldwellBastrop. “Brazos Valley was the hardest hit region across the state,� said Chris Edgar, Texas A&M Forest Service analyst. “As I drive around, I see a lot of dead oak and cedar trees. The land looks pretty stark, so the estimate seems very plausible to me.� Factors that led to the drought
news for you Evan Andrews — THE BATTALION
Insane Clown Posse sues FBI over Juggalos report
that caused the high tree mortality rate are high temperature, strong winds and lack of rain. “Last year was hotter than normal, windy and dry,� Carraway said. “These factors dried the trees out.� Nearly the entire state was in the drought category last year. “This year was more typical in terms of temperature and rainfall,� Carraway said. “We could still see continued mortality, but not near the amount of last year.� Although there are large amounts of dead trees across the state, these trees can help regenerate the forests because tree mortality is a natural process. “The standing and fallen trees that stay out there are providing services to the forest, so I don’t see them as a problem,� Edgar said. “They provide habitats
To learn more â—— To learn more about how to sign up for CSA and the Howdy! Farm, students can visit their Facebook page at TAMUHOWDYFARM or go to www.studentfarmblog. wordpress.com.
Tyler Hosea — THE BATTALION
Howdy! Farm is open to all majors. A co-op program is in place where students receive produce between October to January.
Howdy Farm Continued from page 1
— would serve as chairman of the board, consisting of professors from multiple departments, in hopes that they would assist the students in relating subjects and curriculum into hands-on experience at the farm. The farm has possible plans in the works to build a student living and learning community on West Campus, where the Howdy! Farm would become an integrated part of the project. “The Howdy! Farm could one day become the West Campus grassy knoll with a white picket fence surrounding the area,� Weintrub said. “The students have given us a huge investment up to this point to create this incredible experience, which I think is important that
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â—— Currently, the Howdy! Farm is a projecting to earn $34,000 for the next ďŹ scal year between its CSA program, sales to University Dining, and participation in Farmer’s Markets.
the farm remain accessible on campus for future generations of Aggies to come.� The Howdy! Farm also has a new project this year known as the CSA, which operates like a co-op farmers market. Students can sign up to receive produce between the months of October to January for either an eight or 12-week period. Students, such as senior horticulture major Page Hamby, are currently taking a class at the Howdy! Farm. Hamby said she values the opportunity the farm has provided. “The Howdy! Farm has given me some hands-on experience that has really sparked my interest in horticulture,� Hamby said. “I’m glad A&M has such a mentoring experience that I could be a part of.�
for insects, birds and wildlife. The trees are a natural part of the forest.� In rural and remotes areas, the dead trees remain where they are and begin the decaying process. “The dead trees hang around for two to three years, maybe even four, to fall and decay,� said Tom Spencer, department head of the Texas A&M Forestry Services. “They fall to the forest floor and make space for new trees.� Despite the chance for new tress to grow in place of the old ones, Spencer said dead trees pose a threat to surrounding areas. “The amount of dead trees increases the difficulty to control wildfires and increases the risk to people and property,� Spencer said. “Wildfires start easier, burn longer and it takes a lot to put them out.�
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topic with an overlying topic relating to children. Lucia Hodgeson, chair of Critical Childhood Studies and assistant professor in the Department of English, is responsible for sparking interest in this topic and established the group. “I found interest in discussing children from everything in details of their rights and privileges to how they are viewed legally and socially,� Hodgeson said. “I found students, professors and volunteers interested in the same thing to start this group.� The meeting began with a presentation that gave background information on corporal punishment and quickly moved to a heated discussion with the small group. The questions discussed brought up the legality and ethics behind corporal punishment and how the U.S. uses it, in comparison to other countries. Members brought different resources to the table — from personal experiences to scientific studies — in order to have a more credible debate, with a chance to ask questions and become more informed on specific issues. Marissa Madsen, senior English major, is involved with the group and helped start it with Hodgeson. “Basically the goal of Critical Childhood Studies is to raise awareness to rights of children and also what it means to be a child,� Madsen said. “The program is mostly geared toward undergraduates to participate, but there are seminars that are directed more toward the faculty.� In order to reach out to more people and have a more in-depth discussion, Mark McMonigle, sophomore philosophy major and president of Amnesty International, came as a partner to the meeting with several hot topics and key points to discuss. “Amnesty International is interested in all human rights, including those of children and dealing with corporal punishment,� McMonigle said. “We were obviously interested in the Critical Childhood Studies for what they have to offer to people and the message they promote.�
Lawyers for rap-metal duo Insane Clown Posse have ďŹ led a lawsuit in Michigan seeking documents that would explain why the FBI considers its fans a gang. The federal lawsuit says the FBI failed to timely respond to a 2011 request under the Freedom of Information Act. Insane Clown Posse fans are known as Juggalos. Last year, the FBI included Juggalos in its national report on gangs. The report doesn’t mention a direct connection to Insane Clown Posse, but says many Juggalos have “ganglike behaviorâ€? and commit crimes and violence. The report includes a picture of a Juggalo wearing face paint and aiming a gun. The group says its fans are a “family,â€? not a gang.
Space station may move to avoid passing junk The International Space Station may have to move to avoid some space junk. NASA said debris from an old Russian satellite and a fragment from an Indian rocket could come too close to the station on Thursday. The station would be moved Thursday morning if necessary, NASA said Wednesday. There are three astronauts living at the orbiting outpost. Space junk moves so fast that it can puncture the station. Engineers try to give debris a wide berth whenever something comes close. NASA said it didn’t know the size of the Russian debris. The engines of a European cargo ship docked at the station would be used to push it out of the way.
NYC auction offers 125 meteorites for sale A New York City auction will offer 125 meteorites for sale, including a large chunk of the moon and a 179-pound iron cosmic rock that evokes Edvard Munch’s iconic painting “The Scream.� The sale, one of the largest of its kind, is being held by the Dallas-based Heritage Auctions on Oct. 14. The sale also includes a large piece of the Peekskill meteorite, famous for puncturing a Chevy Malibu in 1992 about 50 miles north of Manhattan, and the largest complete slice of the most famous meteorite in the world, the Willamette, a huge specimen that is housed at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. The moon rock has the highest pre-sale estimate of $340,000 to $380,000; less than 0.1 percent of all meteorites recovered are lunar in origin. The 18-inch-tall meteorite, dubbed “The Scream,� is estimated at $175,000 to $225,000. Associated Press
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