On November 10th, we were fortunate enough to celebrate our seventh year as a research center! The anniversary was commemorated through our annual harvest celebration. We gathered family, friends, and neighbors together to enjoy a beautiful fall day and an overview of our accomplishments, as well as our vision for what’s ahead.
The Paint Rock harvest celebration is a festive event meant to show gratitude to all vested parties for the work they do to help us move forward. This year, we were joined by the McFarlen family- in droves. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the family’s farm was located on what is now the research center’s property. We were glad to welcome them, and we’re looking forward to hearing stories about the land and how it was used during that period.
Paint Rock’s Executive Director, Bill Finch, drew in a large crowd of peers, friends, and neighbors to listen to the progress in restoring the shortleaf pine and its ecosystem back to the Southeastern United States. In his hour-long conversation, Bill dove into many of the specific wonders that make Alabama and the Paint Rock Valley special, its biological diversity across plants and animals, and the biological importance of caves.
We would like to thank those who continue to help us keep moving forward. You are turning the tide of the Southeast’s ecological future. To those of you who are subscribed to the newsletter and share it with those around you, your importance cannot be overstated! We want to make our gratitude clear and hope that you all continue to tune in for more updates on the research center.
