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HCC Natural Resources Students Catch a Species of Special Concern

Haywood Community College

NEWS RELEASE

Contacts: Debra M. Davis, Diana S. Conard

185 Freedlander Drive

Clyde, NC 28721

828-627-4521 Fax: 828-627-4513

Date: 8-7-06

For immediate release.

HCC NATURAL RESOURCES STUDENTS CATCH A SPECIES OF SPECIAL CONCERN

Did you know the Hellbender is the only living representative of a small family of Giant Salamanders in the United States and it can be found right in your backdoor? These creatures, which some say are lacking in beauty, can approach 30 inches in length. According to HCC Fish and Wildlife Management instructor, Rick Lindsay, the Hellbender requires clean streams and lives in the mountains. They are completely harmless to people and eat a variety of foods, dead and live.

"The Hellbender is very sensitive to getting their heads crushed by rocks, which is what often happens when they meet humans for the first time," Lindsay explains. "Trout fishermen think they eat fish eggs and ruin their streams but they are probably much more beneficial than harmful in trout stream ecology. They are protected and listed as a species of Special Concern in North Carolina because their habitat is under siege from disturbances that increase siltation and add toxic pollutants."

Students in HCC's summer aquatics ecology class found one of these "waterdogs" while snorkeling the Pigeon River near Jukebox Junction in Bethel.

"It's funny how some critters get prettier when we take the time to learn about them. Some of us will miss them when they are gone," Lindsay said.

Students in the Natural Resources programs at HCC spend a lot of time in the field completing hands-on activities. Sometimes their classrooms don't have walls.

That's one of the main reasons HCC Fish and Wildlife student, James Young, chose the school. "Without doing these classes hands on, we would miss a lot of detail," he said. "Now we can see how closely related organisms are. It keeps the interest up too."

Adam Huscusson, 2005 HCC Forest Management Technology graduate, came to HCC because of the school's highly recognized name in the field. "The program at HCC challenges you. You don't learn unless you're challenged," Huscusson said. "It's more about being hands-on. You're out in the field a lot and the forest labs are a great asset."

Huscusson is pursuing a bachelor's degree in Natural Resources Management at Western Carolina University and is employed part-time with the United States Forest Service, Wayah District. "My education at HCC has served me well. I was well prepared for my current job and love what I am doing," said Huscusson in a January 2006 phone interview. "The transition to a four-year university has been easy. The instructors and courses at HCC met my needs."

Nick McCracken, 2002 HCC Fish and Wildlife Technology graduate, has a story similar to Huscusson's. He is a biologist and certified associate ecologist at ARCADIS, a global environmental firm in Knoxville, Tennessee. His job requires him to work with the Tennessee Valley Authority to perform field-monitoring surveys. These surveys include wetland delineation, aquatic ecology, aquatic threatened and endangered animals, terrestrial, terrestrial threatened and endangered, and botanical surveys.

While McCracken continued his education at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, he says, "I contribute most of my skills to the hands on activities that are provided at HCC, as well as the valuable identification skills."

McCracken says his resume was loaded with HCC experience, from volunteer work with HCC organizations to classes and opportunities for experience.

According to McCracken, the base of all the surveys he participates in is field identification. He also explains that he learned 100% of his identification skills at HCC.

"I would not be nearly as successful without having attended HCC," McCracken said. "I thank HCC for giving me the base of education and the experience needed in order to compete in today's job market. Without a degree from them, I'm not sure I would be able to be where I am today."

For more information about the Natural Resources Division at HCC or any of the school's programs of study, please call 627-4500 or visit www.haywood.edu on the Internet. Early registration for fall semester continues through July 14 with regular registration on Wednesday, August 9.

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(Cutline:) Fish and Wildlife Technology student, James Young, holds a Hellbender he recently found in the Pigeon River. Young was participating in the summer Aquatics Ecology course at HCC, which involves many hands-on activities for the class.

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