TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— The Alabama Water Institute recently welcomed Josiah Gullatte as assistant director of watershed conservation, preservation and restoration, or CPR, at CONSERVE, the Community Oriented Nature-based Science for Ecosystem Restoration and Versatile Engineering Research Program.
Gullatte will lead efforts to develop new projects and sustain existing restoration initiatives across the Southeast, with work spanning rivercane restoration, native seed preservation and hands-on field implementation in partnership with tribal nations, private landowners, nonprofit organizations and governmental entities. He brings a rare combination of aquatic science research and certified land management expertise to the role, a pairing that aligns closely with CONSERVE’s mission of connecting watershed health to ecological restoration.
When I first saw the job description, I was so excited to apply and reach out,” Gullatte said.
“This allows me to do everything I love: water resources, land management and working with people.”
Where Field Work Meets the Network
Before joining AWI, Gullatte built his career across two distinct fields, conducting aquatic research at Auburn University and teaching prescribed fire techniques throughout the Southeast with Tall Timbers Research Station, working with government, state and nongovernmental entities.
His connection to CONSERVE took root through the Alabama Rivers and Streams Network, or ARSN, where his research had put him in the same professional circles as CONSERVE’s leadership. Gullatte attended multiple ARSN conferences, where his published work quietly built the foundation for what came next.
“When I reached out to Dr. Fedoroff about the position, we connected instantly on mutual interests,” Gullatte said. “Dr. Fedoroff was familiar with partners I’ve worked with and projects I’ve participated in. After that phone call, I knew this would be a great fit.”
A Career at the Water’s Edge
At the Auburn University Fisheries Research Unit, Gullatte spent five years contributing to federally funded projects on crayfish ecology, water quality and invasive species, eventually serving as lead field technician for a watershed assessment project. The project evaluated how culverts affect sediment transport and aquatic wildlife across three Alabama watersheds: Uphapee Creek in Tuskegee National Forest, Uchee Creek east of Auburn and the Upper Pea River watershed. The team documented findings across all three sites, with Gullatte serving as coauthor on each resulting publication. He also participated in an eight-year USGS-funded study to identify the most effective methods for removing invasive red swamp crayfish from the Great Lakes region.
His first independent research project examined the effects of prescribed fire on water quality and stream crayfish populations. That work led him to earn certified burn manager credentials in both Alabama and Georgia and deepened his understanding of how land management shapes the systems that drain into streams and rivers.
“I love hunting and fishing, and I was asking: how can a land management activity I love influence our waterways and our water quality?” Gullatte said. “That was really what sparked me.”
Helping Restore What Was Lost
At CONSERVE, Gullatte’s initial focus will center on a project with The Nature Conservancy on the Locust Fork, a comprehensive restoration effort targeting high-priority areas affected by erosion, invasive species and habitat degradation. Work will include site assessment, mapping, native planting and long-term monitoring, with the goal of establishing a model restoration site other entities can replicate across the region.
A second major effort takes the team to the Choctawhatchee River watershed in south Alabama, where the project calls for identifying and implementing restoration priorities in a landscape shaped by the region’s distinctive coastal plain soils and significant erosion pressure.
The third major initiative is establishing a native seed bank for uses across the Southeast. The effort is rooted in Indigenous and cultural land management traditions, building on heirloom and native seed preservation practices that tribal communities have sustained for generations. It expands on the CONSERVE DIGISEED project, which supports heirloom seed varieties stewarded by tribal partners, industrial affiliates and other cultural groups across the U.S. Many of those varieties require less water and support native pollinators. While DIGISEED serves tribal communities directly, the CONSERVE Native Seed Bank will extend those benefits to the broader conservation and restoration community.
“The people and plants are teaching us,” Gullatte said. “A lot of what we’re learning about how to plant these seeds, what to grow alongside them, how to manage the land around them, that knowledge comes from them.”
Through collaboration, restoration and a deep respect for both land and people, Gullatte’s work reflects a vision that goes beyond rebuilding ecosystems to strengthen the relationships that sustain them. As these efforts grow, so too does the impact, helping shape healthier, more resilient watersheds across the Southeast for generations to come.
“We are fortunate to have Josiah join the CONSERVE team as he brings new ideas and expertise to our program,” said Dr. Michael Fedoroff, CONSERVE director. “I am excited to see how he grows the Watershed CPR program and supports our partners across the region.”