MILLBROOK, Ala. — Protecting our vital waterways requires dedicated scientific research and strong regional collaboration. Watersheds are not confined to state and county lines. The health of our rivers depends on the collective effort of researchers, policymakers and local communities. A Gathering of Experts Alabama Water Institute’s CONSERVE Research Group, focused on nature-based watershed conservation,…
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Ekaterina Menkina, a University of Alabama anthropology student, had never touched professional filming equipment before. However, the Alabama Water Institute’s CONSERVE Research Group took a chance on her in 2024, handing over professional-grade camera equipment and trusting her to document ancient pictographs 800 miles from Tuscaloosa. “I saw the words ‘creative’ and ‘art,’…
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — A process that once required two full days of hands-on work by a researcher and graduate student now takes about an hour. The Alabama Water Institute’s Equipment Support Program recently helped fund a Thermo Scientific KingFisher Apex for its CONSERVE Future Ecologies lab. The state-of-the-art genomics platform automates the extraction of DNA, RNA and proteins…
The CONSERVE Research Group highlighted how their nature-based watershed restoration work supports southeastern fish populations during the Southeastern Fishes Council’s annual meeting in Tuscaloosa. Students from across the region showed strong interest in CONSERVE’s rivercane projects and field survey opportunities, underscoring growing momentum for collaborative habitat and conservation research.
AWI’s CONSERVE team is working with tribal partners across 12 states to map rivercane and build a traits database that supports both ecosystem restoration and cultural traditions. Their recent presentation in Florida highlighted how the project strengthens conservation and tribal heritage.
The Alabama Water Institute has selected four UA faculty as 2025–28 fellows, advancing research in algae and coral science, water security, AI in hydrology and environmental modeling.
CONSERVE partnered with tribal nations and local officials in Oklahoma for a tabletop exercise aimed at improving flood preparedness and response. The event highlighted the value of local knowledge, cross-jurisdictional collaboration and new NOAA visualization tools in tackling complex flood risks.
CONSERVE aims to revitalize rivercane ecosystems and preserve cultural heritage in the Southeastern U.S. through a $3.8 million grant.
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The story of rivercane is one of resilience, intertwined with the survival of both ecosystems and the Indigenous cultures that have depended on them. These once lush bamboo forests and grasslands that sustained the landscape, known as “canebrakes,” are now endangered. The rapid decline of this native bamboo species has had lasting consequences on the…
