BPC Honors Program, Discovery Club visit Oatland Island

BPC students and faculty sponsors participating in the Jan. 24 “field trip” to Oatland Island Wildlife Center were, pictured from left, Dr. Chris Jones, Erica Moore, Silas Jones (Dr. Jones’ son), Blaine Skaggs, Adam Coffey, Dr. Joe Tiu, Jenna Brannen, Dusty Arnold and Gavin Chapman. (Photo provided)

By Dr. Joe Tiu

BPC Psychology professor, Honors Program Coordinator

Students from Brewton-Parker College’s Honors Program and the Discovery Club took a field trip to Oatland Island Wildlife Center on Saturday, Jan. 24.     

Besides getting some exercise and having fun, the main purpose for the trip was for students to get ideas about interpretive nature trails as preliminary research for a grant proposal they will assist in writing. 

This year, as part of the Honors Program, students will submit a grant proposal to enhance the Boyd-Calhoun Nature Trail. The proposal will focus on creating an outdoor classroom, informative signage for the trail, and other educational science equipment. While Brewton-Parker’s trail is designed to be more rustic than Oatland Island’s, great ideas for signage and trail maintenance were observed over the approximately two mile trail. Brewton-Parker plans a 1.5 mile trail.    

Six students, Dusty Arnold, Jenna Brannen, Gavin Chapman, Adam Coffey, Erica Moore, and Blaine Skaggs, along with two faculty sponsors, Dr. Chris Jones and Dr. Joe Tiu, braved rainy weather for the first part of the trip, but finished with a bit less rain. Many were surprised that some of the animals were out and actively observed. It was nice to see the animals in their habitats, but of course, Brewton-Parker’s trail will not include captive wildlife. Hikers will have to be observant for native wildlife on the Boyd-Calhoun trail.

Brewton-Parker College is the only accredited four-year Christian college in south Georgia.

-BPC-