Date: 06/30/04
Contact: Gregg Yarrow, (864) 656-7370
             George Kessler, (864) 656-4836
Writer: Susan Bedingfield, (864) 656-3876

Clemson PSA distance education
programs receive ADEC award

     CLEMSON – The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC) have honored two Clemson University Extension programs.

     George Kessler and Greg Yarrow, both professors in the Clemson University Department of Forestry, received the USDA Secretary’s Honor Award and the 2004 ADEC award. The awards were given for the Clemson Extension Master Tree Farmer/Master Wildlifer programs.

     Kessler, Yarrow and William Hubbard, University of Georgia who will also be honored, created, coordinate and run the programs.

     “It was a great honor to have the programs recognized,” said Yarrow. “Extension’s purpose has always been education. We are able to bring educational programs like these to people across the southeast using cutting edge technology.”

     The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture presented the USDA award on June 25 at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Its purpose is to provide recognition to USDA employees and private citizens who have made outstanding contributions in education.

     The ADEC award was handed out at the organization’s May annual meeting in Kansas City. The award is given to programs that address the distance education for higher education and expand the availability of higher education to a wider and more diverse audience.

     Master Tree Farmer has grown to cover 14 southeastern states and reach more than 65,000 people. Using satellite linkups, the program teaches landowners how to practice sustainable forestry, determine options available to manage their land, understand stewardship considerations for land management and become acquainted with services and assistance for managing forest land.

     Seven weekly sessions were broadcast by satellite to 214 landowners at 13 sites across South Carolina. In addition, participants received a 985-page reference notebook. Other materials include videotapes of each presentation and a day long, hands-on field event.

     The Master Wildlifer program was added in 2003, and more than 4,000 people saw the first broadcast. Delivered to over 140 downlink sites in 12 states across the southeast in seven 3-hour sessions, the program is designed for those who are interested in integrating wildlife considerations into their current land use and management activities.

     For more information on both programs, check out
www.mastertreefarmer.org or www.masterwildlifer.org.
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