State trims Bartram budget

Bartram Forest’s educational programs will be halted due to state budget cuts, which are projected to total over 10 percent through 2012, according to the Georgia Forestry Commission. This would leave GFC 50 percent fewer dollars than a decade ago.

There has been talk of leaving the property open to the public and having the district office of the GFC help maintain it. But as of now, the educational facilities are closed and the director of education services, Eric Mosely, has been let go.

“Cutting an additional 10 percent meant taking a hard look at the services we provide and how we provide them,” said Robert Farris, GFC director.

Forestry officials held a meeting Oct. 4 to hear the protests of several community groups including the Master Gardeners and educational groups from surrounding schools. During the meeting, Farris said even though the forest won’t be staffed to provide educational programs the public will still have access to the forest.

The Governor’s Office of Planning and Budgets implemented a number of budget cuts and the GFC tried to cut numerous other expenses prior to being forced to terminate positions.

One of the programs they want to avoid eliminating is their firefighting program. Farris highlighted that the GFC’s main goal and the largest chunk of their budget is mainly directed toward this program, which protects the forests.

Doug Oetter, associate professor of geography and advisor for the Environmental Science Club, attended the meeting.

“The loss of Bartram would be an immediate loss to GCSU because so many groups use it, the Environmental Science Club and Outdoor Education Program included,” Oetter said.

Bartram is one of three educational forests in Georgia, all of which are losing their education coordinators.

Oetter says community members who attended the meeting made it clear that the forest was worth keeping.

“It is a strange place to cut,” Oetter said.

Jeff Brittain, a senior environmental science major and president of the Environmental Science Club, is concerned about who will take care of the forest after it is closed.

“Right now it is illegal to hunt in Bartram, but with no one monitoring it I’m sure people will hunt anyway,” Brittain said. “This will make it difficult for people to enjoy the forest and (it will be) potentially dangerous.”

According to the Communications Chief for the Georgia Forestry Commission Wendy Burnett, the Georgia Forestry Commission wants to keep the forest open, but the statewide budget cuts are hitting hard.

“I really love taking short hikes and being out in the woods in general. Bartram is one of the very few public places in Milledgeville that I can actually go and do that,” said Loribeth Berry, sophomore environmental science major and Milledgeville native.

The loss of Mosely’s position was another blow to the community. Brittain said that in Mosely’s two years serving in his position he has helped the forest and its educational programs tremendously.

“He does so much to educate Milledgeville’s public school students and college students,” Berry said. “Losing him will be almost as bad as losing Bartram.”

The GFC has no intention of clear cutting the forest. The specifics of closing the educational aspects of the forest are still in discussion, but the GFC hopes to continue them on a smaller scale.