Five Oaks Ag Research and Education Center

See schedule o for detail.during 2023, the Five Oaks Ag Research and Education Center (foagrec) continued its partnership with the university of Arkansas (ua), the ua division of agriculture, and the ua at monticello for support of educational and Research activities. This partnership includes a graduate certificate program (gcp) at ua at monticello in waterfowl habitat and recreation management, which uses the Five Oaks property in humphrey ar as its field station and learning lab.to support the gcp activities at Five Oaks, an old hunting lodge at a waterfowl resting area on the Five Oaks property known as "little siberia" was refurbished and modified into a dormitory/lab/workspace for the gcp students and faculty.dr. Ryan askren was formally introduced as the executive director of foagrec in early 2023. He was hired into the position december in 2022 and had previously worked with foagrec on Education and Research activities as a post doc employed by the ua at monticello.stewart and hillary hornor officially joined the staff of foagrec in 2023, with stewart assuming the role of chief operation officer and hillary continuing in her role of director of Education. Stewart is an attorney by training and hillary is a masters-level teacher.the second cohort of gcp students completed program requirements and were awarded certificates during the may 2023 commencement ceremony at ua at monticello. The third cohort of gcp students began their academic year in the fall of 2023. Foagrec worked with faculty at ua at monticello and the Arkansas 4-h organization to host a youth Education event in the winter of 2023. The wonders of waterfowl program was held on 02/11/2023 at Five Oaks and was attended by 50 students, who were rotated through a variety of learning stations during the event. Hillary dunklin hornor, in her role as Education director of foagrec, continued development of a youth Education program targeting 4th grade children and featuring a character called "mike mallard" during 2023. The program offers both in-person learning events at Five Oaks and an at-home version that parents can use with their kids. A variety of school systems in Arkansas county and the surrounding area participated in the "mike mallard" programming during 2023.foagrec became the benefitted nonprofit organization of the Five Oaks duck hunting operation during the 2022/2023 season. Hosts of hunting groups were required to pay a new rate beginning with the 2022/2023 season, with a portion of that amount being a tax-deductible contribution to foagrec. As part of the Five Oaks experience, hunting groups receive conservation Education and learn about foagrec and its mission (much of that provided by gcp students).foagrec continued working with faculty at ua at monticello and other collaborators within the Mississippi alluvial valley in 2023 on a Research project focused on issues relevant to improving waterfowl habitat health and better understanding waterfowl movement/behavior patterns.with assistance from allegiance consulting, a communications and marketing firm, foagrec completed its second annual report in 2023, and made it available in both electronic and printed formats.five Oaks property once leased to a private researcher was reclaimed in 2023 and will be the site of a Research headquarters for foagrec. Further, an old airstrip on the property is being converted into experimental plots for the gcp students to conduct experiments and refine their skills with farm and habitat management equipment.during 2023, foagrec aquired a tractor and drone in support of its Research and gcp land management training.in 2023, foagrec continued its partnership with sitka gear to support scholarships for the gcp, and boss shotshells continued its support of foagrec's mallard backpack transmitter research.foagrec hosted another field day in june 2023 related to a conservation innovation grant it had received previously. The event was attended by a variety of agency representatives and discussed specific operational practices at Five oaks.foagrec established a merchandise store in 2023 to help support the organization, and products offered (featuring the foagrec logo) sold very well leading into the hunting and holiday seasons. The store accommodates both in-person and online transactions.