Steven Castleberry, a professor of wildlife ecology and management in the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, received $71,681 to address gaps in knowledge about the Southeastern pocket gopher with the ultimate goal of providing specific management recommendations for restoring and maintaining highly functional habitat conditions and reintroducing the gopher into appropriate habitats. The pocket gopher is a high priority species for conservation in Georgia, and its distribution has been significantly reduced since the 1950s. Researchers from UGA will join with others from the University of Florida and Auburn University to track gopher populations and identify suitable habitats in Georgia, Florida and Alabama.