BLACKSBURG, Va., Dec. 7, 2007 – Zone VI of The Garden Club of America, which makes its home at Virginia Tech's College of Natural Resources, is now accepting applications for its national urban forestry fellowship for qualified U.S. students. The first awards were presented in 2006.
With these awards, The Garden Club of America seeks to forward its goal of advancing knowledge of urban forests and increasing the number of scientists in the relatively new field of urban forestry. A selection committee from Virginia Tech’s forestry department will include practicing urban forestry scientists to review applications with The Garden Club of America endorsing their final selection.
The fellowship is open to both advanced undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in urban forestry, forestry, horticulture, environmental studies, or a closely related field at any four-year college or university degree program in the United States. Recipients must be U.S. students who will be enrolled as juniors, seniors, or graduate students during the fellowship period. The award is for $4,000 and recipients may apply for one additional year of funding.
For information, online application forms, and past recipients, contact Susan Day at (540) 231-7264. Application deadline is Jan. 31, 2008.
The Garden Club of America strives to stimulate the knowledge and love of gardening, to share the advantages by means of educational meetings, conferences, correspondence and publications, and to restore, improve, and to protect the quality of the environment through educational programs and actions in the fields of conservation and civic improvement.
The College of Natural Resources at Virginia Tech consistently ranks among the top five programs of its kind in the nation. Faculty members stress both the technical and human elements of natural resources and instill in students a sense of stewardship and land-use ethics. Areas of studies include environmental resource management, fisheries and wildlife sciences, forestry, geospatial and environmental analysis, natural resource recreation, urban forestry, wood science and forest products, geography, and international development.