Auburn University and the U.S. Army have solidified a partnership by signing a historic 10-year agreement to provide natural resource management services to eight military bases across the Southeast: Redstone Arsenal and Fort Rucker in Alabama; Forts Benning, Gordon and Stewart in Georgia; Fort Polk in Louisiana; Fort Bragg in North Carolina; and Fort Jackson in South Carolina.

The renewable Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA) is the first of its kind in the nation to include eight military bases.

“To implement the agreement, Dr. Vini Nathan, Auburn University’s interim provost, has approved the establishment of the Center for Natural Resource Management on Military Lands in the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment,” said Janaki Alavalapati, dean of the college.

The center will provide expertise and technical resources to perform services ranging from forest management and surveys of threatened and endangered species, to surface water delineations and climate change vulnerability assessments. The center will provide technical geographic information system and database support tools to manage the Army bases’ vast natural resources.

Auburn University and U.S. Army leaders gather at a Sept. 7 signing ceremony highlighting a new 10-year renewable natural resource management agreement between the two institutions. From left to right: Daowei Zhang, associate dean of research in Auburn’s College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment; Auburn Executive Vice President retired Lt. Gen. Ron Burgess; Auburn President Christopher Roberts; William G. Kidd, director of G4 Facilities and Logistics, Installation Management Command of the U.S. Army; U.S. Army Partnerships Program Manager David Leinberger; James Weyhenmeyer, Auburn VP for research and economic development; and Janaki Alavalapati, dean of the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment. (contributed)

For the U.S. Army, the IGSA will improve efficiencies and deliverables while achieving compliance with state and federal laws and regulations.

“The agreement will ensure the government’s management and diverse uses of the Army’s 1-plus-million acres of military lands within these bases are sustained in order to accomplish the Army mission into the future,” said William G. Kidd, director of G4 Facilities and Logistics, Installation Management Command of the U.S. Army.

“The partnership was designed to expand to include opportunities for research and student learning as the university builds its administrative infrastructure and service capacities,” said Daowei Zhang, Alumni and George Peake Jr. Professor and associate dean of research in the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment, who will coordinate the services with the military.

Auburn University Executive Vice President Lt. Gen (ret.) Ron Burgess, left, and William G. Kidd, director, U.S. Army G4 Facilities and Logistics, Installation Management Command, perform a ceremonial signing highlighting a new 10-year partnership between the two institutions. (contributed)

This collaboration, though unique for its breadth, represents another mutually beneficial alliance between Auburn University and the Department of Defense to address the military’s critical needs and issues.

“The ROTC program and the Military Reach Project to provide quality housing for military families, as well as the McCrary Institute to develop innovative strategies to defend today’s cybersecurity and infrastructure threats, are just a few examples of the profound impact such a partnership can have for both institutions,” said retired Lt. Gen. Ron Burgess, Auburn’s executive vice president and a 38-year U.S. Army veteran.

As part of its land-grant mission, Auburn University’s College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment has a long history of leveraging such government partnerships to advance its teaching, research and outreach programs for the benefit of faculty, students and citizens.

“I am confident this newly established partnership will elevate the Auburn experience for our students, expand transformative research, provide impactful service and engage faculty from multiple colleges and beyond,” said Auburn University President Christopher Roberts.

A signing ceremony attended by Auburn University and U.S. Army leadership was held on campus Sept. 7.

This story originally appeared on Auburn University’s website.