Today on Athens News Matters, a longtime friend remembers beloved community member and UGA English professor Coleman Barks. Plus, a local land trust shows off the frogs of Northeast Georgia.
Remembering beloved Athenian and scholar Coleman Barks
Coleman Barks was a beloved community member in Athens. He joined the Department of English at the University of Georgia in 1967 and gained international renown for his translations of the 13th century Persian poet Rumi.
Barks passed away on February 23rd in Athens, prompting an outpouring of remembrances from around the community. Alan Flurry held a longtime friendship with Barks and presided at his memorial, which was held at the UGA Chapel on April 23rd. Flurry sat down with WUGA’s Emma Auer to remember Coleman Barks.
Local land trust hosts frog walk in Northeast Georgia wetland
Frog calls are a common sound in Georgia and across the South during the spring and summer. Usually, these vocal amphibians are heard and not seen. But one group of kids and adults in Jackson County were given an expert-led tour of frog habitats, where they got to witness these animals in the wild. WUGA’s Emma Auer reports.
A Few Minutes With Sonia Altizer, UGA monarch butterfly researcher
The monarch butterfly is one of the most iconic and remarkable travelers in the natural world. Sonia Altizer, professor and head of the Department of Entomology in the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, has spent many years studying monarchs and the infectious diseases that threaten their survival. On this installment of a Few Minutes With, James Hataway sits down with Altizer to discuss her research.
From the awe-inspiring monarch migration spanning thousands of miles across North America to the growing environmental challenges these butterflies face, Altizer explores the delicate balance that sustains their journey. She also shares practical steps insect lovers can take to help ensure monarchs continue to thrive.
