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Field Station

WHAT WE DO

The mission of the University of Mississippi Field Station is to foster ecosystem stewardship by providing a natural laboratory and infrastructure for research, education and service, and by cultivating scientific information and understanding of upland watersheds in the lower Mississippi River Basin and similar habitats.

  • Office Location:

    15 County Road 2078, Abbeville, MS

  • Phone:

    (662) 915-5479
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  3. Field Station and The Center for Water and Wetland Resources

Welcome to the Field Station

deer foraging at the field station

A Research and Education Facility

Designed to serve visiting faculty and students, public and private schools, government agencies and the broader community of the Mid-South

Research and Education

Field Station Staff

Scott Knight

Scott Knight

  • Director of the UM Field Station
Kim Frink Yarborough

Kim Frink Yarborough

  • Operations Supervisor
Drew Ursic

Drew Ursic

  • Resident Manager of the Field Station
Terry Welch

Terry Welch

  • Water Systems Coordinator

Facilities

The original property was a bait minnow farm constructed in 1947.  It is comprised of 780 acres of mixed hardwood forest, former pasture land and 220 experimental ponds ranging in size from 0.04 ha to approximately 1 ha.  The ponds comprise a total area of about 90 ha.  Additionally, a 1.86 ha impoundment of a portion of Bay Springs Branch of Puskus Creek is located on the property.  The field station watershed is drained by 4.4 km of first and second order stream.  Approximately half of the UM Field Station was once a working cattle ranch and the remainder is covered in ponds from when the property was once used as a minnow farm.  Several of the ponds and much of the rangeland has been allowed to enter into the process of ecological succession.

An adjoining building at the Field Station house several offices and laboratories. Two 200-square-foot and three 500-square-foot laboratories have hoods and are suitable for studies utilizing chemicals. Also there is a 500-square-foot culturing laboratory, and a 400-square-foot aquarium room.  Adjoining the offices is a 400-square-foot conference room suitable for a maximum of 15 to 20 people. A 1,900-square-foot greenhouse is available for use by researchers.

The primary teaching facility has a 1,450- square-foot auditorium, two 1,000-square-foot teaching laboratories, an 800-square-foot general office area and three small laboratory rooms, one with a hood.

A two-bedroom cabin with bath and kitchen is available for use by visiting students and researchers. There is also a small four-bunk cabin without utilities available for overnight use.