The NAU Review — Celebrate Black History month and read more about a 93-year-old volunteer

Jan. 28, 2025

Every February, the Lumberjack community comes together to celebrate Black History Month with a wide variety of events that recognizes the rich, diverse culture, history and societal contributions of Black Americans and the global African diaspora. Many of the month’s events also raise awareness of the historical and ongoing struggles faced by Black Americans.

With funding from the National Science Foundation, NAU researchers are taking on an unprecedented project—creating a set of global datasets that will map the health and biodiversity of biocrusts throughout the planet. This research, called CrustNet, could help scientists and land managers, especially those in the Southwest, protect these crucial but understudied aspects of terrestrial ecosystems.