Volume 45, Number 2
Kim Sash (GTC Senior Co-Chair)
Dear members,
As my term as Senior Co-Chair of the Gopher Tortoise Council comes to a close, I want to take a moment to thank everyone for the opportunity to serve this incredible community over the past two years. It’s been a true privilege to represent the Council and our shared mission to protect gopher tortoises and the ecosystems that support them.
I’m especially looking forward to seeing many of you at our annual meeting this November in Tallahassee, Florida—our first ever in the new Perkins Conservation Education Center at Tall Timbers. It promises to be a great setting for connection, collaboration, and celebration of the work we all care so deeply about. You can find meeting details here https://gophertortoisecouncil.
While I’ll be stepping into the role of Past Co-Chair for the coming year, I’ll continue to stay involved and support the Council’s efforts wherever I can. Please join me in wishing my Co-Chair, Jeff Baker, the best of luck as he begins planning our 2026 meeting in Alabama—I know it will be another outstanding gathering.
Thank you all again for your dedication and friendship. It’s been an honor to serve alongside you.
May your burrows always be occupied,
Kim Sash
Keep reading for the latest news and announcements from the Gopher Tortoise Council, including:
- Final details for the upcoming annual meeting
- Become a GTC member
- Gopher tortoise license plate available now!

Dr. Rachel Wallace Clostio (University of New Orleans)
Louisiana is in its second year of implementing a program aimed at boosting gopher tortoise populations in the state. Keep reading to learn more about what researchers are discovering about Louisiana's tortoise populations.
Dirk Stevenson (Altamaha Consulting)
In this latest installment from Dirk Stevenson, tales from the Okefenokee and lessons on every tortoise's favorite croaker, the gopher frog.
Some recently published articles about gopher tortoises, their commensals, and upland communities in the southeast. Check out GTC's Education & Outreach page for more literature, including snake and tortoise bibliographies.