UA’s ‘Discovering Alabama’ Receives Foundation Gift

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation has given “Discovering Alabama,” a public television series produced by the Alabama Museum of Natural History at The University of Alabama, a $100,000 gift.

“Discovering Alabama” will use the gift to support production of new programs in the “Discovering Alabama” series. “This contribution will help us continue providing Alabama with a vitally important educational resource,” said Dr. Doug Phillips, originator, producer and host of the series.

“It is a very timely gift that also enables us to establish an in-house editing capability,” Phillips said. “This will mean considerable cost savings for future productions and will allow us to spend more creative time on each new show. We are very appreciative to the Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation representatives for their interest and generosity.”

The funds will also be used to add additional space to house the show’s videotape archive.

“ ‘Discovering Alabama’ and the Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation share similar goals and objectives,” said Doris Tyler, Foundation president. “We are excited about the work ‘Discovering Alabama’ is doing, and we wanted to make this gift to help continue those important efforts statewide.”

Solon Dixon was a forestry leader, conservationist and farmer and was known for his dedication to education. He and his brother, Charles, developed and managed Dixon Lumber Co. in Andalusia. The family’s acquisition of forestland began in the 1920s and peaked in the mid-1970s with about 90,000 acres. Solon Dixon died in 1986. His wife, Martha, and the Foundation’s board members, have continued his philanthropic support of education through the Foundation.

“Discovering Alabama” is an award-winning nature series created in 1985. The program aims to promote appreciation for the natural history and environmental resources of Alabama. Alabama Public Television broadcasts “Discovering Alabama” statewide.

Typically, new programs are broadcast in prime time. Regular weekly broadcasts are on Sundays at 6:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. The program draws an estimated audience of more than 1 million viewers, annually. The videos, and supporting Teacher Guides, are used in schools throughout Alabama, representing an additional audience of more than 700,000 students and 40,000 teachers in 129 school systems statewide.

Teacher guides and videos of each episode of “Discovering Alabama” are available from the Alabama Museum of Natural History at The University of Alabama. For more information, call 205/348-2039.

The objectives and purposes of the Solon and Martha Dixon Foundation are to support and promote the cultivation and growth of forestry as a natural resource and to support and promote educational activities, which develop and implement systematic forest management information for the maximum production of timber products. Simultaneously, the Foundation promotes conservation of these natural resources and fosters the ecological development of coexistence between timber resources and the distributions of human, social and cultural patterns.