The Office of Land and Facilities Managemen (formerly Research Operatiions) was organized in the mid 1970's, primarily as a support organization to assist in the preliminary phases of construction of E. V. Smith Research Center, Poultry Farm, Swine Nutrition Unit and Solon Dixon Forestry Center. The department also assisted in the planning of units, selection of architects, choosing contractors, site preparation and overseeing projects.

Main office of Research Operations at Auburn University.

      Today AAES Land and Facilities Management is functioning in a service and support roll for the College of Agriculture and the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. Tasks include facilities maintenance and repair, planning of farm related buildings and structures, construction of those structures, pond construction and repair, lagoon construction, waste water management systems, parking lot construction, utilities, plumbing, electrical, mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, all while managing over 600 acres of open land located in the Auburn area.

      AAES Land and Facilities Management also supports the teaching and research programs related to College of Agriculture and Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station. If labor, support, or knowledge about the equipment is unavailable, we will provide the support needed to conduct the project. Equipment includes most all wood working tools, hand operated or power driven, garden and farm tools, ladders, mowers, weedeaters, axes, power saws etc.

      Along with typical agricultural tractors (7 each) and PTO equipment, Research Operations is responsible for bulldozers (5 each), backhoe, rubber tire loader, trenching machine, self-loading pan, dump trucks, tractor trailer trucks, tanker truck, trailers, fork lifts and other prime movers.

      AAES Land and Facilities Management assists the substations with many of their needs upon request. Research Operations is primarily a farm/agricultural service and support organization with many years of experience under its belt and a work force of multi-talented personnel.

      AAES Land and Facilities Management is located at 925 Camp Auburn Road, just below the Poultry Farm. These facilities (other than the metal framework), were designed and constructed by Research Operations personnel. This facility accommodates all of the offices, shops and storage areas. Included within the building’s shops are a wood working shop, welding shop, metal fabrication area, vehicle/service lift area, paint booth, parts/stock rooms, supply room, sign making shop, drafting/plan room, blueprint room., historic plans and file room (experiment station only, dating back to 1946), and a small conference room.

Pond built by AAES Land and Facilities Management.

      The ponds you see when coming into Auburn, along S. College Street and Shug Jordan Parkway, were constructed by AAES Land and Facilities Management along with 63 others, in which we either built or assisted in their construction. The road (3/4mile) leading into the Raptor Center and the flight pen located at that site, was built with AAES Land and Facilities Management equipment and personnel. The list can go on and on.

      AAES Land and Facilities Management on an average year will complete over 250 work request. Some of the work requests are minor jobs only taking an hour or so to complete but others require hundreds of man hours. Each work request submitted will be processed and upon completion will denote man hours, equipment used and material cost.