Dedicated to making a more sustainable campus, The Department of Environmental Science and Sustainability (ESS), Office of Sustainability, and Physical Plant Department collaborated on identifying and implementing restorative practices for a healthier campus.聽
- The National Wildlife Federation has recognized the campus鈥� ongoing efforts to conserve biodiversity鈥� deeming it a certified wildlife habitat.聽
- The Arbor Day Foundation has recognized the campus’ commitment to trees and green space鈥� qualifying it as a Tree Campus in Higher Education.聽
- Bee City USA, an initiative of the Xerces Society, has acknowledged the campus鈥� efforts to conserve native plants and reduce the use of pesticides鈥� endorsing it as a Bee Campus.
Each acknowledgment gives students an opportunity to make the campus they call home a place to do hands-on, collaborative work in environmental education that will impact their immediate surroundings.聽
The designation of the certified wildlife habitat was specifically initiated through a combined student and faculty effort introduced in a junior seminar taught by Professor of ESS Rich Bowden and a research methods course taught by Assistant Professor of ESS Kelly Pearce.
鈥淥ur students are always thinking creatively and wanted to explore wildlife presence on campus, which hasn’t really been studied extensively. We wanted to formalize what we found and make an impact beyond our campus,鈥� says Pearce. 鈥淭his report serves as a blueprint to other higher education institutions, illustrating that collaborative efforts can yield outcomes that extend beyond the confines of the classroom.鈥澛�
Kaitlyn Royal 鈥�24, Ava Loch 鈥�24, and Molly Miller 鈥�24 served as student editors on the related wildlife habitat management plan that the National Wildlife Federation endorsed. It noted that the campus had adequate cover, food, water, places to raise young and active wildlife-friendly sustainability practices. Suggested improvements included:聽
- Continued removal of invasive species
- Planting more diverse native species
- Installing bat and birdhouses
- Leaving snags and fallen trees for habitat
- Enhancing water availability
Royal says, 鈥淢any environmental professionals helped us, and campus staff and faculty were so supportive of the process. There was so much encouragement and sharing of knowledge. The College’s Junior Seminar course was so helpful for me to see how projects are planned, executed, and connected to our campus life.鈥澛�
One of those environmental professionals was Kristy Jones, director of higher education programs at the National Wildlife Federation.
鈥淭he National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat designation recognizes 花椒直播 as a higher education leader in wildlife conservation and an important part of a national network of communities working to provide healthy habitat for wildlife and people,鈥� remarks Jones.聽