FALL 2016:
In February 2016, the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown became certified (good for three years) in Environmental Planning from the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP). Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program program helps organizations and business protect their properties' environments while also being efficient, conservative of resources, and supportive of conservation efforts. As a certified organization, Pitt-Johnstown had to assess the university's environmental resources and where improvement could be done. Afterward, a custom environment management plan was created to fit specifically for UPJ based on information such as the school's setting, goals, budget, staff, and time. Pitt-Johnstown is now completing the environmental management plan created for them in several forms including one by Dr. Christina Dahlin of the Biology Department of Pitt-Johnstown's Natural Science Division. With the assistance of her students. During the Fall 2016 semester, Dr. Dahlin sat down with senior communication, writing, and multimedia major Ashley Grego to talk about her experience with the Audubon Project thus far. The Q&A is presented below. What has the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program meant to you personally and professionally? Personally, one of the reasons I came to Pitt-Johnstown is because I love this campus and because we have a big nature area. I feel that there is a great connection to nature here, but in some ways I feel that connection was not developed because the trail system is not optimally cared for, and by developing a better trail system we can have a teaching tool for our classes. From an environmental perspective, I feel the university can increase their investment in our trails, recycling programs, wildlife management and other relevant programs. I see the Audubon Project as a way to increase the connection between our campus and natural area, make the campus overall a more sustainable place, raising awareness about our green initiatives, and ultimately make Pitt-Johnstown an environmental leader in our community. How did you become aware of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program? David Finney from Pitt-Johnstown’s physical plant introduced the program to me and began the program. David is an avid golfer, and typically, the Audubon Program’s directors do their projects at golf courses as they are essentially large grass lawns that lack diversity. David came to Pitt-Johnstown and envisioned our campus as an ideal environment in which to implement such a program. After reaching out to me, the Audubon Project at UPJ took off. |
What was the beginning process of getting UPJ part of the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program?
The first step David took was getting the funds to apply to the Audubon Program. Another big component was getting a large group of people together to start the programs for the project such as faculty, staff, students, and whoever else wanted to help. We then broke up into committees to start handling the tasks that we are still working on. Some committees include our education committee and wildlife committee.
Who in specific did you recruit to help with the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program?
We have recruited staff and faculty from across the university to join a Resource Advisory Group, which is charged with accomplishing a number of specific tasks. With that group, there is an Outreach Committee and a Wildlife and Management Committee. Some members of begun working on various individual tasks, such as Manisha Nigam in the Chemistry Department, who has been involved in the improvement of our single-string recycling program. Other various Natural Science Department faculty members have taken part in assimilating the Audubon Project into their teachings. For instance, Dr. Robart has begun to grow milkweed flowers. In the Education Department, Bethany McConnell and Liz Harkins have also involved Bridge students in the ACSP by training them to emove recyclables in Biddle Hall.
What is one way in which your classes have taken part in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program?
My ornithology class has spent this semester trying to find ways to make the campus more bird friendly. They came up with two basic strategies, and then I asked them to find one that could be implemented. The students decided to determine whether the windows on campus are hazardous to birds as they are flying on campus. To the birds, the windows appear as reflections of sky, clouds, and trees which they can continue to fly through. Obviously, the students and I could not ask the campus to change windows in one semester; therefore, we decided to find others ways the campus could address this problem such as putting tape or decals on windows, so less impacts could occur. Right now, my students are searching campus for deceased birds and identifying the effects of the window impacts.
Are there anymore actions that UPJ has taken that you can think of?
This summer David and I met with Tammy Colt from the Southwest Game Commission and gave her a tour of our natural area. Tammy then developed a formal wildlife management plan designed to help us increase the diversity and richness of wildlife on our campus. We have already begun implementing some of the simple recommendations she provided, such as mowing areas to create early successional habitat for breeding birds, and removing invasive species such as a large Tree of Heaven that has been growing in one area known as “Circle Field”.
Lastly, what would be your ultimate goal for the Audubon Project? I
I would love to see us receive ACSP certification in the next two years. This certification will mean that Pitt-Johnstown has reached all its targets; however, we have a few other targets to reach and complete before achieving certification. I want to see Pitt-Johnstown to continue to become more sustainable. We still have a lot we could do better. By planting more native species, we will be able to improve wildlife and overall, help the Johnstown Area. We could add butterfly gardens, manage the trails, and do more for the birds, so the students can get out on campus and enjoy our natural habitat more. I would also love to see increased connectivity between Pitt-Johnstown and our neighboring Richland community through a bike/walking path.
For more information on the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown's journey to Audubon certification, visit Dr. Dahlin's webpage.
The first step David took was getting the funds to apply to the Audubon Program. Another big component was getting a large group of people together to start the programs for the project such as faculty, staff, students, and whoever else wanted to help. We then broke up into committees to start handling the tasks that we are still working on. Some committees include our education committee and wildlife committee.
Who in specific did you recruit to help with the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program?
We have recruited staff and faculty from across the university to join a Resource Advisory Group, which is charged with accomplishing a number of specific tasks. With that group, there is an Outreach Committee and a Wildlife and Management Committee. Some members of begun working on various individual tasks, such as Manisha Nigam in the Chemistry Department, who has been involved in the improvement of our single-string recycling program. Other various Natural Science Department faculty members have taken part in assimilating the Audubon Project into their teachings. For instance, Dr. Robart has begun to grow milkweed flowers. In the Education Department, Bethany McConnell and Liz Harkins have also involved Bridge students in the ACSP by training them to emove recyclables in Biddle Hall.
What is one way in which your classes have taken part in the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program?
My ornithology class has spent this semester trying to find ways to make the campus more bird friendly. They came up with two basic strategies, and then I asked them to find one that could be implemented. The students decided to determine whether the windows on campus are hazardous to birds as they are flying on campus. To the birds, the windows appear as reflections of sky, clouds, and trees which they can continue to fly through. Obviously, the students and I could not ask the campus to change windows in one semester; therefore, we decided to find others ways the campus could address this problem such as putting tape or decals on windows, so less impacts could occur. Right now, my students are searching campus for deceased birds and identifying the effects of the window impacts.
Are there anymore actions that UPJ has taken that you can think of?
This summer David and I met with Tammy Colt from the Southwest Game Commission and gave her a tour of our natural area. Tammy then developed a formal wildlife management plan designed to help us increase the diversity and richness of wildlife on our campus. We have already begun implementing some of the simple recommendations she provided, such as mowing areas to create early successional habitat for breeding birds, and removing invasive species such as a large Tree of Heaven that has been growing in one area known as “Circle Field”.
Lastly, what would be your ultimate goal for the Audubon Project? I
I would love to see us receive ACSP certification in the next two years. This certification will mean that Pitt-Johnstown has reached all its targets; however, we have a few other targets to reach and complete before achieving certification. I want to see Pitt-Johnstown to continue to become more sustainable. We still have a lot we could do better. By planting more native species, we will be able to improve wildlife and overall, help the Johnstown Area. We could add butterfly gardens, manage the trails, and do more for the birds, so the students can get out on campus and enjoy our natural habitat more. I would also love to see increased connectivity between Pitt-Johnstown and our neighboring Richland community through a bike/walking path.
For more information on the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown's journey to Audubon certification, visit Dr. Dahlin's webpage.