Gail Gunst Heffner, Clarence W. Joldersma, David … · Gail Gunst Heffner, Clarence W. Joldersma,...

Gail Gunst Heffner, Clarence W. Joldersma,

David Warners, Randy Van Dragt

Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA

9/24/2009

1

Calvin College

Greening the Campus Presentation

Academically Based Service-Learning as

the entrée to sustainability

Served as a catalyst for significant

institutional change at multiple levels

within the college

9/24/2009Calvin College Greening the Campus Presentation2

Planktonic

algae declineMassive fish

die-off Stench

Cause: N & P

runoff from

urban fertilizers

Calls from

community &

altered

behavior

Neighbor-

hood

newsletter

Cause: algal bloom

& proliferation of O2-

using bacteria

CEAP

poster

session

Storm water

treatment

system

New earthen berm

& detention pond

English

CEAP

project

Engineering

CEAP

project

Biology

CEAP

project

Community

complaints

Plaster Creek

Watershed

working group



Environmental Stewardship Committee

Statement on Sustainability

College Strategic Plan now includes

sustainability


Baseline metrics

Faculty Activity Report


Analyze current situation

Determine key players (allies and

naysayers)

Determine what kind of change you want

to happen

Determine clear action plan with

measurable outcomes and accountability


Establishing & inventorying the campus

Ecosystem Preserve (EP)

Placing the EP in a new campus master

plan

Establishing a difference between

„available‟ space and named space


1956 - Initial farmland acquired

1962 - First academic buildings

1963-75 - Initial campus build-out

1985-86 - Ecosystem Preserve established

1997-99 – Master planning campus

expansion

2000-present – Master plan build-out


1966

N

East Beltline

Fine Arts Center


N

EastBeltline

Preserve local native

habitats & wildlife

Serve as a study area

for the college

Provide a passive

recreational resource

for the college

community

Provide an educational

& recreational resource

for the broader

community

N

1985

1986

Vertebrate Diversity Fish – 3 species

Amphibians – 8

Reptiles – 9

Birds – 135 recorded

(50 - 60 breeding)

Mammals -- 21

Plant Diversity Plant Species – 235Natives -- 156Non-natives -- 79 Floristic Quality Index

for East Campus:FQI = 45

(Based on native species)

An area of statewide significance

New academic buildings

Conference center

Parking

Athletic fields

Cross-country course

Conclusion: Not enough room on West Campus to meet these needs.

Main Campus

East Campus

N

EcosystemPreserve

Fine ArtsCenter


X


Hydrological, botanical & zoological

inventories provided rationale for

boundaries.

Defining and naming the preserve gave it

a place in campus awareness, culture &

conversation.

Result: The Ecosystem Preserve has

established boundaries containing

nearly 100 acres of native habitats.



“PE woodlot” extensively studied 2002-2005:- Each individual tree documented (size and

species)- Broader botanical species inventory- 19 species found nowhere else on campus- Regionally rare species discovered- FQI = 37.4 (FQI>35 = „Unmitigable‟)

2005-2006: Extended athletic complex-woodlot negotiations

2006: - More conservative configuration- 1:1 Forest Replacement Mitigation Plan ($75,000)

2007 – 2009 Mitigation implementation

28

Winter 2007

Research

Question: How

to make a

forest?

Habitat inventory Botanical inventory C-sequestration capacity (by habitat) C-emissions audit Foodshed assessment Watershed awareness Hydrological inventory Bicycles on campus Bus ridership/Automobile arrivals

Builds a body of baseline data

Creates larger awareness of campus

structure and function

Can help to build value for aspects of

campus structure and function

Builds stakeholder groups within the

campus community

Provides excellent opportunity for

academically-based service learning


Focus the Nation activities

Sustainability Summit 2008

Sustainability Summit 2009

Sustainability Across the Curriculum 2010



Focus the Nation at

Calvin


Sustainability Summit, May 21, 2008



Sustainability Summit

May 29, 2009



Multiple identities

Changing lexicon on campus



• Situated in a city known for sustainability

• Liberal arts tradition of asking big questions

• Teaching and research is valued

• Strong tradition of faculty governance

• Religious affiliation that affirms care for nature

BUILDING CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY ON THE STRENGTHS OF INSTITUTIONAL AND CULTURAL

IDENTITIES: AN EXAMPLE

Janel M. Curry, Gail Gunst Heffner, Clarence W. Joldersma

The 7th Ball State University Greening of the Campus Conference, Muncie,IN, September 2007

Calvin‟s multiple cultural and

institutional identities


new concept

resistance

publicity

acceptance

campus social

imaginary

How conversation changes on

campus


Mitigation

Admin resistance

Student and faculty

conversation

Reluctant acceptance

Normal part of planning


Nature preserveEnvironmental

assessmentMitigationSustainabilityLandscape

connections (landscape ecology)

Rain gardenWoodlot

Watershed

Campus inventory

Watershed

CEAP

Place

Carbon footprint

Energy scorecard

Restoration efforts

Boundaries

New lexicon at Calvin

Connect to core mission

Pay attention to language

Research as organizing tool

Involve full range of stakeholders

Keep broad base of community partners

Develop plan with specific accountability

For more info, see www.calvin.edu/admin/provost/ceap/


http://www.calvin.edu/admin/provost/ceap/

1) Consider the current status of your college/university: What are your recent

accomplishments to foster greater sustainability in last 1-2 years? Be specific.

What is already underway and what led to these changes?

2) Consider the key players: Who are your allies and who is encouraging the

sustainability initiative at your institution? Who are the road-blockers? Identify

their resistance and how can you use this to make change?

3) What kind of change do you want to affect at your institution? What needs to happen

NOW to move the institution to the next level. Develop a plan of action that is

specific and measurable. Identify who will do what by when. Be sure to include

accountability in your plan. How will you evaluate the success (or failure) of this

action plan?


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Gail Gunst Heffner, Clarence W. Joldersma, David … · Gail Gunst Heffner, Clarence W. Joldersma,...

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