Campus Ecology joins ESA-SEEDS program
In Spring of 2006, the Campus Ecology Club joined the SEEDS program of the Ecological Society of America. This program seeks to get students of color involved in the ecological sciences and provides support for a number of campus projects. Students in the new SEEDS-Campus Ecology Club also can apply for funding to travel to the ESA annual conference, visit long-term ecological research sites, and take special trips.
Garden
We have established a beautiful organic garden here on our Fort Lewis College campus. In this garden we have a variety of plants, vegetables, and shrubs of the Four Corners Region. By landscaping this area of campus with native plant life, we are making better use of our land and water resources. Native plants necessitate much less water usage than such ground cover as non-native Kentucky bluegrass, which has for some time covered much of our campus. The area we were granted for the garden is located directly behind the Program for Academic Advancement Building. This garden is serving as a conservation of resources, and as an educational opportunity for volunteers and classes interested in agriculture and native plant life.
We began work on the garden in the fall of 2001, when we removed sod from the area and placed compost on top of the bare ground. In the early spring of 2002 we began the planting of seeds in small pots in a grow room located in the Agriculture Department. The seeds were all bought from Native Seed Search. After a few weeks, the plants had grown extensively and were busting out of their pots, so we had a volunteer transplanting party. The seedlings were placed in larger pots which could better nourish and promote their growth.
In May of 2002 the plants were placed into the ground. Not all survived the transplanting, however many are still thriving and producing beautiful produce. We invite everyone to come out and observe, enjoy, harvest, weed, or experience our campus garden!
Xeriscaping with native plants on other areas of campus is also a current idea under research. One place in which we pushed such landscape design, is surrounding the new Student Life Center.
Student Involvement
Campus Ecology is the responsibility of the entire campus, and I foresee campus ecology being run by the entire student body. We welcome the involvement and ideas of as many students as possible. If you have any ideas or would like to be involved, let us know! Contact Jackie Kuusinen at jmkuusinen@fortlewis.edu or call the Environmental Center at (970) 247-7676.