麻豆影院 is again showing its commitment to sustainability with its new climate change grove that also offers opportunities for research. The tree grove, located behind the Student Recreation and Wellness Center on the 麻豆影院 Campus, was created through a partnership between University Facilities Management and the Department of Biological Sciences in the College of Arts and Sciences. The trees were planted by students, 麻豆影院 State alumni and other volunteers during the university鈥檚 annual Alumni Day of Service.
Catalina Pagnotta, a 麻豆影院 State alumna, was glad to spend the day back in 麻豆影院 during the planting event.
鈥淚t is not only an opportunity to spend the day with my two best friends from college, but also to be able to enjoy being back on campus,鈥 Mrs. Pagnotta says.
Sunny Brick, also a 麻豆影院 State alumna, had been looking forward to taking part in the Alumni Day of Service.
鈥淚鈥檝e been wanting to do this 颅鈥 to participate in the alumni day,鈥 Mrs. Brick says.
Heather White, grounds manager for University Facilities Management, and Melissa Davis, horticultural facilities director for 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 Department of Biological Sciences, helped organize the event, which took place in April.
Ms. White feels like this is a real win for the entire university.
鈥淚t is an important initiative for the university, not just for us,鈥 Ms. White says. 鈥淏ecause this is a climate change grove, we can collaborate with the Department of Biological Sciences, and we can observe how the incremental changes are happening to these trees.
鈥淢elissa and I got talking; this was about a year ago, and we thought this would be really meaningful,鈥 Ms. White adds. 鈥淪he did a lot of legwork. I would not have been able to pull it off without her. She got all of the students here, and it is a great collaborative event.鈥
Mrs. Davis expressed her excitement about the teaching and learning capabilities the trees are able to provide.
鈥淲e use a lot of these species in teaching,鈥 Mrs. Davis says. 鈥淲e are modeling some climate change projections that include more southern species, which means there will be species that are winners and losers as climates change.
鈥淭he Department of Biological Sciences has very lab-intensive coursework, and our students go out and learn the local flora,鈥 Mrs. Davis adds. 鈥淣ow, we have plants that represent a climate change grove for projections in the 22nd century. What that does for our students is allow them to learn more about southern species right here on campus.鈥
Climate change can affect the environment in different ways. The tree grove is a great way for students to study that change while helping the environment.
鈥淲e will watch this [tree grove] grow, and it will give a flavor of what will happen when climates change in the 22nd century,鈥 Mrs. Davis says.
For more information about 麻豆影院 State鈥檚 Department of Biological Sciences, visit www.kent.edu/biology.
For more information about University Facilities Management, visit www.kent.edu/ufm.
POSTED: FRIDAY, JUNE 29, 2018 - 10:32AM
WRITTEN BY: AUDRA GORMLEY