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Project Updates for collection: Monarch Butterfly projects

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  2. Monarch seeds or plugs

    Associated Project(s): 
    Increase Pollinator-Friendly Areas
    Bee Campus USA

    Jen and Morgan asked Brent Lewis about the use of plugs instead of seeds. They also want to explore partnering with schools and community groups to collect seed from local sources and that The Urbana Free Library has a seed library, in which we could help encourage participation.  Also, Jen would like to engage University Primary School, which is adjacent to the prairie where students found a lot of milkweed. One of their lessons is about monarchs. Milkweed pods are easy to harvest in the fall.

    Brent responded with the following message:

    Hi Jennifer,

    If we are doing butterfly weed on the main part of campus, then I want to use plugs.  For this recommendation, we’ve shifted to enhancing the low mow areas.  In that case, we are talking about a huge amount of space.  Due to the easy nature of growing these from seed and the large impact we are looking for, having them broadcast seed through these zones is the most effective way of accomplishing this. 

    We will make sure to get some out at the school there too.  That’s a great suggestion.

    Thanks,

    Brent.

  3. Outreach for Bee Campus advisory board members

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bee Campus USA

    Good afternoon! I’m Sinead Soltis, one of the sustainability interns at Facilities and Services. In representing my team at F&S, I am planning on getting a committee together to once again to advise our campus’ Bee Campus affiliation. Our campus has previously held this designation in 2018 & 2019, but the committee has since dissolved. As a committee, we will weigh in on all things pollinator related, in addition to having a space for students to share their volunteer efforts regarding bees with faculty/staff (& vice versa)! I can see this being a low-commitment group, as we will likely be sharing efforts already being made across the Champaign-Urbana area.

     

    With that being said, I wanted to gauge interest for joining as a member. Meetings will likely be held monthly, or bi-monthly, as needed. I am aware that some of you have previously been members of this committee, or at a minimum, listed as a member. I would appreciate members who have previously sat to join us, at least for the first few meetings. Also, feel free to forward this invitation to anyone you would feel would benefit from sitting on this committee!

     

    If you are interested in joining the committee, please respond to me when you can. A tentative meeting is planned for some time in April, although an exact date has not yet been chosen.

     

    Bee Campus USA website, for more information: https://beecityusa.org/bee-campus-usa-commitments/

     

    Thanks in advance,  

    Sinead Soltis  

  4. Update from Brent regarding milkweed recommendation

    Associated Project(s): 
    Increase Pollinator-Friendly Areas
    Bee Campus USA

    Jen asked Brent on March 1 about the status of LW004 Monarchs Need Milkweed and ALUFS006 Increased Agroforestry. Brent responded on March 1 with the following message:

    Hi Jennifer,

    On this one, Morgan has our response.  We want to do the work with F&S Grounds, but would like to have the SSC pay for seeds.  I think I have a cost of $2200, which would allow for us to seed a fairly large amount of the low mow spaces on campus.  F&S wouldn’t charge for our time as we would be broadcasting, which isn’t difficult.  The benefit of having us do the seeding is that we would know where it was.  We would also focus on the higher visibility areas to greatest impact.

    If we can get funding soon, we can get the seeds ordered for this year. 

    Thanks!

  5. iSEE Quarterly update for Winter 2022

    Associated Project(s): 
    Report on Progress
    iSEE Campus as a Living Lab (CALL) Projects
    iSEE Congress
    Environmental Leadership Program (ELP)
    Certificate in Environmental Writing (CEW) [ARCHIVED]
    Grind2Energy
    Fighting Illini, Fighting Waste
    Illini Lights Out
    Achieve Zero Waste
    Certified Greener Campus Programs
    Bee Campus USA

    Greetings, Colleagues,

     

    I hope the start of 2023 is going well. I’m reaching out today to send you iSEE Quarterly update for Winter 2022 from the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment.

     

    For more up-to-date news from iSEE, please sign up for our E-newsletter at https://illinois.edu/fb/sec/5031776.

     

    IN RESEARCH

     

     IN EDUCATION & OUTREACH

    • Registration is open for iSEE Congress 2023 — “Addressing Crises of a Planetary Scale: Lessons from Pandemics and Climate Change.”
    • The Fall 2023 Critical Conversation is expected to bring together stakeholders to discuss climate-smart commodities.
    • iSEE’s Environmental Leadership Program for Spring 2023 is already more than past the midway point; check out our student blog for some perspective on the immersive learning experience.
    • Read a Certificate in Environmental Writing (CEW) success story in former Q author and CEW recipient Zack Fishman.

     

    IN CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY

    • Our Grind2Energy video explored how dining hall food waste produces energy and fertilizer; its release spurred coverage by The News-Gazette and WCIA-TV.
    • iSEE’s new, more comprehensive Student Action webpage offers listings for iSEE jobs, volunteering, and student organizations to join.
    • Illini Lights Out fall semester featured RECORD totals: more than 640 volunteers turned off 20,303 bulbs, saving the campus as much as 35,000 kWH, $3,090, and nearly 25 tons of GHG. Spring dates: Jan. 27 (130+ volunteers, 5,043 bulbs, 8,700 kWH, $760, 6.2 tons of GHG), Feb. 10 and 24, March 24, and April 21.
    • At the November Zero Waste basketball game (see video) more than 280 pounds of beverage containers and other recyclables were diverted from the landfill. The next Zero Waste basketball game March 2 seeks 100 volunteers. iSEE partnering with F&S, Housing, Athletics, and Union for a #don’twasteWednesdays twitter campaign all spring. FALL PLAN: a ZW football tailgate.
    • A new Waste Transfer Station video shows the great work by Facilities & Services — but also the need for all campus community members to pre-sort their recyclables to prevent them from becoming landfill waste.
    • Greener Campus certifications in the new year: One new office (Visit Champaign County!), one new chapter (Sigma Lambda Gamma sorority), and nine new events (including Illini Lights Out) certified in January.
    • Read our article about the sustainable features of Campus Recreation and our feature about the new beekeeping club on campus.

     

    Thanks for reading, and best wishes for the remainder of the spring semester!

     

    Best,

    Madhu Khanna

     

     

    Madhu Khanna

    Pronouns: she, her

    Alvin H. Baum Family Chair & Director, Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Environment

    ACES Distinguished Professor in Environmental Economics

    Co-Director, Center for Economics of Sustainability

    University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

    1301, W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801

     

     

     

  6. Land & Water iCAP Meeting 2/17

    Associated Project(s): 
    Land and Water iCAP Team
    Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP)
    Water Audit / Inventory
    Monitor Soil Health
    Cover Crops on South Farms

    On February 17th, the Land & Water iCAP team met to discuss the details of a permeable pavers recommendation. The team then split off into breakout rooms to organize future soil and water committee initiatives. 

    Meeting minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 

  8. Zoom In on the Main Quad

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP)

    An article on the Facilities and Services Insider highlighted the recommendations that the Campus Landscape Master Plan has for the Main Quad. The recommendations included enhancing Main Quad courtyards, turf restoration, Illini Union an Anniversary Plaza restoration, and Centennial Court restoration, all while also [reserving the integrity of these spaces. 

    Attached Files: 

  10. Land & Water iCAP Meeting 12/13/2022

    Associated Project(s): 
    Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
    Cover Crops on South Farms
    Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP)
    Water Conservation [ARCHIVED]
    Obtain and Publicize Water Data
    Land and Water iCAP Team

    On December 13th, the Land & Water iCAP team met to discuss a new approach to crafting recommendations for next semester; including the creation of a land subcommittee and a water subcommittee.

    Meeting minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 

  11. Pollinator Signage Final Report

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bee Campus USA
    Student Sustainability Committee (SSC)

    Several students apart of the Sustainability Living-Learning Community attended the 2017 AASHE Student Summit and participated in a Bee Campus USA workshop. These students decided that the University should obtain Bee Campus USA Certification for UIUC. Displaying signage focused on pollinator conservation was one of the requirements for this certification. Four signs were installed, and since their installment UIUC is a part of Bee Campus USA.

    Attached is the full report.

     

    Attached Files: 

  12. Land & Water iCAP Meeting 11/7/2022

    Associated Project(s): 
    Land and Water iCAP Team
    Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP)
    Vet Med Parking Lot Re-Design
    Rainwater Management
    Increase Pollinator-Friendly Areas

    On November 7th, the Land and Water iCAP team met to review the results of the Milkweed survey, make final edits to the Monarch Butterfly recommendation, and discuss new recommendations inspired by the Campus Landscape Master Plan.

    Meeting minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 

  14. Information on moving bees around for commercial agriculture

    Associated Project(s): 
    Bee Campus USA

    Information about how commercial bee keeping functions and its impact to overall bee populations was inquired about by Brent Lewis, Landscape Architect. Below is the response from Adam Donzel, an Assistant Professor in Entomology. 

    'Hi Brent,

     

    Yeah, there is work on that.  Here are links to couple studies about it:

     

    https://www.nature.com/articles/srep32023

    https://academic.oup.com/jinsectscience/article/22/1/17/6523145

     

    Basically, yes, there are some stresses involved with migratory beekeeping but sedentary colonies can also have similar issues. In some scenarios, migratory colonies could be healthier as they are moved to areas with good nutritional resources all the time, while those left in place have to deal with times of low food availability. In reality, though, migratory colonies do undergo a lot of stress as they are used to pollinate crops and a lot goes into that - the stress of confinement, heat, exposure to agrochemicals, etc. From a beekeeping perspective, this is calculated into the fees charged for pollination (to some extent at least). Right now, beekeepers charge about $200/hive to pollinate almonds for example (the most lucrative pollination event). Big beekeepers manage 20,000-50,000 hives!  "Small" commercial beekeepers usually have 2-5000.

     

    Migratory beekeeping uses about 85% of the managed colonies in the USA (incredible!). One big issue with this is that, if a new pest or pathogen is introduced, it will be spread throughout the country very fast. And in big pollination events, like almonds, hives are concentrated at very high densities, which does present a lot of opportunities for spreading diseases. They do mitigate this to some extent, however, as there are health checks required to move bees across state lines, and almond growers usually require checks of colonies to make sure they are healthy.

     

    Hope this helps - always happy to answer questions when I can!"

     

     

  15. MASSMAIL Inaugural Campus Landscape Master Plan 10/6/22

    Associated Project(s): 
    Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP)

    The follow is a MassMail sent by Dr. Ehab Kamarah.

    MASSMAIL - Inaugural Campus Landscape Master Plan
    October 6, 2022 2:59 PM

    The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign landscape contributes powerfully to the character of the campus and its excellence as a land grant institution with global impact. Through thoughtful planning and design guidance, the first-ever Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP) ensures our treasured landscape will thrive for many years.

    The CLMP will shape the vision of a future outdoor environment that will protect natural heritage, strengthen ecosystems, enhance shared experiences and learning opportunities, and provide a welcoming experience for students, faculty, staff, alums, community members, and guests.

    An executive summary of the CLMP and a video of the plan's concepts and designs are available on the Facilities & Services website. We strongly encourage you to share these items with others to help them know about this inaugural effort. The plan builds on concepts developed in the Campus Master Plan and Resilient Landscape Strategy and implements sustainability objectives established in the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) to meet the Climate Leadership Commitments, including being carbon neutral as soon as possible and building resilience to climate change in our community.

    Thank you to all contributors who helped develop the CLMP: core committee members, unit stakeholders, and the many individuals who guided us and provided feedback during the various input sessions and public forum. We also want to thank the plan consultants, Design Workshop and their project team, for their hard work and dedication throughout the process.

    As you read the CLMP and view the district recommendations, please remember the plan will be a living document that immediately serves as a foundation to help guide the projects and initiatives that will shape the future of our campus. Ongoing collaborations and partnerships are critical to preserving, maintaining, and improving our campus landscape moving forward. If you have suggestions or questions, please contact University Landscape Architect Brent Lewis bcl@illinois.edu.

    We are excited to begin incorporating the CLMP strategies into ongoing work and turn these ideas into reality.

    Sincerely,


    Dr. Ehab Kamarah
    Associate Vice Chancellor and Executive Director, Facilities & Services

  16. Land and Water iCAP Meeting 10/4/2022

    Associated Project(s): 
    Land and Water iCAP Team
    Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP)
    Cover Crops on South Farms
    Let It Flow
    Benefits of a Large-Scale Prairie Experiment

    On October 4th, the Land and Water iCAP team met to make final edits on the Campus Sustainability Celebration slides, review the Campus Landscape Master Plan, and discuss regenerative agriculture research on the South Farms.

    Meeting minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 

  17. L&W iCAP Meeting 9/16/2022

    Associated Project(s): 
    Land and Water iCAP Team
    Campus Landscape Master Plan (CLMP)
    Cover Crops on South Farms
    Vet Med Parking Lot Re-Design
    Increase Pollinator-Friendly Areas

    On September 16th, the Land & Water iCAP team met to identify projects that need to be wrapped up, review the key priorities document, and discuss recommendations to be completed in the short term.

    Meeting minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 

  19. Herbicide Application @ Orchard Downs Update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Meadow at Orchard Downs

    From: Jaquet, Izabelle Sarah
    Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 2021 9:53 AM
    To: Lewis, Brent C; White, Morgan
    Cc: Ward, Michael Patrick; Brunk, Lauren
    Subject: FTGU Herbicide Update

    Hello All,


    I sent an email regarding From The Ground Up's Orchard Down Plot restoration in May and don't believe I received explicit approval for the plan, so I did not initiate further action. Now that the fall semester is upon us, I would like to ask if it's still possible to apply herbicide to the whole plot?


    Thank you so much,
    Izabelle
    --
    Izabelle Jaquet (she/her)
    Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science & Agriculture and Consumer Economics
    University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign| December 2022

  20. Spring 2022: iSEE Quarterly Update (iQ)

    Associated Project(s): 
    Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE)
    iSEE funding for Campus as a Living Lab (CALL)
    Certificate in Environmental Writing (CEW) [ARCHIVED]
    iCAP 2020: Illinois Climate Action Plan
    Freezer Challenge
    Sierra Club surveys [ARCHIVED]
    Solar Farm 2.0
    Certified Greener Campus Programs

    The Spring 2022 iSEE Quarterly Update (iQ) was released with the following message from Madhu Khanna, the Interim Director of iSEE:

     

    Greetings Colleagues,

     

    Attached, please find the Spring 2022 edition of iQ, our quarterly update. You will see that in this six-page pdf recapping the recent semester, we had plenty of news and updates from our research, education, events, and campus sustainability fronts.

     

    But the work did not end there! Since the semester ended, we have had two other exciting announcements:

     

    • The U of I campus was rewarded with the only USDA NIFA “Farm of the Future” grant. Our I-FARM project will be an 80-acre testbed for merging technology, sensing, and agronomy into a farm setting with crops and livestock that will be productive and profitable. Read our June 1 news release >>>
    • In addition, for the fifth consecutive time, our campus reached Gold-level status in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) run by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). New solar and geothermal energy projects, a reduction in water use, and wide-ranging sustainability research helped us reach this level yet again. Read the May 25 news release >>>

     

    For more up-to-date news from iSEE, please sign up for our E-newsletter at https://illinois.edu/fb/sec/5031776.

      

    Best wishes for a healthy and productive summer,

     

    Madhu

     

    Attached Files: 

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