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Grounds will be mowing the low mow zones throughout Orchard Downs and Vet Med tomorrow into early next week. This is necessary to control the noxious weeds and tree saplings that are invading these areas. We will most likely mow off the low mows around Dorner Pond, Water Survey and areas along S. Fourth Street as well.
Attached are the meeting minutes from the iWG meeting that was held on April 9th, 2018.
The campus recognizes that we need to support the pollinator population on campus. Potential solutions include creating "Pollinator Pockets" in strategic locations throughout the campus grounds, and encouraging the use of native plants in appropriate landscape locations.
The F&S Landscape Architect is working with campus stakeholders and subject matter experts to develop sustainable landscape solutions that support pollinator populations.
Helen Coleman and Evan De Lucia approved $5,000 of funding from the Carbon Credit Sales Fund for Legal Counsel for Solar Farm 2.0 Request for Proposal (RFP).
An email of approval is attached below.
As a new student organization on campus, the Beekeeping Club will install and maintain two new bee hives located at the Sustainable Student Farm (SSF). Any honey produced will get sold at the SSF weekly stand on campus. Students will learn beekeeping skills as well as an appreciation for honey production. In addition, having the bees located at SSF will increase crop output, bettering local food production. The allocated funding will go towards the bee hive installation as well as the bees.
This proposal directly funds:
This student-led project provides awareness about pollinators around the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign campus. Students will design and install signage inside and outside of campus buildings, giving facts about native plants and pollinators. This signage will be approved by the University Board as well as Facilities & Services. This project contributes to the campus goal of becoming Bee Campus USA certified and meets Illinois Climate Action Plan objectives. Students will learn more about pollinators and pollinator efforts on campus. The allocated funding will go towards the signage costs.
This proposal directly funds:
Attached are the meeting minutes from the iWG meeting that was held on March 14th, 2018.
Sustainability staff asked Lesley Deem at the Pollinatarium if the proposed pollinator pockets should be within a specific distance of each other, such as every half mile. Ms. Deem replied, “I think if we put them in the best spots available there will be enough coverage. For example, honey bees can fly for a few miles to find food. They use up less of their energy if it is closer but they should be able to find it even it is a mile or two away.”
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The formal site selection committee was formed today to finalize a location for the potential second solar farm.
F&S Interim Executive Director Helen Coleman charged the Solar Farm 2.0 Ad Hoc Advisory Committee today to assist with an evaluation of the opportunity by soliciting proposals for a second solar farm. See attached letter.
The Lincoln Avenue Residence Hall Sustainability Living Learning Community Intern, Rachel Daughtridge, called a team meeting with various stakeholders to discuss the process for becoming an official Bee Campus USA.
The iCAP Working Group (iWG) met on October 27th, 2017, to discuss and start the assessment of the SWATeam recommendation EGen007 Solar Farm 2.0. The iWG's final recommendation was:
"The iWG agrees that this is the most cost-effective method for meeting the iCAP objective of 25,000 MWh/year of on-campus solar generation by FY25. To meet that goal, the Solar Farm 2.0 project needs to begin soon, under F&S direction."
See attached the iWG assessment complete with official comments from all the iWG members.
Chancellor Jones approved moving forward with soliciting proposals for Solar Farm 2.0, at the Sustainability Council meeting yesterday. F&S will now start working on an RFP process to consider building another 50 acres of solar PVs on south farms.
The SWATeam recommendation, eGen007 Solar Farm 2.0, was transmitted to the Sustainability Council and was presented during their meeting on December 7, 2017.
For future updates, please refer to Solar Farm 2.0.
See iWG assessment of EGen007 Solar Farm 2.0 here.
The Sustainability Council meeting agenda is attached. The key topic is the proposal for a second solar farm.
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