I'm doing some work with the USFWS on an urban pollinator habitat project and have a couple questions I'm hoping F&S can help me with (or send me in the right direction.)

1. Do we have an accurate map or GIS layer of current UIUC landholdings (including properties connected to the south farms, etc). I've been able to locate some very low-quality, generalized maps but nothing that is either current or very detailed.
2. Is there a way for me to find out where on campus there will be construction/renovation projects that will occur in the next 2-3 years?

Thanks,

BRODIE DUNN

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Beth, are you able to assist with item 1 in the below email from Brodie regarding obtaining a map or GIS file of UIUC properties?

Morgan, are you able to assist with item 2 in the below email from Brodie regarding upcoming capital projects?

Thanks,

James Scherer

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Helo Brodie,

I’m connecting you with the University Landscape Architect, Brent Lewis.  He can assist with your inquiry about upcoming construction projects, and it is important to include him in any plans you want to pursue regarding additional plantings on university land.

Thanks,

Morgan

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Morgan and Brent,

Rest assured I haven't made any promises regarding plantings on campus (and would reach out to you both before doing so.) 

The primary program partner is the City of Champaign, which I am currently in discussions with. If the project does go through, it'll target underserved neighborhoods with pollinator conservation measures meant to protect/conserve the Rusty Patch Bumble Bee, an endangered species. It is a great opportunity and beside doing the coordination for the project with municipal partners, i'm doing my best to ensure we've got the option to physically participate in the program even if the lands we might have available are outside the model's ideal range.

Brent - If we have any construction projects happening in the next two years that include major changes in landscaping, especially on the north side of campus, it would be good to hear about those. Participating in the program might end up being as simple as swapping out a few species on the planting list and doing so might give us the opportunity to be a part of a very innovative Endangered Species recovery plan.

Thanks,

BRODIE DUNN

Please see the attached link to read the F&S newsletter.

Hello Everyone,

As you may have read in last night’s email, you made a huge impact and helped UIUC on its way to the 2023 “Winning Streak Award” very nice work, thank you for all you do!

As a benefit the winners will be highlighted in a digital Lab Manager article which will come out in November.

Thursday Sept. 21st at 2pm we are recognizing the top performing labs from UIUC and taking a group photo in front of Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) at 2pm sharp.

Dr. Melanie Loots, Chief of Staff, Senior Executive Associate Vice Chancellor for Research & Innovation will be handing out these awards.

You are all encouraged to join us and cheer on your fellow researchers as they receive their awards and join in the photo.

Thank you 

Paul Foote

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Hi everyone,

The radar shows rain has stopped for the majority of the work day, with some showers popping up randomly.

If rain is present after 130 we will move 2 buildings to the west inside the Stock Pavilion for this event.

If NOT raining meet outside IBRL 1300 west Pennsylvania Ave. Urbana

If rain is imminent meet at Stock Pavilion 1402 west Pennsylvania Ave. Urbana

See you all there!

Best

Paul Foote

Hello Everyone,

I am rushing to put together the mass-mail announcement for the campus research community, as My Green Labs re-finalized our results last night. This will go out by the end of this week.  

It will include action item totals, recognition and a couple of new achievements reached by UIUC.

Everyone on this email has earned an award this year, we will be awarding the top 14 performing labs.

Sorry the celebration date is so close, we need to send the photo to the My Green Labs and the Lab Manager Journal by Sept. 29th  in order make the deadline.

Thank you 

Paul Foote

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Thanks to everyone that has already responded!

If you have not yet had the chance, Please do so by Friday the 15th?

So far we are looking at 2pm Thursday afternoon, I hope all can make it!

Best

Paul Foote

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Hello Everyone,

The most popular date and time is Thursday the 21st at 2 pm, we will be in front of IBRL (1300 W Pennsylvania Ave, Urbana, IL 61801)

IBRL-Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory

See you all then!

P.S. I am still tabulating the results, the mass email will go out to the research community Monday evening.

Best

Paul Foote

Dear Paul, 

We here at My Green Lab thank you very much for your patience while the submissions for the 2023 Freezer Challenge were reviewed over the past number of weeks. You’re receiving this email because you were a site coordinator for the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign  this year. Thank you for encouraging labs to participate in the Freezer Challenge this year! You and your lab(s) are a part of over 1,900 labs from 170 different institutions, across 27 countries which participated this year, a new record! The combined efforts of the scientists and labs participating in the 2023 Freezer Challenge saved an estimated 20.6 million kWh over the past year, which is the equivalent of avoiding an estimated 14,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. 

66 scoresheets were submitted from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, representing a total of 94 labs, the combined actions of which saved an estimated 1293.5 kWh/day! Great job, and well done! Please see the attached Excel document for details of all the actions taken by labs at your organization this year, with each row being a different scoresheet submitted back to us. Total raw points for actions and kwh/day saved are on the far right. *Please note that all lab points of contact received a separate email from programs@mygreenlab.org in the past 24 hours informing them of their lab’s estimated energy savings too. 

The winners of the 2023 Freezer Challenge will be announced by mid-August via My Green Lab and I2SL newsletters and our social media channels, so stay tuned for that announcement! 

Thank you for engaging labs at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign to implement cold storage best practices through the Freezer Challenge! We hope you’ll encourage your organization to participate in the 2024 Freezer Challenge next year. 

Sincerely,  

My Green Lab & the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL)

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We have officially surpassed the highest number of labs participating and reached our highest avoided energy reduction at over $54k avoided annually at the current kWh rate.

We also have a lab receiving an award for the best lab in their category. See next email forward.

Best

Paul

The following is an email sent by John Marlin on May 16, 2023:

As most of you know I am retired from campus and involved in other off campus conservation activities. I will no longer be overseeing the Burrill Hall native planting.

During the pandemic, maintenance at campus native plantings by volunteers was not allowed.  This coupled with very dry conditions caused deterioration of several sites including the one at Burrill Hall. F&S bought the woodland wildflowers for the planting and the Entomology Department installed them and provided some maintenance in conjunction with some students.

Department head May Berenbaum has put together an effort to revitalize the planting and has some limited funding for some maintenance of the native plants.  F&S plans to make some changes in part of the area and the path is to be restored.  Daniel Bush will initially work with the native plants and supervise any students. 

In the past weeds removed from the site were placed by the two square concrete benches and I notified Ryan Welch who had the maintenance crew remove them.  I assume a similar arrangement can be made possibly with Mr. Dalby as the contact.

This site was quite popular with people walking past and provided a good instructional resource, especially the area near the sidewalk.  I hope that this will continue.

John C. Marlin

Dennis Dalby replied:

Thank you John,

It was nice meeting you today to gain some of your tips and input regarding the planting and upkeep of this area.  I’ve been working with Ryan Welch and SIB to get this area brought back up to its current level and look forward to its improved upkeep with the discussions that we had today.  We’ll be working with Ryan to have a wood chip path added once again and will add a few small plants of our own within the areas that we (MCB) will maintain.  SIB will maintain the areas of the native plants.  It will look and function much better once all is in place.

Thanks again for stopping by to share your experience,

Dennis

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