Suggested Changes
Posted February 18th, 2007 by admin
We need to remember that SLU owns land that is not contiguous with the SLU Campus. Perhaps this should be acknowledged in the overview.
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misc comments
1. can the ESL be made more "visible" to the community or can scaled-down demos be done on/next to campus to students/others frequently see/think about these good efforts to be sustainable? eg. can something like this be integrated with ISEI efforts adjacen to campus?
2. can we please have less manicured grass plots/fields on/near campus? One example could be to allow at least tall grass (if not full succession) to occur in the field around the new building storm water "wetland" next to FO and the Little River. This would enhance its value to wildlife and could be used for courses, seen by fac/staff and visitors.
3 . Can SLU publish any remaining land holdings that might be used for curricular needs or to at least demo responsible management practices? I just found out that SLU owned and sold a number of acres along the W branch of the St Regis River, which could have been used in this way. Perhaps there are others? (or perhaps we're not meant to know so they can liqudate for $$??)
campus landscaping
I went to a conference at Bard a few years ago and enjoyed their beautiful perennial flower beds all over campus. As a gardener I've always been offended by the "industrial gardening" method used here, with squads of mums packed in the ground in rows in the fall, and ripped out again before the next batch of hothouse flowers gets packed in. It would be a good research project to find out whether maintaining healthy perennial beds on campus is feasible. We could also think about planting as many native perennials and shrubs as possible, which would be educational, too.
"Primitive uses" & Land management planning
Andrea Freeman ' 91
I suggest replacing "primitive use" with something more descriptive--this word tends to be jargon mainly among wilderness advocates but virtually meaningless the broader population. What exactly do we mean by it? No motorized vehicles? No moutainbiking? Camping ? Fires? Dogs? On or off leash? There are a zillion questions and issues when it comes to land management, so maybe instead of trying to articulate it here, the best bet would be to recommend that SLU undergo management planning processes for its undeveloped properties/areas. If folks are interested, I'm happy to share examples of management plans conducted by the conservation nonprofit I work for. A management planning process could be a good project for a student/class and a good way to involve town residents who arent otherwise connected to SLU.
land
This section sounds great- I think the herb/pesticide use on campus is of particular concern.
land stufff
I'm not sure that I'm correct, but I think SLU is a major landholder in SLC. It would behoove the university to review all land holdings and make decisions about how each should be used and should benefit the university. Ultimately, it might be worthwhile for SLU to work with an organizaiton like the St. Lawrence Land Trust to put protective easements on properties that meet certain qualifications.
Land trust
Great idea, to work with the SLC Land Trust. I'll let this stew for a bit and see what others have to say. If there is support I can contact Richard Grover and ask him to put a proposal together.
Land trust
Andrea Freeman ' 91
It would be good to know just how much land SLU currently owns, its land type (forested/grass, upland/lowland) and locations. Can a map of campus be shared? And Camp Canaras in Saranac Lake? Any other properties? Depending on the size and location, conservation easements could indeed be a good idea to prevent Larryland Sprawl. Keep in mind, however, that a CE is in PERPETUITY--meaning that if in 5 or 50 yrs, if SLU needs a new building, playing field, or a hey, light-rail station, a CE would likely prohibit that. A CE can be written to allow for sustainable forestry, agriculture, and trails, and sometimes a building envelope, but it must be in the CE at the time it's granted. Another thing to consider...donating a CE to a land trust is not cost-free. SLU would need to pay for appraisals, legal expertise, and a stewardship endowment to the land trust that agrees to accept responsibility for enforcing the terms of CE in perpetuity. If a land trust says, "Oh,we don't require an endowment for CEs," then don't work with that land trust because they wont be around in 10, much less 100 years.
land use
Tying back to Brad's comments about land availability and knowing what SLU land holdings are, I think it would be useful to see a map of SLU owned properties in SLC as well as NNY. Some of these may have educational value, and others might be good for use in the "coming home" project, but it would be good if the environment was being given adequate consideration in determining how those properties are used.
Also, in reply to Anne C., I'd like to see a campus arboretum project. Brad's invasive species class mapped all the exotic trees on campus, and perhaps the natives as well. We used to have, until quite recently, two of the largest remaining american chestnut trees in the NE here on campus, though both are now gone. Would they be gone if we were managing the campus "forest" in some cohesive way?