The College has been recognized for its leadership in phragmites removal and community engagement on conservation.
Back-to-back recognition!
Niagara College is once again being celebrated as one of Canada’s top colleges for sustainability.
On September 4, World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada) recognized NC — both the Welland Campus and Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake — for the second year in a row for its outstanding commitment to sustainability, conservation and the environment.
“We’re pleased to congratulate Niagara College on meeting the WWF-Canada Living Campus requirements to earn their 2025 certification,” said Kate Landry, Senior Manager, Community Action, WWF-Canada. “Their achievements that give wildlife a home on campus, increase the college community’s connectedness to nature, and support students in becoming environmental leaders in their careers demonstrate outstanding commitment to conservation. We applaud Niagara College for their leadership.”
NC is a partner with WWF-Canada through its Living Planet @ Campus program.
“Achieving this incredible milestone with our long-standing community partner, WWF-Canada, allows Niagara College to truly showcase the impressive work being done by students and employees across our campuses to support sustainability, ecological restoration and community engagement,” said Taryn Wilkinson, NC’s Manager of Sustainability.
Managing phragmites, Ontario’s worst invasive plant species
As a local leader in sustainability, NC has taken action to combat an invasive plant species that is wreaking havoc on ecological systems and infrastructure across the province and on campus.
According to Martin Smith, the program coordinator of the Ecosystem Restoration (ER) graduate certificate program, only a few isolated patches of phragmites could be found on campus in the early 2000s. By 2024, the pesky weed had spread to cover more than seven acres of fields, ponds and lagoons, overtaking native species vital to the health of the Niagara Escarpment ecosystem.
The College is midway through a three-year process to remove phragmites from its campuses — a project which they hope will inspire collective action.
“No one organization could hope to tackle this challenge alone,” said Pam Skinner, Senior Vice-President, College Operations. “Environmental sustainability is a key strategic priority for Niagara College, and in this way, we are taking proactive measures to safeguard campus biodiversity and infrastructure, which we hope will inspire others to follow suit.”
Many groups collaborated to combat the stubborn weed: NC’s Sustainability Ambassadors, Ecosystem Restoration students and faculty, the Grounds Working Group, and Planning, Sustainability & Capital Projects.
Students have been integral to the removal of dead plant materials.
“Being part of the phragmites removal project was a really meaningful experience for me,” said student Nitisha Patel. “Seeing the impact of invasive species firsthand and getting to be part of a real solution made the work feel urgent and empowering. It wasn’t just about pulling plants; it was about protecting biodiversity and helping our campus ecosystems thrive again.”
WWF-Canada commended the project for restoring 31,000 square metres of wetlands, improving access to nesting sites for snapping and painted turtles.
Marking a decade of community engagement
For ten years and counting, NC has brought together nature lovers and citizen scientists for their BioBlitz event at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The 10th anniversary event saw record attendance with volunteers supporting an intense biological survey to catalogue campus biodiversity. More than 170 members of the college and local community logged observations of 168 species to create a baseline for researchers to monitor biodiversity over time.
The milestone Bioblitz followed the launch of NC’s Sustainability Plan, A Time for Action. Aligned with the plan, the College enhanced the event with more land-based learning opportunities to support the exchange of traditional ecological knowledge.
WWF-Canada highlighted the benefits of the annual event to participants who gain hands-on skills, learn about biodiversity, and network with each other.
WWF-Canada is committed to equitable and effective conservation actions that restore nature, reverse wildlife loss and fight climate change. We draw on scientific analysis and Indigenous guidance to ensure all our efforts connect to a single goal: a future where wildlife, nature and people thrive. For more information visit wwf.ca.
Niagara College has a full-time enrolment of more than 10,000 students from over 95 countries, who study in 130 diploma, certificate and bachelor degree programs at specialized campuses in Welland and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Niagara College is also involved in educational projects and partnerships around the world and is consistently ranked among Canada’s top 10 colleges for research funding. Learn more at niagaracollege.ca.
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2024 release: Niagara College earns WWF-Canada Living Campus Certification
Media inquiries, please contact:
Jessica Torok
Communications Consultant
Niagara College
905-932-1520
[email protected]
Ellen Jakuboski
Specialist, Communications – Public Engagement
WWF-Canada
647-264-7161
[email protected]