Niagara College continues to lead the way in sustainability, earning the Living Campus Certification from World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada) for a third consecutive year and reinforcing its commitment to creating a more sustainable future.
On October 16, WWF-Canada announced the top post-secondary institutions achieving Living Campus Certification, with NC among them. The certification recognizes outstanding commitment to sustainability, conservation, and the environment.
“It’s an honour to support ambitious post-secondary schools in meeting their organizational goals for sustainability and student engagement — and, at the same time, advance our shared objectives to help support wildlife and restore habitats in communities across Canada,” said Elizabeth Hendriks, V-P, Restoration and Regeneration at WWF-Canada. “With our Living Campus certification, we celebrate the passionate staff, faculty and students who spearhead these efforts, and aim to inspire post-secondary institutions nationwide to invest in nature.”
NC is a partner with WWF-Canada through its Living Planet @ Campus program.
“We enjoy our partnership with WWF-Canada and their continued support and recognition of the multi-year projects Niagara College undertakes to support conservation,” said NC’s Katie Bristow, Sustainability Program & Outreach Coordinator.
Inspiring collective action of phragmites management
Ontario’s worst invasive plant species, phragmites, is no match for NC.
Committed to sustainability as a local leader, NC is tackling this invasive plant, which threatens ecosystems and infrastructure across the province, including on campus.
On Sept. 23, NC welcomed Minister Harris to the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake where the Province of Ontario announced a $5 million investment to combat invasive phragmites. The funding will support local efforts, including NC’s conservation projects, which involve students.
“Removing phragmites on campus was a fulfilling experience,” said Nichita Gongescu, Environmental Technician student. “Helping combat the spread of an invasive species was a great opportunity to act on an environmental threat and protect biodiversity in our local area.”
WWF-Canada commended the project for restoring the campus wetlands and improving access to nesting sites for snapping and painted turtles.
Community engagement through Bioblitz, student learning
Niagara College’s campuses are living laboratories where students, researchers and industry partners can contribute to solutions for environmental challenges. Each year, nature enthusiasts from the broader Niagara community are invited to take part in Bioblitz at the Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
For more than a decade, community members have joined to identify plants and animal species and become more engaged with the natural environment and NC’s conservation efforts.
WWF-Canada acknowledged the impact of NC’s Bioblitz on participants who gain hands-on skills, learn about biodiversity, and network with one another.
