Biodiversity at Niagara College
As of September 2023, Niagara College has identified over 900 species across the Welland and Niagara-on-the-lake campuses! To aide in biodiversity efforts, Niagara College hosts an annual Niagara College Bioblitz. This is an event that is open to the community, for participants to come onto campus and identify species alongside local experts.
Environmental Monitoring
Through work integrated learning opportunities, the Daniel J Patterson campus in Niagara-on-the-lake plays host to many environmental monitoring opportunities that students across schools are able to participate in, whether its in class, or volunteering opportunity!
One of the environmental monitoring opportunities is the Turtle Monitoring & Nest Protection. Two ecologically significant species at the Daniel J Patterson Niagara-on-the-Lake campus wetlands are the snapping turtle and the painted turtle. In correlation with protection efforts, these species of concern are monitored regularly during laying and hatching seasons.
The wetlands at the Daniel J Patterson campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake are ideal locations for turtle hibernation, nesting, and more. Complete with sandy beach areas, the wetlands offer ideal nesting locations for both snapping and painted turtles during the spring and fall months. At the Office of Sustainability, we complete turtle monitoring and nest protection regularly to protect both types of turtles that we have on campus.
Protecting turtle nests from predators is completed using secured turtle nesting cages made of wood and chicken wire.
Turtle monitoring is completed daily in the late spring and the early fall in correspondence with turtle nesting and hatching periods. Turtle monitoring is completed in accordance with the Niagara College Turtle Monitoring Protocols.
Nature Positive Universities Pledge
In March of 2023, Niagara College signed the Nature Positive Pledge, committing to creating a baseline of biodiversity across all campuses, followed by targets and actions related to increasing biodiversity.
A baseline for an on-campus biodiversity inventory was established, with updates occurring through the Office of Sustainability’s iNaturalist page.
A target was set in the 2023 Sustainability Action Plan, aligning Niagara College’s on-campus restoration goals with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework signed in December of 2022 at COP 15. This goal specifies restoration of 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030.
Action on these targets began in the spring and summer of 2022, with an invasive species management plan, piloted at the Daniel J Patterson campus in Niagara-on-the-lake. Working with Ecosystem Restoration students, the location and prevalence of Phragmites australis, an invasive grass was mapped and students presented on different management strategies based on the location removal was taking place on campus.
Take a look at some of the species spotted on campus!
There are many areas at Niagara College that are specifically designed to aide in biodiversity. Some of these areas are a part of our Campus Garden Network. These gardens feature native pollinator plants to help pollinators, and to help restore some of the wetlands back to native species.
BIODIVERSITY KITS – Interested in checking out biodiversity for yourself? The Niagara College Libraries have Biodiversity kits that are available for staff and students to borrow!
Featuring:
- Clipboard
- Binoculars
- Hand Sanitzier
- Pen x 2
- Pencil x 2
- Specimen container x 4
- Binoculars
- Tick Key
- First Aid Kit
- Flashlight
Niagara College’s Daniel J Patterson campus in Niagara-on-the-lake has received a Certificate of Achievement in Environmental Planning from the Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP).