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All six of the Central Piedmont Community Colleges (NC) campuses were certified this March 2009 as spaces with Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Widlife Federation. While the National Wildlife Federation has certified thousands of locales, this is the first time any school has gotten all of its campuses in the club.
With loud, raucous co-eds tromping all over campus, how exactly is that calming and inviting for wildlife? Initially it might not be, but some college campuses have sprawling acreage with minimal development and this perfect to create safe space. According to the National Wildlife Federation, for a campus to qualify (and not just a college campus) a facility or area must meet four criteria: offer food, water, cover and places to raise young.
Central Piedmont Community College (CPCC) gave each campus $2,000 to help create and maintain wildlife habitat. Students, staff and faculty at each campus were involved in each step of the process from design to installation to maintenance. Landscape design instructor Randy Sigg, from the Cato Campus, actually designed each of the habitats and students in the Horticulture Program ensured that native species were used so that indigenous wildlife would be attracted to the site. The projects gave students a chance to actually apply what they are learning in class and see what is inviting to wildlife out in nature.
Creating wildlife habitat on campus also means increasing greenspace, which no only cools off a campus, but also tends to add other valuable attributes like offering space for students to relax as well as quiet the campus down. CPCC plans to continue building on the native habitat by adding outdoor classrooms and fountains at each campus. They are also hoping the wildlife areas will create further opportunities for learning and that students and staff will take these lessons home and make their own wildlife spaces.
If you're interested in getting your campus qualified, or want to find out more about how to create wildlife habitat, cruise over to the National Wildlife Federation.:Central Piedmont Community College