We had over 15 participants Pedal Our Past and celebrate Colorado Springs’ 150th anniversary by bike!
An interpretive tour of the historical and cultural geography of our city was led by our own, John Harner, GES faculty. Dr. Harner recently published Profiting from the Peak: Landscape and Liberty in Colorado Springs.
Did you know that not only was UCCS a sanitorium, but a destination for the fairly wealthy patients that sought out Colorado Springs as a place to heal from tuberculosis? And UCCS, as a sanitorium, was farther out from the original downtown core to keep patients from spreading TB in the higher populated parts of town. Check out at copy of his new book at the Kraemer Family Library to learn more!
The five Pedal Our Past loops will have signs up through next week. Even after the month-long event is officially over, you can still access the routes and ride throughout the year!
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UCCS Staff Association Clean-The-Stream |
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Since 2010, UCCS has hosted volunteer clean-up events at the Templeton Gap Floodway adopted waterway site in the fall and spring semesters.
This summer, we've partnered with the UCCS Staff Association to host a third clean-up on Wednesday, July 28th from 9:00-11:00am!
We've had staff join us throughout the years, and now we're hosting a volunteer opportunity just for you!
This event will follow UCCS Event Services COVID-19 guidelines; volunteers will be updated closer to the event date with the most current information.
We have space for 50 volunteers.
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A Cooper hawk named Matilda |
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If you have been in front of Main Hall in the past few days, you noticed the temporary barriers and yellow tape blocking off the sidewalk. It is all there for Matilda.
Matilda, who was affectionately named by Emilie Fox, a graduate student in the Office of First Year Experience and Parent and Family Programs, is a Cooper hawk who has been nesting in the same spot in front of Main Hall for the past three or four years. She must have a passion for sustainability as she prefers to return to the same nest each year instead of spending the time and energy it takes to build a new nest.
But why the caution tape and barriers? Matilda is fiercely protective of her nest and has swooped down on pedestrians as they walk past her tree. Some have even experienced minor injuries as she made contact. The Colorado Department of Parks and Wildlife was consulted and they recommended cordoning off the area to give her some privacy and peace of mind as she raises her family. Parks and Wildlife told us that she will keep a watchful eye on her chicks for the next 45-60 days, until they are ready to live on their own.
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Volunteer Opportunity!
Historic Kathleen Marriage Garden at Sondermann Park
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Join volunteers, like UCCS' biology faculty Dr. Maggie Gaddis, to learn about native plant species and best practices for your own gardens!
They are looking for volunteers to help tend to the garden: weeding, watering, transplanting, mulching, etc. Beginning Tuesday, June 29th, volunteers will work every other Tuesday from 4:30-6:30pm at Sondermann Park (740 W. Caramillo St). Please use street parking as the gate closes at 4pm.
Bring work gloves, water, sturdy shoes, and a snack. Come any time during the 2-hour, even for 30 min, and help us nurture this new educational native plant demonstration garden for our community!
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Green Action Fund is Hiring! |
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Green Action Fund is hiring for a Project Coordinator. The full job description and application process can be found on SEAN.
Along with many project management responsibilities, the person in this position will learn a great deal about stakeholder engagement, evaluating the feasibility of projects, nonprofit board responsibilities and management, leadership development, the diversity in sustainability projects on campus, and much more.
The Green Action Fund (GAF) is a $5/student/semester fee that is a source of funding for students, faculty, and staff to integrate sustainability-related and focused projects, programs, campaigns, and research into the UCCS community.
Since 2012, GAF has invested ~$1.1 million dollars through funding over 130 projects.
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GeoCivics: Drawing Fair Electoral Districts |
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We need your voice to help inform the Colorado independent legislative and congressional redistricting commissions! By creating your own map, you’ll be showing how you perceive the best representation of your community.
How do you get started?
GeoCivics provides a suite of state-based resources to develop skills and knowledge for discussing the apportionment and redistricting process in the United States. The more voices participating in this process, the more the electoral districts will reflect the community. These resources prepare and support students, teachers, and community members with interactive tools and geospatial data, leading to engagement in conversation about the construction of electoral districts. Paying attention to where lines are drawn, by whom, and under what circumstances informs how people are governed. Everyone in the community should be equipped to ask questions of people in each jurisdiction - federal, state, and local - charged with instructing the cartographers in this task.
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Clean Water Challenge: Student Competition starting August 2021 through The Water Connection |
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The Clean Water Challenge (formerly the Clean River Design Challenge) is a statewide competition that engages undergraduate and graduate level students in the generation of innovative water pollution solutions. For the 2021-2022 CWC, teams will be tasked with reducing / removing E. coli and/or excess nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen). Teams may focus on either or both pollutants, and they can pursue prevention and /or removal strategies.
Through their own class and University program, students spend the first semester of CWC gaining understanding of the water quality problem and its causes, and developing a proposed concept for solution. The second semester focuses on final design / refinement, documenting the solution’s effectiveness and feasibility, and development of a concept business plan. At the end of the second semester teams present their solution in the form of a “pitch” for a product or service accompanied by a concept business plan for implementation. A panel of expert judges will select the top three teams to receive a modest cash prize. In addition, the first place team will be invited to participate in Trout Tank Sustainability, a business pitch accelerator program co-hosted by the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and TAP-IN.
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350 Colorado
University of Colorado Boulder | Environmental Center
University of Arizona | Office of Sustainability
Palmer Land Conservancy
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Due to COVID-19 regulations, the Sustainability Demonstration House and Office of Sustainability will 100% remote as of 11/30/2020. Please email sustain@uccs.edu with questions.
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