Project Ideas: SDG 15 - Life on Land

As part of the Sustainable Land Care Standard, it is important for the University of Waterloo to understand the impact of current landscaping on soil health. In particular, how do landscaping practices affect carbon storage in soils? How can we increase carbon sequestration?

How do we reach the broader community about sustainability initiatives on campus? What kind of communication tools can we use? What are some important topics to share to others?

The University of Waterloo, Sustainability Office, in consultation with Grounds Services and other stakeholders, is developing a Sustainable Landcare Standard. Included in the standard is a commitment to “identify populations of major land and aquatic animal species” (Action 3B). What strategies or tools can the university use to do this? 

Too often, important decisions are made based almost entirely on very narrow economic factors: upfront costs, operational costs, payback periods, etc. and do not take into consideration other implications like health. What communication tools can the University of Waterloo use to highlight the health-based benefits of sustainable practices on campus?

Invasive species pose a threat to native biodiversity, but controlling their propagation can be labour-intensive and often only feasible with pesticide applications. For better management, the university must ask: where invasive species are a problem and how can non-invasive species be helped to improve resiliency?

Endangered and threatened species can play important roles in our ecosystems and often require human intervention if they are to survive and build up their populations. While provincial guidelines are available for managing Species at Risk (SAR), the University of Waterloo is looking to do more. What is needed to develop our own protocols that go beyond the basic requirements? 

How do we improve landscaping on campus? How do we better understand these barriers and develop value propositions to address sustainable landscaping practices?

What role does the Land Care Standard play in campus sustainability? Considering some of the barriers, what is the University of Waterloo doing? 

Shrubs play an important role in our urban ecosystems and their climate impacts tend to be underestimated. The University of Waterloo wants to conduct a shrub inventory and impact assessment to determine the biodiversity and health of campus greenspaces. 

The presence of trees on campus provides many benefits from sequestering carbon dioxide to supporting mental health. Despite this, the planting and maintaining of trees costs money, and therefore may be among the first services cut when budgets are tight. The University of Waterloo wants to conduct a tree inventory and impact assessment to determine the biodiversity and health of campus greenspaces. 

Included in the University of Waterloo's Sustainable Landcare Standard is the commitment to follow the Species Planting List for all new plantings. The current Species Planting List was created in 1997 and is limited to native trees and shrubs. What grasses, wildflowers and other plants should be added?

It might be hard to visualize what the University of Waterloo campus might look like by the year 2050. The university plans to be net zero by this time, but what other changes could/should occur? The university is looking for student ideas about what makes a sustainable campus.