The Action Steps in this section work toward the established Goal for the Land & Sequestration topic area:
Develop Restorative Land Management Guidelines and ensure that at least 80% of outdoor spaces are compliant with these practices
The Office of Sustainability will lead efforts alongside staff from the Vassar Farm & Ecological Reserve (VFEP) and relevant faculty to pursue 3rd-party verification of on-campus carbon sequestration.
Description: The Office of Sustainability will lead efforts alongside staff from the Vassar Farm & Ecological Reserve (VFEP) and relevant faculty to pursue 3rd-party verification of on-campus carbon sequestration. Third-party certification will allow Vassar to accurately demonstrate the role of its conservation practices in decarbonizing campus.
CAP Goal Supported: LS-A (Development of Restorative Land Management Guidelines); TFC-A (Campus Travel Emissions Reduction)
Resources Required: Staff time from a small team of faculty and administrators for annual reporting and minimal fees for third-party certification.
Analysis:
The natural environment maintained by the College, including the 415-acre Vassar Farm & Ecological Preserve, serves as a ‘carbon sink.’ Per the 2018 i-Tree Ecosystem Analysis, the VFEP stores over 7,700 metric tons of carbon dioxide and sequesters an additional 240 mTons annually.
Vassar’s carbon accounting already reflects how investments in energy efficiency and electrification of campus facilities decrease the amount of greenhouse gas emitted into the atmosphere. In contrast, the considerable resources invested in ongoing maintenance and conservation of the VFEP are not similarly reflected. Under the status quo, purchasing carbon offsets to plant trees on the other side of the country – or the world – would have more of a direct impact on Vassar’s reported carbon footprint than growing the same number of trees on campus.
Receiving 3rd-party verification of on-campus carbon sequestration helps ensure a holistic approach to carbon neutrality that balances natural sequestration with technological solutions.
The Office of Sustainability will lead a collaborative process to develop goals and partnerships for current leased space to support Vassar’s climate goals in the near term.
Description:
The Office of Sustainability will lead a collaborative process to develop goals and partnerships for current leased space like the Golf Course and Poughkeepsie Farm Project to support Vassar’s climate goals in the near term. As opportunities arise, the Climate Action & Sustainability Committee will coordinate conversations on how best to utilize the space in an environmentally responsible manner.
CAP Goal Supported:
LS-A (Development of Restorative Land Management Guidelines)
Resources Required:
Limited staff time to advise leased space partners on aligning their land management with Vassar’s climate goals.
Analysis:
Since near-term implementation involves a non-binding and voluntary request for partnership, those involved in implementing this Action Step will need to share a congenial spirit of collaboration.
Longer-term plans for the space should reflect the considerable work already undertaken by the Climate Action & Sustainability Committee and Students for Equitable Environmental Decisions (SEED). Additional consultation with the Campus Master Planning Committee will also be required prior to any leased space repurposing.
A team of student interns and volunteers, working with Facilities Operations, will conduct a comprehensive audit of outdoor spaces and current grounds management practices to form the foundation for future Restorative Land Management Guidelines.
Description:
A team of student interns and volunteers, working with Facilities Operations, will conduct a comprehensive audit of outdoor spaces and current grounds management practices to form the foundation for future Restorative Land Management Guidelines.
CAP Goal Supported:
LS-A (Development of Restorative Land Management Guidelines)
Resources Required:
2-4 staff hours per month; 10-20 student and volunteer hours per month during the drafting process.
Analysis:
In addition to being necessary for the Restorative Land Management Guidelines, the Outdoor Space Inventory is an excellent opportunity for student engagement in campus sustainability. Much of the work needed for this inventory can be conducted virtually using existing reports and GIS data. Any in-person work can be performed alone or in a socially distanced manner.