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Project 1 - Native Seed Collection & Invasive Species Removal
Day: September 27 (rain date: Sept. 29)
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm
Capacity: 40
Location: Holliday Park
Activity: native seed collection and invasive species removal (bush honeysuckle)
Partner(s): DPW, Indianapolis Office of Land Stewardship, Indy Parks
Description: Many human activities have negative impacts on natural environments. Reintroducing native plant species helps restore these degraded landscapes and creates healthier, more functional ecosystems. Restoration of degraded habitat is also accomplished through removal of invasive species. Invasive plant species cause environmental harm on many levels. Not only do invasives disrupt the functioning of ecological communities, but they can impact physical processes within the environment as well. For example, invasive plants are often chemically defended, so herbivores won't eat them (ecological impact), and some invasives contribute to water pollution by enhancing sediment loading of waterways (physical impact). We will focus our efforts on 1) collecting seeds of native plants from healthy habitat and scattering the seed in areas in need of restorative work, and 2) removing invasive shrubs and saplings, primarily Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) and burning bush (Euonymus alatus). Amur honeysuckle in particular has negative impacts on water quality.
Project 2 - Native Seed Collection & Invasive Species Removal
Day: September 28 (rain date: Sept. 29)
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm
Capacity: 40
Location: Holliday Park
Activity: native seed collection and invasive species removal (bush honeysuckle)
Partner(s): DPW, Indianapolis Office of Land Stewardship, Indy Parks
Description: see Project 1
Project 3 - Invasive Species Removal - Southwestway Park
Day: October 18 (rain date: Oct. 20)
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm
Capacity: 40
Location: Southwestway Park
Activity: citizen science biodiversity survey/bird count
Partner(s): DPW, Indianapolis Office of Land Stewardship, Indy Parks
Description: Invasive plant species cause environmental harm on many levels. Not only do invasives disrupt the functioning of ecological communities, but they can impact physical processes within the environment as well. For example, invasive plants are often chemically defended, so herbivores won't eat them (ecological impact), and some invasives contribute to water pollution by enhancing sediment loading of waterways (physical impact). We will focus our efforts on removing invasive shrubs and saplings, primarily Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii). Amur honeysuckle (also called bush honeysuckle) in particular has negative impacts on water quality.
Project 4 - Invasive Species Removal - Southwestway Park
Day: October 19 (rain date: Oct. 20)
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm
Capacity: 40
Location: Southwestway Park
Activity: invasive species removal (bush honeysuckle)
Partner(s): DPW, Indianapolis Office of Land Stewardship, Indy Parks
Description: see Project 3
Project 5 - Trash Clean Up & Invasive Removal - ARBOR
Day: October 25 (rain date: Sunday, Oct. 27)
Time: 10:00AM-1:00PM
Capacity: 40
Location: Lilly ARBOR (west side of campus)
Activity: trash clean up & invasive species removal
Partner(s): Urban Wilderness Trail, White River State Park
Description: The White River floods frequently, and each flood cycle deposits new trash along the floodplain and picks up older trash from the area. Trash collected by floodwaters is deposited further down stream - or may even be carried to the Gulf of Mexico! For this project, our goal is to disrupt the land-to-river-to-ocean pathway of trash, as well as clean/restore/beautify the local environment. Collected trash will be disposed of properly or recycled (as appropriate). As we collect trash, we will also look for an invasive ground-cover: wintercreeper (Euonymus fortuneii). Invasive plant species cause environmental harm on many levels. Wintercreeper girdles and kills trees as it vines up/around them, and, as a groundcover, wintercreeper outcompetes and displaces herbaceous plants in the forest understory.
Project 6 - Native Seed Collection/Scattering - Day of the Dead-heading
Day: October 26 (rain date: Sunday, Oct. 27)
Time: 10:00AM-1:00PM
Capacity: 40
Location: Indiana State Museum, White River Monarch Sanctuary
Activity: native seed collection and scattering
Partner(s): Urban Wilderness Trail, Indiana State Museum
Description: Reintroducing native plant species helps restore degraded landscapes and creates healthier, more functional ecosystems. The floodplain of the White River was formerly planted in turfgrass (as can be seen on the levee). Restoration efforts have been ongoing to restore forest habitat (the ARBOR) and wildflower meadow habitat (White River Monarch Sanctuary). We will collect seed of native wildflowers growing in the gardens of the Indiana State Museum and scatter the seed throughout the Monarch Sanctuary. The work will increase biodiversity in the area and provide food resources for butterflies (including endangered Monarchs), moths, bees, and other pollinators. Seed-eating animals, such as songbirds and small mammals will also benefit.
Project 7 - Biodiversity Survey - Global Bird Count (Fall BIG Day)
Day: October 11 (rain date: Sunday, Oct. 12)
Time: 9:00AM-12:00PM
Capacity: 10
Location: Eagle Creek Park
Activity: bird count & trash clean-up
Partner(s): Indy Parks
This project is only tentatively on the schedule and will not be available for registration (except as waitlist).
Description: We will take part in the annual fall bird count run by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Audubon, and Birds Canada. This global event has been occurring for decades. Data collected by citizen scientists as part of the project helps scientists assess trends in migrating bird populations and allows scientists to address a variety of questions. For example, are a species' numbers increasing, decreasing, or holding steady; are species migrating earlier or later than normal; are species showing up in unusual places as they migrate? Scientists can use the data provided by community volunteers to examine larger patterns and the environmental factors (such as climate change, land use changes, etc.) driving the trends. Go to Cornell's All About Birds website for more details. As we count birds, we will also pick up trash to improve the environment for birds and other organisms.
Project 8 - TBD
Day: TBD (rain date: Sunday, TBD)
Time: 10:00AM-1:00PM
Capacity: ?
Location: TBD
Activity: TBD
Partner(s): TBD
Description:
Project 9 - TBD
Day: TBD (rain date: Sunday, TBD)
Time: 10:00am-1:00pm
Capacity: ?
Location: TBD
Activity: TBD
Partner(s): TBD
Description:
Project 10 - TBD
Day: TBD (rain date: TBD)
Time: TBD
Capacity: ?
Location: TBD
Activity: TBD
Partner(s): TBD
Description:
Project 11 - TBD
Day: TBD (rain date: TBD)
Time: TBD
Capacity: ?
Location: TBD
Activity: TBD
Partner(s): TBD
Description:
Project B: Bird Window Strike Survey - Special Project
Date: August 15 - November 15
This is not a typical service project. The purpose of the window strike survey is to gather data relating to the occurrence of bird-building collisions on the IUI campus. The data collected will be used to determine whether there is a need for building modifications (to make IUI more bird-friendly) and to inform campus decisions relating to any such proposed modifications. Taking part in this project requires a committment to survey of a particular campus location each week from early September until mid November. Monitoring for fall migration is already underway: participants will begin monitoring a route ASAP with Dr. Schmalhofer's approval (approval requires registration for the project, attendance of a training session to learn how to do the work, and assignment to a route and weekly shift); route monitoring continues through November 15. Expect to spend about 15-20 minutes looking for birds each time you survey your assigned route. Read more about this project.
Activity: You will walk a route around one or more buildings, scanning the ground for bird strikes (birds that have struck the buildings will probably be dead): each week, you will walk your route (this should take about 15-20 minutes) and fill in an online data form. Data collected will include date, route, time, and whether any birds were found; the data form is completed and submitted even if no bird is found. When you find a dead bird, you will identify the bird and photograph it. No bird identification skill is needed: you will use the smart phone apps Seek and Merlin Bird ID to identify any birds you find. Dead birds will be collected, bagged, and deposited at a central collection site. In the rare event that you find an injured bird, you will not handle it: it will be monitored for recovery by CEES staff. CEES will supply the collecting bags, gloves, etc. needed for this project. You must supply your own smart phone.
Survey Day: pick a day of the week that suits your schedule: M, Tu, W, Th, F, Sa, Su. Remember - this is a weekly committment for the entire semester.
Survey Time: routes are surveyed three times each day: morning (before 9:00am), midday (11:00am - 1:00pm), and evening (after 4:00pm); select your preferred time.
Survey Routes: We will track bird strikes at multiple locations on campus. Buildings that will be monitored include: Innovation Hall (IO); science buildings (SL/LD); Science and Engineering Laboratory Building - also known as SELB (EL); Engineering & technology (ET); Business/SPEA breezeway (BS); University Library (UL); Gateway & Blackford garages (XL/XF) - just the glass stairwells at the corners; Lecture Hall (LE), University Hall (AD), Education/Socialwork (ES); Hine Hall and University Tower (IP/HO). It is preferred that you walk your route with a partner (birding buddy).
Partner(s): CEES, IUI Sustainability, Audubon Society
Data Submission: data will be collected using this online form.
Note: You need to download both the Seek and Merlin Bird ID apps to your phone. For the Merlin app, if your phone has limited storage capacity, choose the midwest bird pack.
