土地管理工作
森林管理
就在俯瞰密西西比河的石灰岩悬崖后面,生长着大片大片的橡树, 红枫, 枫树, 和核桃. Principia的森林可以让学生从传统的教室中走出几步,进入一个生活实验室,在那里他们可以研究森林的生态. 最近, students have studied the carbon storage capacity of the forest, deer predation of acorns and hickory nuts, bird nest location preferences, oak and hickory regeneration limitations, and sustainable timber harvest plans.
十大最大的网络彩票平台的全面森林管理计划确保健康的森林为子孙后代而存在. The plan begins with a thorough inventory, 这有助于十大最大的网络彩票平台确定树木的数量和质量,以及具有重要保护特征的地区. 例如, data from the inventory suggests that the forest contains far more black oaks, 红橡木, and 枫树 than it did 200 years ago. Also, a decline in white oaks was observed. Furthermore, young oaks and 红枫 are largely absent. 几种入侵物种, such as bush honeysuckle and garlic mustard, have been multiplying in the understory of the forest. 虽然频繁的地面火灾在塑造森林方面发挥了历史上重要的作用, significant challenges hinder us from implementing fire on a larger scale; instead, only small areas can be burned occasionally. All these observations about our forest directly inform our plans.
The forest management plan includes provisions for identifying and protecting ecosystem services; rare, 威胁, and endangered species; economic and social impacts; and environmental impacts. Under Principia's stewardship, 森林面积增加了425英亩,预计未来10年还将增加50英亩.
Principia获得了科学认证系统(SCS)的森林管理委员会™(FSC)森林管理认证。, one of the world’s leading FSC certifiers and one of FSC’s founding members. FSC提供第三方认证,确认FSC认证销售的材料来自管理良好的森林经营. The FSC certified products include logs, firewood, and maple syrup. 科学认证系统是环境和可持续发展认证的领导者. One of the first certification bodies accredited by FSC in 1996, SCS has since certified more than 30 million acres of well-managed forests and 3,000 companies in the FSC supply chain worldwide. Principia's trademark license code is FSC-C109754. 有关如何查找认证产品或索取森林管理计划摘要的更多信息, 请 电邮:土地管理.
草原恢复
The iconic tallgrass prairie of the Midwest is a unique and beautiful ecosystem. 然而, where these prairies were once expansive, now only a few remnants remain. 在伊利诺斯州,不到0.01 percent of historic prairies remain intact today. 这主要是因为大草原通常生长在地势平坦的肥沃土壤上——这是农耕的理想地点. 然而, 在一些领域, 比如陡峭, 朝南的断崖, 草仍然生长,因为土地太陡,无法耕种,太热,太干,无法生长树木. 普林西比的四英里悬崖边的财产是许多这样的悬崖草原的所在地. Due to a variety of changing conditions, restoring and preserving these remnants has become a high priority. The grass communities of these prairies were historically maintained by fire, but today fires are less frequent, and trees and bushes slowly edge out the grasses. Principia works to maintain these unique areas by removing the trees and bushes, and executing prescribed burns.
Principia has worked on other prairie restoration projects as well. 近20年前,盖特府附近的一块农田被改造成了当地的高草草原. Today it is an easily accessible outdoor classroom, where students learn to identify prairie plants, study small mammal populations, and gain firsthand knowledge about executing prescribed burns. 另一个草原修复工程正在盖特府对面的农场进行. 当完成, the restoration will cover 40 acres of land, providing an expansive area for studying plants, 野生动物, 和土壤. Our prairies are one of the things that make Principia so unique, 十大最大的网络彩票平台一直在寻找新的方法来保护和增强这些稀有的生物宝藏.
土地管理工作小组
Led by the 生物学 and Natural Resources Operations Manager, 土地管理工作小组是一群学生工人,他们协助管理Principia的自然区域. 该组织执行一系列对保护十大最大的网络彩票平台的本地生态系统至关重要的任务.
Much of Stew Crew’s work centers around maintaining a healthy forest. They conduct inventories of the forest, which give us accurate and up-to-date information about the trees. This in turn influences management decisions related to timber harvest, etc. Stew Crew also works to combat the spread of honeysuckle in Principia’s forests. An invasive shrub, honeysuckle has become prevalent in much of the Midwest. Its dense foliage shades the forest floor and prevents tree seedlings from growing, thus changing the composition of the forest. 十大最大的网络彩票平台正在努力通过直接砍伐植物和使用除草剂来扭转金银花的传播. Stew Crew还为学生提供了参加电锯认证课程的机会, 他们在哪里学习如何维护和安全操作电锯,学习砍伐树木的基本知识. 然后,学生可以协助森林管理项目,如修剪郁金香杨树种植园.
Stew Crew also works to preserve our prairies. 他们清除了悬崖草原上的木本植被,这些植被可以把草赶出去,并通过协助规定的烧伤来帮助维持门屋草原. Fire is a natural part of a prairie ecosystem and is essential to its health. 土地管理工作小组的成员在为草原生态系统做出贡献的同时,获得了作为管理工具的宝贵知识.
Community Supported Agriculture
Just behind Elsah lies Three Rivers Community Farm, a 12-acre, chemical-free farm. The farm produces an array of delicious fruits and vegetables, 全部不含除草剂, 农药, 化学肥料. 他们的目标是生产出与环境和谐相处的美味的当地食物. Three Rivers Community Farm runs a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, 伊利诺斯州和圣. Louis residents can buy a share of the season’s harvest. 股东支付费用, which helps support farm operations, 作为回报, they receive produce from the farm. 每个星期, shareholders can pick up their goodies, 可能包括西兰花, 西红柿, 西瓜, 甜土豆, 还有更多! Since the farm’s beginning in 2007, the CSA has grown from 150 to 250 members. Fruits and vegetables from the farm are also sold at local farmers’ markets. 三河社区农场开放参观,也从当地社区招聘实习生和学徒.
For more information about Three Rivers Community Farm, visit their website: www.threeriverscommunityfarm.com.
社区花园
温室
GIS项目
绘制十大最大的网络彩票平台周围世界的地图是制定土地管理决策的一个极其有用的工具. 在原理, 学生和教师都进行了GIS项目,提供了有关Principia财产的宝贵信息. 最近的一个项目将Principia地产目前的森林覆盖率与1950年的森林覆盖率进行了比较, revealing that Principia’s management has resulted in an increase in forested land. 地理信息系统还被用于绘制甘蔗丛的生产力图,并确定最成功地区的特征. Future Sugarbush Management classes are sure to benefit from this data. The drainage system on campus was also mapped recently, 提供急需的最新设施信息,并阐明校园发达地区附近的侵蚀模式.
地理信息系统的应用是无穷无尽的——它可以用来获取从土壤特征到野生动物到人力资源利用的一切数据. 报名参加环境测绘课程,学习如何使用地理信息系统来回答有关十大最大的网络彩票平台周围环境的重要问题,并为土地管理问题制定重点解决方案.