This is a letter I've written a hundred times to a University I once had much respect and pride in: The University of Toledo. Today however, I find myself growing more and more disappointed with the behavior of administrators and "important" individuals in control of the check books and (despite what they might think) the well-being of the student body. As I currently attend a university well-known for it's party-school label I often become frustrated with the poor choices I see my peers make, but the irresponsible party at Toledo is past the age of 'knowing better'... it has come down to pure ignorance and an unwillingness to learn- two characteristics that any institute of higher learning would (and should) be ashamed to portray.
"If knowledge can create problems, it is not through ignorance that we can solve them."
~ Isaac Asimov
I am an alumna of your institution. I hold three outstanding student awards and my name has frequently occupied the Deans List. However, I do not write to you today to brag about my accomplishments, but rather to beg (for lack of a better word)- for some kind of understanding or well-grounded reason for your shameful behavior with regard to our environment, the campus landscape and utter disregard for ecology.
I preface my concerns with my "credentials" of being an alumna of the University of Toledo because I would like you to recognize that as a student and graduate of your institution I am stakeholder in this campus and during my five very dedicated years there the decisions made above me affected me greatly. Having graduated I thought I was done with my undergraduate connections but that isn't true. The label of your institution is something I carry with me always- in my personal and professional life (whether I like it or not).
I am a product of your curriculum and of the resources you have invested into your 'student centered' operation. As this is the case, I feel I would be doing your fine institution a disservice to let me education go to waste and not point out fundamental problems I have watched unfold before me. In 2011 the Student Activities Committee helped fund a living laboratory in the west courtyard of University Hall. This garden was comprised of rare and endangered native plants. The Anthropological Society (an active student group) wanted this space established for its academic and environmental benefits, providing students with a gateway to ecology, ethnobotany, anthropology, and environmental studies. I could go into great detail of the ecosystem services provided by the native plants- the deep roots to soak up excess water, filter out pollutants and combat erosion, the habitat provided for overwintering insects, the co-evolution these plants have with insects, pollinators and lepidoptera native to the region- depending on these rare plants for survival, and the seeds, insects and shelter provided for birds and small mammals... yes I could go on for hours about the miracles of these plants... but I digress... the focus of this letter is to address the utter disregard and irresponsible actions that have taken place.
Shortly after my graduation, the east court yard was re-landscaped and for some reason the west courtyard was next. The native plants in the West Courtyard were planted very carefully and researched before chosen. Watching the garden develop and having the opportunity to participate in it's establishment have inspired me more than I can ever appreciate. My strong connection to the
beauty and wonder of these plants brought me to graduate school and continue to encourage my life choices every day. To see the complete disregard for this space- a student project- has been devastating to me on a very personal and professional level. Prior to the installment of the new windows we had asked if it was necessary to remove any plants. We were told with no urgency that it was up to our discretion. It was indicated that no direct harm or destruction would occur. Unable to retrieve all of these rare and endangered plants (of which there were over 60 different species) you can imagine the outrage when we saw the beds being used as storage areas for pipes, hoses and equipment. It was easy to observe however that the plants were removed from the east courtyard prior to any construction. I see a more cohesive decisions was made to rescue those plantings.
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| The shade garden no longer growing |
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| Pipes crushing anything that may have had a chance to survive |
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| The entire bed smothered- apart from one bush (which existed prior to the establishment of the native garden) |
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| This gorgeous display occupied the same space as the tarp last summer (2012); this is a major loss of plants, beauty, biodiversity and place - but at least we will have new windows... |
Had such a destruction of university property occurred at the hands of students a scandal would have broken out over their unruly and uninformed childlike behavior. Yet here we have well-educated adults to blame. Meanwhile, all over campus we are overrun with invasive and exotic plants: Norway maple, English ivy, privet, and kousa dogwood to name a few. Sustainability begins with the environment- which we often forget starts with the soil and roots. It is more than green building design and energy efficiency. These are important topics, but mean nothing if we allow our landscapes to be degraded around us. Green for the sake of green is no longer a viable option. We can no longer afford to look the other way. I can not be silent and allow such decisions to be made; that would be a complete disservice to the education I received from this very institution.
While I understand all too well that the burden of knowledge (ask any environmentalist) can be a heavy load to bear, that is the risk one takes in acquiring an education. Your students are expected to learn with an open mind each day- and while everyone is entitled to their opinion- basic scientific principles should not be ignored in favor of personal, aesthetic preferences.
As a university please realize that you have an array of faculty, students and alumni willing and available to make the appropriate changes in the name of sustainability, land ethic and ecology.
“The more clearly we can focus our attention on the wonders and realities of the universe about us, the less taste we shall have for destruction.”
~Rachel Carson
