Successful 2010 CSU Sustainability Grant applications
Applications from University staff members were invited for projects, up to a maximum of $15,000, to further the sustainability values and commitments of the University.
Successful applications from 2010 are outlined below. (Successful applications from 2009 are available here).
| Project title | Team |
|---|---|
| CSU propagation team | Orange Campus Environmental Committee |
| Compost collection from student residences (New Residences) on Wagga Campus | Division of Student Services (Wagga), and Division of Facilities Management (Wagga) |
| Widening Hawthornden Creek riparian zone | Bathurst Campus Environmental Committee, and Division of Facilities Management (Wagga) |
| Environmental information kiosks | Albury-Wodonga Campus Environmnetal Committee |
| Energy audit kits for education | School of Education (Wagga), and Institute for Land, Water & Society (Albury-Wodonga) |
| David Mitchell Wetlands walking trail | Albury-Wodonga Campus Environmental Committee, and School of Environmental Sciences (Albury-Wodonga) |
| Green Steps sustainability internship program | Division of Facilities Management (Wagga), Division of Student Services (Wagga), School of Agricultural & Wine Sciences (Wagga), and School of Environmental Sciences (Albury-Wodonga) |
Project Descriptions:
CSU Propagation Group
Team:
- Stephen Mannix (Orange Campus Environmental Committee, and CSU Farm, Orange)
Amount awarded: $1,580
Project summary: The Grant will fund consumables and a new irrigation time management system at the Orange Campus horticultural centre to enable the propagation of approximately 1300 tube stock per year. These will then be planted in cooperation with local environmental groups such as Summer Creekcare to revegetate key areas of the catchment of the Summer Hill creek. The primary aims of this project are to improve land sustainability, protect creek banks from erosion, provide shelter for stock and to encourage the return of wildlife species known to be locally declining or listed as 'vulnerable' on the Threatened Species Conservation Act. The propagation group comprised of academic and general staff members sources seed through members' own harvesting in the local community, purchases from local nurseries and seed swaps from likeminded community groups and TAFE.
Final Report: Click here for the Final Report for "Orange Propagation Group" project (pdf).
Compost collection from Student Residences ('New Residences') on Wagga Campus
Team:
- David Gale and Ellen Simpson (Students, Wagga)
- Peter Bell (Division of Student Services, Wagga)
- Terry O'Meara, Simon Cole and Chris O'Connor (Division of Facilities Management, Wagga)
Amount awarded: $6,939
Project summary: Expansion of the successful composting program, which has been operating in St Martin's and in one of the blocks in New Residences, in order to reduce landfill, increase nitrogen through the University's composting program, and put composting into the psyche of students for life. Students will deposit organic materials from kitchens into convenient bins, which are then collected by a student who will be hired to deposit them in 400L compost bins near the student gardens. When these fill, DFM staff will transport the material to the campus compost site.
Final Report: Click here for the Final Report for the "Compost Collection from the New Residences Wagga Campus" project (pdf).
Widening Hawthornden Creek Riparian Zone
Team
- Dave Scott and Jim Watt (Bathurst Campus Environmental Committee)
- William Adlong (Division of Facilities Management, Wagga)
Amount awarded: $13,500
Project summary: This project will move the fence along the stretch of Hawthornden Creek on the southern side of Bathurst Campus in order to widen the area along the creek (the 'riparian zone') for rehabilitation. This project is part of a larger collaborative proposal with Bathurst Regional Council to rehabilitate this section of Hawthornden Creek, complementing work by Council and community groups up and down stream of the site. Moving the fence is an important step toward addressing invasive woody weeds, revegetating with native species and increasing available habitat for native fauna.
Final Report: Click here for the final report for the "Widening of Hawthornden Creek Riparian Zone" project (pdf).
Environmental Information Kiosks
Team:
- Tricia Bowman (Albury-Wodonga Campus Environmental Committee, and Division of Library Services, Albury-Wodonga)
Amount awarded: $14,794
Project summary: From its conception, the development of the Albury-Wodonga campus has been driven by principles of sustainability. This project aims to set up two electronic environmental information kiosks to act as information portals. These kiosks would promote the environmental and sustainable initiatives on campus as well as providing information about the biodiversity on campus. The kiosks would provide staff, students and visitors with information concerning many aspects via interactive computer technology. The kiosk operates with a touch sensitive screen and can run a variety of programs that provide insights into many aspects of the campus's sustainability initiatives.
Energy Audit Kits for Education
Team:
- Barbara Conlan, Penny Stephens, Stephen Kemmis and Adele Rosser (School of Education, Wagga)
- Penny Cooke (Institute for Land, Water and Society, Albury-Wodonga)
Amount awarded: $5,110
Project summary: This project will make energy audit kits available through the CSU Library to staff and students (3 kits for Wagga, 3 for Bathurst, 2 for Albury, 1 for Dubbo) to allow them to undertake energy audits of their home and/or work places and develop and implement management plans in order to use energy wisely, thereby reducing energy costs and environmental impacts. Two areas of focus of the project will be:
- enabling CSU teacher education students to facilitate energy saving investigations, projects and action plans, linked to syllabus-based outcomes and content in their teaching and learning programs whilst on professional experience;
- embedding authentic, student-directed learning for sustainability in the science education subjects of the B. Education and B. Teaching programs.
Final Report: Click here for the Final Report on the "Energy audit kits for education" project [.pdf]
David Mitchell Wetlands Walking Trail
Team:
- John Rafferty and Peter Jones (Albury-Wodonga Campus Environmental Committee)
- David Mitchell (School of Environmental Sciences, Albury-Wodonga)
Amount awarded: $15,000
Project summary: The David Mitchell Wetlands are an integral feature of the Albury/Wodonga campus and are of significant ecological value to the region. Over recent years the Wetlands have been increasingly used as a both a stimulus and site for learning and research for CSU and the wider community. As a result of pedestrian traffic, a series of pathways and tracks have been formally and informally established. There is a clear need to establish an accessible and safe walking trial around the wetlands. This project would see the development of a clearly defined track around the campus that would include educative signage and causeways. Signage would advise and educate people using the wetland on a range of issues including information on native flora and fauna and the functionality of the wetlands in regard to grey water management.
Green Steps Sustainability Internship Program
Team:
- William Adlong, Wayne Millar, Edward Maher and Nicole Maher (Division of Facilities Management, Wagga)
- Peter Bell and Paul Worsfold (Division of Student Services, Wagga)
- John Kent (School of Agricultural & Wine Sciences, Wagga)
- Ben Wilson (School of Environmental Sciences, Albury-Wodonga)
Amount awarded: $13,600
Project summary: This funding will support the Green Steps program being run at CSU for approximately 14 students who will be selected based on applications. Green Steps (of the Monash Sustainability Institute) has won three prestigious environmental awards within the last year: the Banksia Environmental Awards; the Victorian Premier's Sustainability Awards; and the 2010 World Environment Day Awards. Participating students learn skills in environmental auditing for an organisation, become immersed in a culture of acting on sustainability issues, gain experience (through an internship) in facilitating behaviour change and increase their job prospects. Applications will open later in 2010 with the 30 hour training being run in 2011, followed by internships for the students. More info on the Green Steps program.
Final Report: Click here for the Final Report on the "Green Steps sustainability internship program" project [.pdf]