At UM, our third color is green.

 

 

UM Sustainability Committee

The UM Sustainability Committee consists of faculty, staff, and students charged with these four goals:

 

                        • Implement plans for long term sustainability

                        • Organize campus sustainability activities and initiatives

                        • Develop and promote ways for the University to become more energy efficient

                        • Oversee and promote the UM Green Fund and campus recycling program

 

This program integrates education, facilities, and resources to foster sustainability as part of the University of Montevallo’s liberal arts mission.

 

UM Environmental Club and the Sustainability Committee hosted a Green Fund Panel on April 17, 2012. The panel consisted of representatives from Environmental Club, the Sustainability Committee, the Student Government Association, and individuals who have submitted proposals for Green Funded projects.

 

 

The UM Green Fund provides grants for projects that improve campus sustainability, decrease UM’s ecological footprint, and educate the university and local community. Any interested parties can submit a proposal to the UM Sustainability Committee for approval.

 

The first round of Green Fund awards was made during the Sustainability Committee's November meeting. We received 9 proposals and were able to provide funding for 8 projects. Click here for more information on the first round of Green Fund awards.

 

Find University of Montevallo's Green Fund on Facebook.

 

 

Partners

The James Wylie Shepherd Observatory

The JWSO at the University of Montevallo is the region’s premiere, completely accessible telescope. Built on a former landfill for construction debris, it features a state-of-the-art 20-inch PlaneWave CDK20 telescope on a Chronos HD32 Harmonic Mount. The telescope assembly is housed in a fully robotic 20.5 foot diameter observatory dome made by Ash Domes. The re­mote location provides ideal dark skies, far removed from city lights, and offers spectacular views of any part of the night sky. The JWSO also features a 90 mm Coronado Solar Telescope with an integrated hydrogen-alpha filter for exceptional views of the sun, solar flares, and the solar corona.

 

Construction is underway on the new Command Center, consisting of a storage room for Observatory equipment, a control room for astrophotography and to control the mount and telescope, and restrooms with self-composting toilets. Power will be provided by a solar generator, and wa­ter will be provided by recycled rainwater pumped through a reverse-osmosis filter. Further planned development for the Observatory Complex will offer an outdoor planetari­um/amphitheater, a docent’s cabin, a digital planetarium, a scholars’ dormitory, educational exhibits, and a visitor center.

 

Ebenezer Swamp

The Ebenezer Swamp Ecological Preserve consists of sixty acres of wooded wetlands and is home to numer­ous species of fungi, plants, and animals. The forest is dominated for the most part by Tupelo Gum, with occasional Red Maple, Loblolly Pine, Sweet Bay, Tulip Tree, and Sycamore as well as six species of orchids and a rare species of cone-flower. The dominant animal life form is the Beaver; water impounded behind several beaver dams along Spring Creek has a pronounced effect on the ecology of the preserve. Other animal inhabitants include the American Woodcock, Turkey, Great Blue Heron, Timber Rattlesnake, Water Moccasin, Copper­head, Raccoon, Opossum, and various species of fresh­water clams. Ebenezer Swamp is used for teaching and research purposes. Ongoing research projects include water quality testing and surveys of vegetation and macroinvertebrate diversity.

 

ValloCycle

UM Organic Community Garden

UM Organic Community Garden, located just past the UM baseball field on County Road 10/Middle Street, was established as a project of UM Environmental Club. Open since April 2010, the garden is available for both UM students and other community members to rent plots seasonally. Produce grown in the community sections of the garden is donated to Shelby Emergency Assistance to be given to local families in need. Thanks to UM Organic Community Garden, UM Environmental Club, ES 300 Summer Harvest, and community volunteers, over 400 pounds of local, organic produce has been donated to SEA since June 2011. For more information or to rent a plot, contact Dr. Jill Wicknick.

 

Find UM Organic Community Garden on Facebook.

 

 

UM Recycling Program

 

In addition to the Recycling Center located on Overland Road, blue recycling containers can be found in common areas in most buildings around campus as part of the new UM/City of Montevallo recycling partnership. UM is also working with Sodexo to enact more sustainable policies, such as offering reusable to-go boxes as an alternative to disposable Styrofoam.