Sustainability

Greening our grounds

The goal of greening our grounds is to increase the knowledge of the campus community about the need for sustainable practices and the role they play on the UNB Fredericton grounds. The following objectives are part of our approach:

  1. Engaging multiple stakeholders in the community and instill a sense of stewardship regarding natural areas on campus.
  2. Increasing knowledge among the community about the importance of natural areas within an urban campus. Their ecological roles, life cycle, threats and why natural areas should be protected.
  3. Creation of Living Laboratories on campus, which is a given place where problem-based teaching, research and applied work are combined to develop actionable solutions that make that place more sustainable. These areas will be sustainable year after year for faculties to utilize within their curriculum.

Wildlife friendly gardens

In collaboration with  Nature NB, a local non-profit, UNB created three Wildlife Friendly Gardens on the UNB Fredericton Campus. UNB provided youth and the campus community with the opportunity to engage in on-the-ground initiatives that help protect and conserve habitat. College Hill Daycare and UNB Early Childhood Centre participated in the planting of the wildlife friendly plants. These gardens provide appropriate habitat for wildlife and are also a great education tool that are highlighted yearly during sustainability walks on the campus grounds.

The gardens are located adjacent to Bailey Hall, IUC Forestry and Memorial Hall on the Fredericton Campus.

First Nations medicine wheel garden

In collaboration with the UNB Fredericton Mi’kmaq-Wolastoqey Centre Elder-in-Residence, Imelda Perley, a medicine wheel garden was planted in hounor of residential school survivors. The garden features traditional First Nation’s plants used for medicinal purposes. All parts of the garden have a particular connection to First Nations culture and practices.

The Garden is in the shape of the traditional First Nations Medicine Wheel. Children from local Frist Nation’s communities assisted in the creation of the cultural garden that is used as a teaching tool by the centre.

Interactive tree trail

The interactive tree trail was developed in collaboration with the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, and is a part of our UNB Sustainability map. The interactive tree trails allow individuals to connect with nature, explore the benefits provided by trees, and provide information on how to identify different species. Through the virtual tree tour, you can find examples of tree species on the University of New Brunswick Fredericton campus, see detailed pictures, and learn interesting facts.

At each tree location there is information signage with a bar code that will link to a website that provides information about each tree. In order to access tree information, a bar code reader on a digital device is required.