Sustainability Symposium Ignites Conversation Between Students, Faculty, and Staff

On Friday, November 15, the Student Sustainability Council hosted a Sustainability Symposium that invited students to engage in discussions with a group of expert panelists about environmental issues and how they are tackled at William & Mary and beyond.

The panel began with Tony Orband, Associate Director of Grounds and Gardens at William & Mary, who discussed ongoing projects and maintenance. Many of them are funded by Green Fees, such as permeable pavement in West Woods 1, trail restoration in the College Woods, reduction of pesticide use, the purchase of a commercial electric mower, and providing safe crossing for wildlife. Some of his projects are at select spots on campus, such as working on erosion control, cultivating pollinator gardens, and removing invasive species. And behind Spotswood Hall is the installation of the permeable pavement Organic Lock, an organic polymer that binds gravel together. Organic Lock is ADA compliant and allows permeability into the soil. “[We are] trying to make a big impact in small instances,” Orband said. 

Next door to Orband’s office is Bob Morman’s, Director of Building Services and the second panelist. “I’ve been here for 12 years, and for that entire period of time we’ve always been involved in things like recycling, green cleaning, and any other sustainability initiatives that have come up,” Morman said. He helped develop the university’s Climate Action Plan and worked on the university’s response to former Governor Ralph Northam’s executive order on single-use plastics so all of our consumable products, paper and plastic, on campus are 100% recyclable. Building Services’ commitment to sustainability is apparent in the use of green seal certified housekeeping products. “We are a very, very  green department that touches every building and nearly every space on campus,” Morman said.

The next panelist was Tracy Melton ‘85, a Virginia Master Naturalist. When Melton moved back to Williamsburg in 2018, he became interested in studying the invasive species in his garden and on campus. “At first my interest was aesthetic,” Melton said. “There’s been a lot of development on the campus, and the natural spaces are really important to the beauty of the campus.” As he became more interested in the environmental issues attached to invasive species, Melton came in contact with Linda Morse, a professor of geology at William & Mary, who runs a Master Naturalist program on campus. The group removes invasive plants from various parts of campus. Melton cleared up invasive wineberry from the Crim Dell. With the invasives gone and less competition, native plants are able to regrow. “The forest on the right side, the School of Education side, that would have been gone in 20 years,” Melton explained. “So we’ve gone in and sort of by hand removed that wisteria.”

Sitting beside Melton was Dr. Rob Rose, the Executive Director of the Institute of Integrative Conservation (IIC) and a professor of Integrative Conservation. Rose outlined the ways students can get involved with conservation, from majoring, minoring, or taking classes, to being a part of the student leadership council, attending talks, and conducting research. The classes and research projects allow students to actively take part in conservation initiatives, such as working on a project with Melton in a GIS class, collecting citizen science data on invasive species. The IIC also partners with conservation organizations and individuals so students are working on real world issues. “We’re trying to give you all the tools to make a difference, whether it’s here on campus or around the world,” Rose said. 

Another researcher on the panel was Dr. Dorothy Ibes, Director of the Parks & Ecotherapy Research lab and professor in the Environment & Sustainability department. Ibes also co-produced Nurture With Nature, a documentary film with Tanya Stadelmann, professor of film at William & Mary. She also has an upcoming book, Ecotherapy for Everyone. Ibes is the co-director of the Campus Nature Rx Network, a collective of campuses founded in 2019 that has grown to include over 80 colleges and universities nationally. The Network’s goal is to reconnect people with nature through personalized recommendations of green spaces to visit. “I truly believe that we need to reconnect people with the natural world, and they are very disconnected from it,” Ibes said. “When you care about somebody or something, you take care of it, right?”

Dan Pisaniello, the University Architect, was the next panelist to speak. In addition to campus planning, design, and construction, Pisaniello also oversees the Office of Sustainability and co-chairs the Committee on Sustainability with Professor Jim Kaste of the Geology Department. “Everything we do in design and construction is being looked at through a sustainability lens,” Pisaniello said. “What’s our impact on campus? What's our impact on the world? What's our impact on the grid?” A major project Pisaniello has been working on in the Housing and Dining Comprehensive Plan is geothermal, a means of heating and cooling buildings without fossil fuels. The new West Woods 1 complex will not only feature a geothermal system but also solar power. As for West Woods 2, Pisaniello explained that the first step in designing the new buildings has been working with an urban forester to analyze the trees in the site. “We recognize that the natural environment is so important on this campus. Not just for the experience, but it’s literally a laboratory. It’s a classroom space,” Pisaniello said. “We try to operate from a position of stewardship and care and how can we save the most that we can?” He shared that the central grove of trees in Randolph is staying untouched, emphasizing that environment preservation plays a key role in discussions with contractors. Pisaniello shared that a next project will involve rewriting the technical standards to implement more green-building practices. “[Sustainability] is going to be baked into how we think about every material that we procure and purchase and then install those,” Pisaniello said.

Following Pisaniello was Elizabeth Miller, Associate Director of Civic & Community Engagement (CCE). “Big picture, our work is about building relationships with members of the William & Mary and broader community in pursuit of a more just and sustainable world, thriving communities, and a campus that values lifelong civic learning and action,” Miller explained. The programs they offer include volunteer opportunities with Williamsburg Community Growers and the Williamsburg Habitat for Humanity ReStore. CCE also conducts alternative break programs where students learn about aspects of different communities, such as a trip to Lynchburg, VA with a focus on sustainable food systems. CCE also runs pre-orientation programs, with the first one they ever offered being the sustainability-centered Seven Generations.

Miller finished her presentation by asking the audience if they knew how big the city of Williamsburg is. After a couple of guesses from attendees and panelists, Miller revealed the answer is 9 square miles. “About three of those square miles, Colonial Williamsburg. About three of those square miles, the city uncontrolled by Colonial Williamsburg, and that other three square miles, what’s left?: It’s us. When you impact this campus, you are impacting 30% of the environment,” Miller said. The CCE office aims to give students opportunities to positively impact the environment in Williamsburg through sustainability.

The last panelist was Don Snyder, Director of STEAM careers at the Cohen Career Center. The career center provides students with resources through Blackboard, newsletters, programming with alumni, career panels, and fairs with employers. Snyder also highlighted the center’s offerings on how to make the most of LinkedIn. “Teaching students how to use alumni to research career paths and reaching out and making those connections, asking for advice,” Snyder said. “There’s a network of advocates around you that are wanting to help you.”

Aayla Kastning ‘26, a member of the Student Sustainability Council, opened up the floor for questions,  highlighting the importance of events such as the Symposium. “Part of why we do this as a council is to bridge that gap between students and faculty and staff,” Kastning said. “It's great to have a place where students can directly hear [from experts].”

Attendees and panelists were then asked to form groups and discuss sustainability. Amelia Kim ‘27, a student who attended the Symposium thought it advantageous to hear about projects and initiatives she hadn’t known of previously. “I think it’s really beneficial. I know we were talking about a lot of stuff that I have never heard of, and I’m a CONS major, and I would say I’m really interested in sustainability on campus and I’ve just never heard of a couple of these initiatives,” Kim said. 

Virginia Johnson ‘25 agreed with Kim that the Symposium was a good way to be exposed to sustainability projects. “Part of why I wanted to come to this today was to get a deeper understanding of [sustainability on campus].” Virginia Johnson ‘25

Melton joined the discussion, sharing his admiration for the evolved point of view on the environment from when he attended the university compared to now. “I appreciate when I walked up, you were talking about protection. And from my perspective, having been here in the 80s and as an adult,” Melton said. “I appreciate the attitude that everyone has, your understanding and your concern.”