In a conference orchestrated by Professor Chris Fink, students discussed the importance of cultivating wild urban spaces on campus along with a Boundary Waters trip turned to emergency evacuation.
Kipper Bromia’27 led the discussion surrounding wild urban spaces, which they defined as areas where native plants and animals can exist in an urban environment. They spent half of their summer researching by interviewing staff, students, the Admissions Office, and groundskeeping staff, focusing on societal factors at play that determine the importance of urban nature.
Beloit College currently has two main wild urban spaces: the prairie outside of the Science Center and the woodland behind the Wright Museum of Art. The prairie at the Science Center acts as an oak savannah restoration — one of the most endangered Midwest ecosystems due to colonialism and colonization — and attracts swallowtails, bees, and birds to the area. Bromia described how wild urban spaces provide spontaneity and act as “third spaces” between home and work that can foster community. Bromia compared campus’ restoration efforts to those they saw at Macalester College, which noted the role of conservation in their campus identity and ecological pride. In particular, they drew attention to the relationship between Admissions and conservation goals. Conventional standards of campus aesthetics war with the unique identity of wild urban spaces, a conflict Bromia hopes to resolve through effective communication with staff.
Following Bromia’s presentation, students who attended a trip to the Boundary Waters region in Minnesota shared their experience with an emergency evacuation due to a wildfire only 3 miles from their camp. Armita Aghamiri’28, Gabe Boivin’27, Carly Carpenter’29, Will Lyng’28, Toha Abedin’29, and Jean Gris’– signed up for month-long courses that were supposed to take place in Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Ely, Minnesota. These courses ranged from Environmental Toxicology to Tree Ecology, with emphasis on real-time experience and study in the absence of technology, as shown in the photographs in their presentation. They spent much of their time canoeing on the water and appreciating the calm serenity of the remote wilderness, in spite of the unusually high temperatures reaching up to 103°F.
They also included photos of the smoke plume visible from their camp, which warned them of the danger nearby, caused by a lightning strike. Wildfires are a natural part of the Boundary Waters ecosystem, with many plants and animals adapted to survive and thrive in the aftermath. Native Ojibwe populations in the area used controlled burns to promote canopy health and propagation. However, due to climate change and rising temperatures, they are becoming increasingly frequent; the people of Ely as well as local wildlife face the impact of it.
The wildfires were not particularly convenient for students, as air quality dropped to hazardous levels. The group, realizing their proximity to the fire, quickly evacuated to another station, where they stayed temporarily before being sent home. Although they regret their experience being cut short, students said they would be interested in signing up for the program again next year. An application for the program will be sent out in March via email.
Featured image: Beloit College
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