1 Chair & Associate Professor Western Washington UniversityFocus On: Anchor Institutions One City - One Campus: Improving Sustainability Through a University-City Partnership Jennifer Keller Chair & Associate Professor Western Washington University Continuums of Service April 7, 2017
2 What is the Sustainable Communities Partnership?Western’s SCP program focuses the energy and ideas of faculty and students upon the issues that cities face as our society transitions to a more sustainable future. SCP partners with one community each academic year, facilitating a program in which many Western courses complete service-learning projects that address problems identified by the partner. https://youtu.be/K9quNMqdNy0
3 Year One – City of EdmondsYearlong partnership between City of Edmonds, Association of Washington Cities, and Western. Some courses last one quarter others span two or more. A total of 11 courses across the university are part of the program. AWC provided seed funding, guidance regarding program design, help with promotion of the program, and advice regarding selection of the inaugural partner.
4 SCP Projects Ecological Restoration (ESCI 470, fall 2016) will recommend methods by which Edmonds can minimize stormwater impacts upon the Edmonds Marsh. Campus Sustainability Planning Studio (ENVS 471, fall 2016) will research the means by which Edmonds might best handle food waste and construction waste. Public Relations Research and Campaigns (JOUR 440, fall 2016) will help Edmonds promote a downtown cultural/arts corridor. Computer Science Capstone (CSCI 491, fall 2016) will develop a mobile app that attracts visitors to Edmonds and informs them of attractions and events. Science and Management of Contaminated Sites (ESCI 453 & 454, winter & spring 2017) will evaluate environmental risks associated with a land parcel that Edmonds might soon acquire.
5 SCP Projects 2016-17 (continued)Recreation Programming (RECR 373, winter 2017) will help Edmonds chart a path toward participation in the “Playful City USA” program, which seeks to promote the health of our nation’s youth. Disaster Reduction and Emergency Planning (ENVS 476, spring 2017) will analyze the impacts of rising sea level on Edmonds. Advanced Spatial Analytics (ENVS 422, spring 2017) will use GIS to modernize management of the Edmonds Memorial Cemetery. Greening Business Applications (MGMT 466, spring 2017) will help develop the fledgling Green Business Pledge program in Edmonds. Participatory Action Research (ANTH 454, spring 2017) will perform an assessment of walkability within a region adjacent to the Edmonds downtown core.
6 Ecological RestorationThe fall 2016 Ecological Restoration course (ESCI 470) worked on topics related to restoration of the Edmonds Marsh. Five student teams, concentrating on a distinct aspect of the marsh, performed field work in Edmonds in October. They then wrote project reports, and presented findings: Community Engagement Boardwalk Project -- recommend a design for a proposed boardwalk expansion in the Edmonds Marsh that balances both ecocentric and anthropocentric methodologies Edmonds Marsh Community Engagement Boardwalk Project Recommend a design for a proposed boardwalk expansion in the Edmonds Marsh that balances both ecocentric and anthropocentric methodologies. Developed 3 concepts and then surveyed and conducted interviews. Concept 2 proposed after review as most support and mitigating environmental impacts.
7 Restoration continuedHarbor Square Stormwater Management Provided recommendations for improving stormwater management and making them beneficial for the community Proposed level/grading drainage improvements, treebox filters and more Sea Level Rise and the Edmonds Marsh: An Issue Beyond Traditional Planning Horizons Informed city officials and the public about the threats of sea level rise (SLR) to the Edmonds Marsh and the immediate surrounding area, and provide recommendations for monitoring of and defenses against SLR.
8 Restoration continuedAssessment of the Ecological and Economic Benefits of the Proposed Willow Creek Daylighting Project with Regard to Chinook Salmon Proposed restoring connectivity between Edmonds Marsh and Puget Sound by daylighting Willow Creek to provide both a sustainable habitat for salmon and economic benefits for the commercial, subsistence, and recreational fisheries in the region and the communities that depend on those fisheries. Vegetation in the Edmonds Salt Marsh: Invasives Management, Native Reintroduction, & Planning for the Future Recommended beginning a vegetation monitoring program within the next few years in order to establish baseline data on species composition and distribution that can then be compared to site conditions in the future
9 Campus Sustainability Planning StudioThe fall 2016 Campus Sustainability Planning Studio course (ENVS 471) worked on issues related to solid waste management in Edmonds. Three student teams tackled different issues identified by the instructor and the city’s recycling coordinator. They then wrote project reports, and presented findings: Construction & Demolition Waste: Constructing a Cleaner Future Recommended that the City of Edmonds develop a project-specific Construction Waste Management Plan (CWMP) tool, which would include specific policies and guidelines to help builders use better and cleaner methods for a given project. It would incorporate: Deconstruction ordinance Education on acceptable recyclables Directions and contacts with appropriate waste haulers for the project Salvage assessment Waste log
10 Sustainability Studio continuedZero Food Waste: Action for Edmonds Proposed implementation of a Zero Waste Agreement for events and creation of public-education tools along with brochures and more to educate the public. Reducing Contamination in a Single-Bin Recycling Collection System Propose alternative disposal methods to reduce contamination rates in Edmonds’ single-bin recycling system by removing glass bottles and jars, plastic bags, and wrap and film from the commingled curbside recycling Bottle-drop facility Redemption incentives Statewide bottle bill
11 Strategic PR Plan for 4th Avenue Arts CorridorStudents in the fall 2016 Public Relations Research & Campaigns (JOUR 440) class worked on campaigns related to the 4th Avenue Arts/Cultural Corridor. Edmonds wanted to promote planning and development for a three to four block arts/culture corridor linking downtown to the performing arts center. The corridor was designated as an Arts Corridor with unique zoning in 2006, and initial concept planning for the corridor was completed in 2009. Since then the project has languished, and a promotion campaign is needed in order to reengage the community and foster support for the project. Four teams of students competed to develop and present strategic PR campaigns for Edmonds. Each campaign included surveying the Edmonds community and developing campaigns based on those results.
12 Arts Corridor ContinuedKAY PR was chosen as the “winning” agency for their “4th Avenue, 4 seasons, Art 4 Everyone” campaign. Recommended an event in the corridor tied to each season with a branding guide for the four events. These events would appeal to a variety of community members from families with children to young adults to older, more established Edmonds citizens. Included partnerships with local organizations, a media relations campaign, social media and promotional material.
13 Arts Corridor ContinuedThe other three campaigns were: “A Walk to Remember” campaign Primary tactics included two annual Art Walk events, one for adults and one for families “Come to the Corridor” campaign Primary tactics included a theater performance and a parklette along 4th Avenue “Art is for Everyone” campaign Primary events included a “Run Now/Wine Later” 5K and a community art project focused on a chalk-wall mural.
14 Recreation class The winter 2017 Recreation Programming course (RECR 373) helped Edmonds chart a path toward participation in the “Playful City USA” program, which seeks to promote the health of our nation’s youth. Students worked in teams to develop and present plans to improve their parks and apply to be recognized as a Playful City USA Playful City USA is a recognition program honoring cities and towns that ensure that kids in their communities, particularly kids from low-income families, get the balanced and active play they need to thrive. Currently only five cities in Washington are designated as playful cities.
15 Future Partnerships Western is currently working through the process to determine next year’s Sustainable Communities Partner There are currently three potential partners and each has possible projects for students. These include a wide variety of topics such as: Streamwatch projects Educational outreach Community development Effectiveness of Low Impact Development GIS Data visualization Disaster planning
16 Additional Current WorkIn order to provide a connection between partners and classes, Western has developed the following: A director of the Sustainable Communities Partnership who acts as a liaison, develops relationships, prepares final reports on every project for the community partner A public relations intern who has been documenting the winter/spring projects using video, social media, photographs, etc. These are designed both for use by the partner and to promote future partnerships through service-learning classes For example, the photos for the ESCI and RECR courses are from that project, with a story for Western’s internal online newsletter due next week.
17 What’s next? What can we do to promote more participation from faculty, students and partners? How do we ensure we are providing important projects for our community partners and real learning for our students? What are some best practices to keep moving forward? One key challenge – there are not many big urban areas near Western Washington University.