By Kiersten Hoff
The human interaction that occurs between this small patch of trees near the Innovation Food Forest, is the interaction with wildlife, plants, and biodiversity. Students and faculty walk the pathway daily through underneath the trees past the food forest. Since this patch of trees in literally right next to the Innovation Food Forest, there are other plants and small animals living within the vicinity. Some students and faculty volunteer to clear-up and plant in the food forest, while simultaneously learning about plants, nutrition, and the overall environment. Others just walk past it, enjoying the natural beauty of the Innovation Food Forest, along with the autumn leave colors during the fall.
As part of the resource system, the forest is working as a system, responding to changes in the environment, as seen in the photo above. As stated in “Thinking in Systems,” a deciduous tree via chemical messages, will cause nutrients to move out of the leaves and into the trunk and roots, weakening the stems, causing the leaves to fall (Meadows, 2009). Chemical and biological aspects of the environment are involved, with chemicals and nutrients causing leaf color changes and the falling of leaves. Wildlife and plants are involved since the autumn leaves can provide shelter for certain small organisms and can benefit soil nutrition needed to help plants grow (Richardson & Hanna, 2021). This process can also benefit the food forest, by having healthier soils for food growth, which can benefit people, especially those living at George Mason (Richardson & Hanna, 2021). Trees themselves also provide a habitat for animals such as birds and squirrels.
On the governance side, students and faculty interact with this food-forest system, but the main drivers and organizers are the faculty involved with the university layout and the office of sustainability (Who We Are & What We Do, University Sustainability). Economics can be utilized to demonstrate the benefits and costs of green spaces, which can be presented to policy makers (Jalon et al, 2020).
Social and cultural systems play a role in this plant and biodiversity area. Studies have shown that student use and access to green spaces improves mental health (McFarland, et al., 2008). In one study by McFarland, et al., it was found that on average, more than half the students used campus green spaces a lot while very few students did not utilize campus green spaces (2008). Development, upkeep, and improvements of any kind rarely do not require any money or funds; therefore, economics does play a role in campus biodiversity. Students and professors of sustainability at GMU utilize the area of the trees to get to the food forest. Faculty and students from any area of study can easily utilize and enjoy the trees of the food forest since there is a walkway to the Johnson Center and the garden itself is just outside of Innovation Hall. Green spaces on campus also serve as common meeting places among students and faculty along with event organizations (McFarland, et al., 2008).
What can be done are measures to preserve trees and other plants in green spaces or plant new trees should any need to be cut down. GMU has a sustainability program and is trying to become more eco-friendly. This along with social and ecological benefits of the trees and other green spaces, can be used for economic and governance reasons as to why this type of biodiversity should be conserved (Jalon et al, 2020).
The university is doing what it can to sustain green spaces, and other beneficial flora with the determination to improve its green spaces (Landscaping, University Sustainability). Although the website does not specifically mention much about trees on campus, there are a host of other actions to benefit biodiversity on campus (Landscaping, University Sustainability).
References
George Mason University Essential Information. Washington Apple Pi. https://www.wap.org/events/july2009/
Jalon, G., S, Chiabai, A., Tague, Mc., A, Artaza, N., Ayala, A., Quiroga, S., Kruize, H., Suarez, C., Bell, R., Taylor, T., (2020, April 19). Providing Access to Urban Green Spaces: A Participatory Benefit-Cost Analysis in Spain. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7216070/ doi: 10.3390/ijerph17082818
Landscaping. University Sustainability. https://green.gmu.edu/campus-sustainability/landscaping/
Meadows, D. H. (2009). Thinking in systems: A primer (D. Wright, Ed.). London, UK: Earthscan.
McFarland, A. L., Waliczek, T.M., Zajicek, J. M. (2008, January). The Relationship Between Student Use of Campus Spaces and Perceptions of Quality of Life. American Society for Horticultural Science. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTTECH.18.2.232
Richardson, S., J. Hanna, E., L., Dalal. (2021, July 1). Leaf Litter Decomposition as a Contributor to Ecosystem Service Provision. SpringerLink. https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-72854-0_22
Who We Are & What We Do. University Sustainability. https://green.gmu.edu/