Achievement

The second cohort of LEAP students are completing a capstone project to evaluate the use of alternative land covers on the UIC campus. They have quantified ecosystem services and economic costs of existing and alternative UIC land covers. Through surveys at campus Town Hall meetings, they have evaluated peoples' preferences for treatments of campus sites using 'virtual' landscaping. Individuals were surveyed before and after being educated on ecological benefits and economic costs of native and low maintenance landscape alternatives. Over 80% of respondents preferred environmentally sustainable landscape treatments. Their findings will be part of the development of a new campus master plan and UIC’s Climate Action Plan.