PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS SEEKING FUNDING

Tools for Transformation
Giving Options

If you are interested in supporting the SSU Preserves, please contact us. We have a wide variety of opportunities for involvement in your area of interest. Here we provide a few descriptions of ways in which you may be interested in participating.

Facilities

Facilities encourage visitors to linger, share observations, and stimulate creativity. They are large enough to simultaneously host community groups, university classes, and researchers and small enough to stimulate discussion. They are specialized enough to allow investigations into local issues and flexible enough to meet any research needs.

  • Galbreath Wildlands Preserve Facilities - We have begun Master Planning for a suite of state-of-the-art buildings that will provide overnight facilities, meeting rooms, laboratories and equipment needed to teach and conduct research at this remote setting. Please join as we move forward in building this inspirational site. Please see our Integrative Projects for more details.

Databases and Monitoring

Environmental Sensors collect new kinds of data that allow us to see the world in new ways. Their datasets lie alongside irreplaceable 100-year records of climate, vegetation, and wildlife populations.

  • Weather Stations ($5,500)- Preserve weather stations form the basis for long-term data sets that are valuable to every project and class that visits the preserve. We need to replace our outdated and non-existent equipment with Campbell Scientific weather stations, known as the reliable standard for meterological monitoring. Each station, one at each Preserve, costs $5,500.
  • Engineering Student Projects ($1,000) - Each year, engineering students in IT technology create a senior thesis that addresses real-world issues at our Preserves is sensor data gathering and distribution. The initial budget for putting together these projects costs $1,000 per student working group per year. Please sponsor these students to develop the next generation of environmental sensors.

Preserve Access and Transportation

One of the most challenging logistic issues in providing transformative experiences for students in natural areas is finding ways to get them to the Preserves.

  • Vehicles - We have needs for a variety of vehicles to provide access, including a 12-15 person Passenger van.
  • Elementary School Field Trips ($400) - The Osborn Elementary School Program provides field trips to elementary school students. Many of our students come from disadvantaged neighborhoods and their schools cannot afford bus transportation. Please help them visit and learn about the Preserves by sponsoring a school bus.

Program Support

Vibrant Programs bring together students, researchers, managers and the public to focus on new initiatives to address pressing regional issues.

  • Student Interns ($2,500) - SSU students are integrally involved in all parts of Preserve programs. Through our programs, they get experience with real-world issues that cannot be obtained in a classroom setting. Please help us to provide these irreplaceable experiences by sponsoring a student's salary for one semester.