Project 1 - Invasive Removal at Eagle Creek Park
Day: September 22 (rain date: Sunday Sept. 24)
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Capacity: 30
Location: Eagle Creek Park at 56th Street Overlook
Activity: invasive honeysuckle removal
Partner(s): DPW, Indianapolis Office of Land Stewardship
Description: We will remove Bush Honeysuckle (a highly aggressive invasive shrub) from the park, concentrating our efforts in various areas. Removal of honeysuckle will improve habitat for animals, open space for other plant species to become established, and improve water quality.
Project 2 - Invasive Removal at Eagle Creek Park
Day: September 23 (rain date: Sunday Sept. 24)
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Capacity: 30
Location: Eagle Creek Park at 56th Street Overlook
Activity: invasive honeysuckle removal
Partner(s): DPW, Indianapolis Offic of Land Stewardship
Description: see Project 1
Project 3 - Campus Soil Survey
Day: September 29 (rain date: Sunday Oct. 1)
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Capacity: 30
Location: IUI campus
Activity: soil sampling
Partner(s): IUI Office of Sustainability & CFS
Description: Students will collect soil samples and soil data. The information will be used by CFS (Campus Facilities Services) when making decisions about a variety of issues. For example, what types of plants would survive best in soils having particular characteristics (particle size, drainage, sand/silt/clay content, etc.)
Project 4 - Campus Soil Survey
Day: September 30 (rain date: Sunday Oct. 1)
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Capacity: 30
Location: IUI campus
Activity: soil sampling
Partner(s): IUI Office of Sustainability & CFS
Description: see Project 3
Project 5 - Fall Migratory Bird Survey
Day: October 14 (rain date: Sunday, Oct. 15)
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Capacity: 10
Location: Eagle Creek Ornithology Center
Activity: community science project, bird watching
Partner(s): Cornell lab of Ornithology, eBird
Description: Bird enthusiasts around the world join together to count birds during the peak of fall migration. Data collected is used to help track bird populations; this includes looking for changes in timing of species' migratory movements.
Project 6 - ARBOR Invasive Wintercreeper Removal
Day: October 20 (rain date: Sunday, Oct. 22)
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Capacity: 30
Location: Lilly ARBOR
Activity: removal of wintercreeper from along the ARBOR corridor
Partner(s): CEES
Description: We will remove Wintercreeper (a highly aggressive, invasive, vining ground cover) from the forest. Removal of wintercreeper will improve habitat for animals, open space for other plant species to become established, and protect trees from death-by-strangulation/girdling.
Project 7 - Day of the Dead-heading
Day: October 21 (rain date: Sunday, Oct. 22)
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Capacity: 30
Location: Indiana State Museum, Monarch Sanctuary
Activity: native seed harvesting and sowing
Partner(s): Urban Wilderness Trail, Reconnecting to Our waterways (ROW), ISM
Description: We will collect native seed from areas that are doing well in terms of native plant growth (the flower gardens at the Indiana State Museum), and scatter the seed in areas where restoration work is needed (the Monarch Sanctuary). The Monarch Sanctuary is being cultivated as a "way station" for endangered Monarch butterflies. To provide suitable habitat, various species of milkweeds (the plants on which Monarch caterpillars feed) and numerous other wildflower species (that will serve as a nectar resource for adult butterflies) are being planted.
Project 8 - Native Seed Collection & Invasive Species Removal
Day: October 27 (rain date: Sunday, Oct. 29)
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Capacity: 30
Location: Holliday Park
Activity: native seed collection/sowing and invasive species removal (focus on burning bush)
Partner(s): DPW, Indianapolis Office of Land Stewardship
Description: We will collect native seed from areas that are doing well in terms of native plant growth and scatter the seed in areas where restoration work is needed. As time permits, we will remove invasive shrubs (predominantly burning bush, but also bush honeysuckle) from areas where the shrubs are starting to become established.
Project 9 - Native Seed Collection & Invasive Species Removal
Day: October 28 (rain date: Sunday, Oct. 29)
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Capacity: 30
Location: Holliday Park
Activity: native seed collection/sowing and invasive species removal (focus on burning bush)
Partner(s): DPW, Indianapolis Office of Land Stewardship
Description: see Project 8.
Project 10 - ARBOR Trash Removal
Day: November 10 (rain date: Sunday, Nov. 12)
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Capacity: 30
Location: Lilly ARBOR
Activity: trash clean up
Partner(s): CEES
Description: The White River floods frequently, and each flood cycle deposits some trash along the floodplain and picks up other trash from the area. Trash picked up during a flood is deposited further down stream - or may even be carried to the Gulf of Mexico! For this project, our goal is to disrupt the land-to-river-to-ocean pathway of trash, as well as clean/restore/beautify the local environment. Collected trash will be disposed of properly or recycled (as appropriate).
Project 11 - ARBOR Trash Removal
Day: November 11 (rain date: Sunday, Nov. 12)
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Capacity: 30
Location: Lilly ARBOR
Activity: trash clean up
Partner(s): CEES
Description: The White River floods frequently, and each flood cycle deposits some trash along the floodplain and picks up other trash from the area. Trash picked up during a flood is deposited further down stream - or may even be carried to the Gulf of Mexico! For this project, our goal is to disrupt the land-to-river-to-ocean pathway of trash, as well as clean/restore/beautify the local environment. Collected trash will be disposed of properly or recycled (as appropriate).
Project 12: Bird Window Strike Survey - Special Project
This is not a typical service project. The purpose of the window strike survey is to gather data relating to the occurrence of bird-window collisions on the IUI campus. The data collected will be used to determine whether there is a need for building modifications (to make IUI more bird-friendly) and to inform campus decisions relating to any such proposed modifications. By registering for this project you are commiting to a weekly survey of a particular campus location. Surveys will begin (approximately) September 1 and run through the end of the semester. Expect each survey to take about 15-20 minutes. Over the course of the semester, you will devote approximately 3-5 hours to this project. Read more about this project.
Activity: You will walk a route around one or more buildings, scanning the ground for bird strikes (birds that have struck the buildings will probably be dead): each week, you will walk your route (this should take about 15-20 minutes) and fill in an online data form. Data collected will include date, route, time, and whether any birds were found. When you find a dead bird, you will identify the bird and photograph it. No bird identification skill is needed: you will use the smart phone apps Seek and Merlin Bird ID to identify any birds you find. Dead birds will be bagged and deposited at a central collection site. In the rare event that you find an injured bird, you will not handle it: we have wildlife rehab folks available to take care of injured birds. CEES will supply the bags, gloves, etc. needed for this project. You must supply your own smart phone.
Survey Date: pick a day that suits your schedule: M, Tu, W, Th, F, Sa, Su. Remember - this is a weekly committment for the entire semester.
Survey Time: select morning, midday, or evening: walk your route within 2 hours of sunrise (morning), between 11:00am-2:00pm (midday), or within 2 hours of sunset (evening)
Survey Routes: We will track bird strikes at multiple locations on campus. Ten routes are planned: Innovation Hall (IO); science buildings (SL/LD); Science and Engineering Laboratory Building - also known as SELB (EL); Engineering & technology (ET); Business/SPEA breezeway (BS); University Library (UL); Gateway & Blackford garages (XL/XF) - just the glass stairwells at the corners; Lecture Hall (LE), University Hall and Education/Socialwork (AD/ES); Hine Hall and University Tower (IP/HO). It is preferred that you walk your route with a partner (birding buddy).
Partner(s): CEES, IUI Forensics, IUI Sustainability, Audubon Society
Data Submission: data will be collected using this online form.
Note: You need to download both the Seek and Merlin Bird ID apps to your phone. For the Merlin app, if your phone has limited storage capacity, choose the midwest bird pack.
