In recognition of Earth Day, the WNMU Outdoor Program will be hosting a table at the Continental Divide Trail Days x Gila Earth Day Festival in Silver City’s Gough Park on April 22. But that is far from the only environmental initiative to which the university has made a commitment.
WNMU aims to be carbon neutral by 2025. As one way to work toward this goal, the university already features a number of solar photovoltaic panels brought to campus through a Community Solar Direct collaboration with PNM. As buildings are renovated or constructed in the future, additional solar panels will be added to capitalize on southwest New Mexico’s sunshine and use it as a source of power. The university also plans to add electric vehicle charging stations aided by a grant from Freeport-McMoran.
Another key feature of the commitment to climate change mitigation at WNMU is the Center for a Sustainable Future and Outdoor Programs, spearheaded by Professor Kathy Whiteman, who also chairs the Department of Natural Sciences. The Center for a Sustainable Future provides leadership in environmental matters, and it offers educational and training opportunities, including a minor in Outdoor Leadership Studies. WNMU also offers degrees in Sustainable Design, Wildland Fire Science, and in Forest-Wildlife studies.
The center also is home to the Outdoor Program, managed by Will Tracy, which in addition to educational programming, offers gear rental and opportunities to explore the natural world surrounding WNMU, such as an upcoming group hike to the Twin Sisters peaks on the Continental Divide Trail planned for April 23. Said Tracy, “The WNMU Outdoor Program plays a critical role in providing educational services that promote safe and sustainable utilization of outdoor spaces, helping students and community members understand their relationships with each other as well as their relationships with the environment we share.”
Most recently, the university hosted U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich, who came to campus to talk with WNMU leadership on a number of topics, including environmental initiatives. As part of this visit, Heinrich hiked Tree Rock Trail and discussed the planning and data analysis needed to establish safe corridors around campus to access wilderness areas, outdoor recreation and the various natural environments surrounding campus. University leaders also had an opportunity to thank him for Congressional support of the WNMU Wildland Fire Science and Outdoor Leadership Studies programs in recent years’ appropriations bills.
All of these initiatives are helping WNMU face a future on our changing planet. “We as a university are moving forward in green energy and environmental sustainability,” said WNMU President Joseph Shepard.