Senior is Indiana Wildlife Federation's First Campus Ecology Fellow

December 8, 2010

December 8, 2010, Greencastle, Ind. — DePauw University senior Katherine Wright is the Indiana Wildlife Federation's first Campus Ecology Fellow, working "to help promote IWF’s Phosphorus-Free Campaign within the higher ed system in Indiana," notes the National Wildlife Federation. "As the NWF-Indiana Affiliate Fellow, Kate is working to unite students, faculty, and staff at local Indiana universities and colleges to establish a network of support for the phosphorus-free campaign, leading to legislative action."

The text adds, "The Indiana Wildlife Federation campaign focuses on education and advocacy to restrict phosphorus in an effort to conserve local wildlife habitats and improve drinking water quality in Indiana. Kate’s fellowship began in May of 2010 and will continue until May 2011."

NWF points out that "Wright has researched colleges and universities in the region and their commitment to environmental efforts, ultimately creating a target list of 21 institutions in which IWF has communicated their phosphorus initiative with and opened a dialogue of information sharing and guidance for the universities looking to improve their current groundskeeping efforts to incorporate phosphorus-friendly practices. In addition to outreach, Kate has been crafting a Campus Plan that outlines five main categories for campus grounds sustainability -- lawn maintenance (including fertilizers), pesticides and herbicides, water conservation and recycling, native plants, and removal of invasive plants.

Wright is a biology major and French minor and serves as treasurer of DePauw's environmental club. She says, "I see the P-Free Campaign as a way to connect environmentally minded students with the resources and experience provided by established environmental organizations in Indiana, hopefully leading to more effective campaigns within schools to increase campus sustainability."

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