Wilson and Colby replicated a stream system in four 900-liter tanks where different pairings of fish were housed. Fish were fed with food pellets and provided with pebble and gravel substrate and a cinderblock that the fish were able to use for cover.

“As temperatures increased, the number of pellets eaten in brook trout pairings decreased, while the number of pellets eaten in creek chub pairings increased,” Wilson said.

Brook trout pairs also showed fewer aggressive behaviors, such as bumping and chasing, at increased temperatures. In contrast, average bumps and chases in creek chub pairs increased at higher temperatures. And the average bumps and chases in trout-chub pairs were significantly greater than either previous pairings, even at the highest temperature.

“We found both species and temperature significantly affected the feeding behavior and aggressive interactions among fish pairings,” Persons said. “Brook trout feeding rates and aggression decreased with increasing water temperatures when in the presence of a more thermally tolerant competitor, in this case the creek chub. And we saw the opposite for the creek chub.”

Wilson said their research has implications for all cold-water stream ecosystems.

“As stream temperatures continue to warm and competitive interactions change, brook trout could be pushed out of their historic habitats,” Wilson said. “This warming will likely also cause competitive mismatches between many other species, which can lead to the consumption of different macroinvertebrates, increased algal growth and shifts in emerging insect communities.”

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One of 420 colleges in the 2022 edition of The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges, °µÍřTV was selected based on a survey of administrators at 835 colleges in 2020-21 regarding their institutions’ sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. Guide editors analyzed more than 25 data points to tally Green Rating scores for the schools on a scale of 60 to 99. Colleges that earned a Green Rating score of 80 or higher were chosen for the Guide to Green Colleges.

The company noted that 78% percent of the 11,133 college applicants responding to its 2021 College Hopes & Worries Survey said that having information about a college’s commitment to the environment would affect their decision to apply to or attend a school. That figure was a 12% increase over the 66% of applicants who indicated similarly on the 2020 survey.

“We know that a commitment to environmental stewardship is important to our current students and to students who are in the process of making their college decision,” said Kathy Straub, interim dean of °µÍřTV’s School of Natural and Social Sciences and director of the Center for Environmental Education and Research. “We are gratified to again be recognized by The Princeton Review for our ongoing sustainability efforts.”

The full ranking can be accessed . Details on methodology can be found .

°µÍřTV also has a STARS silver rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education. °µÍřTV achieved its silver rating just two years after earning bronze, improving its overall score by 23 points (2018, 33 points, bronze; 2020, 56 points, silver).

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Pawpaws are the largest fruit native to the United States. With a creamy, custard-like consistency, their flavor is usually described as a cross between a banana and a papaya or mango. The fruit has many regional colloquial names – prairie banana, custard apple or hillbilly mango.

The trees are valuable for environmental and cultural reasons.

“If you plant lots of them in one area it will create a solid root mass and protect the stream bank,” explained Matt Wilson, director of °µÍřTV’s Freshwater Research Institute. This holds the bank in place, preventing runoff from making its way into small streams and thus the °µÍřTV River and the Chesapeake Bay.

Pawpaws were first cultivated by Native Americans and remain a tangible connection between displaced tribes and their ancestral lands. The fruits, which usually ripen in September, were a seasonal staple in Native Americans’ diets, and were eaten straight from the tree or dried into fruit leather to eat in the winter. Historical accounts from early expeditions to North America recount the fruit being eaten by Indigenous peoples and made into puddings.

Groves of pawpaw trees can still be found today, some of which are adjacent to ancient Native American historic sites. Though most commonly found in the Eastern, Southern and Midwestern United States, it should come as little surprise that the trees can be found as far west as Oklahoma, poignantly, along the Trail of Tears.

°µÍřTV launched a fundraising campaign in October to support the cultivation of pawpaw trees on campus. Forty-eight donors contributed to the effort that raised $4,955 to support the Freshwater Research Institute. Ongoing support for the FRI can be made by specifying your gift to support the FRI.

The land on which °µÍřTV is located is the original homeland of the Susquehannock nation. During the 16^th century forward into the years of British colonization, the Susquehannock were the most numerous people in the °µÍřTV Valley. Throughout the following decades, war with neighboring tribes and epidemics steadily reduced their numbers (estimated to have been between 5,000 and 7,000 in 1600). In 1763, nearly all the remaining Susquehannock were massacred by colonists inflamed by accounts of a war on the Pennsylvania frontier in which the Susquehannock played no part.

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The volunteers planted a diverse array of native plants and trees, including honey locusts, fragrant sumac and rushes.

“This meadow is a great example of a pollinator habitat because the species’ growing here attract bees and other pollinators,” said Shannon Thomas, of the Chesapeake Conservancy. “It’s important to the health of our native plants to encourage the presence and activity of native insects. The site also acts as a forest buffer, which provides many benefits to the stream that runs through the meadow.”

The plants and trees also provide stabilization to the soil, Thomas said, which slows erosion and mitigates sediment pollution into the stream. October’s planting was the second phase of planting at the site; the first took place in June.

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Brood X, also known as periodical, cicadas have begun emerging from their 17-year slumber and °µÍřTV’s Matt Wilson urges us to sit back and enjoy the ride.

“These little guys can’t bite, they won’t eat your plants, and generally can’t cause any harm; they only bring joy in my opinion,” said Wilson, scientist with °µÍřTV’s Freshwater Research Institute.

Cicadas are the masters of mass emergence, Wilson said. Depending on the species, they emerge every 13 or 17 years to mate. You might notice those are both prime numbers, and there are hypotheses to suggest that’s no coincidence.

“If you have a really long lifespan underground, then appear for just a few weeks after more than a decade AND do so on a prime number, it’s virtually impossible for any predator to maximize their consumption of you when you emerge,” Wilson explained. “This lack of predator adaption is particularly useful for cicadas because they can’t bite or really defend themselves in any way, so the only defense is for as many to pop out of the ground at once, fill every predator’s belly, and the remainders are free to move about and mate as they please.”

This brings us to another point about the cicada — they’re a tasty treat for everything from snakes and birds to rodents and wasps. “Everything eats cicadas,” Wilson said. “They are big, clumsy, full of protein, and have no defenses. Who wouldn’t want to grab that free meal?”

Humans can also get in on this trendy tapas — you just have to eat them at the right time. Cicadas are at their most appetizing immediately after they have emerged from the ground and shed their exoskeleton. At this stage they will appear white, with a few splotches of yellow.

“I’ve heard they taste like asparagus,” Wilson said. “I look forward to trying it this year!”

The cicada emergence has already begun at points south of central Pennsylvania. Wilson predicts we will begin seeing them in the next one to four weeks. They emerge when the soil temperature hits 64º F and prefer a good rain. They won’t all appear at once though, so combined with the “normal” cicadas we hear every summer, we can expect cicada summer to last until August.

Although they are big (1 to 2 inches with a wingspan of 3 to 4 inches) and loud (90 to 100 decibels or as loud as a lawn mower), Wilson urges us to soak in all nature has to offer.

“This is a truly incredible natural phenomenon that will only happen a few times in any of our lifetimes,” Wilson said. “Consider pulling up a lawn chair and marveling at it. It’s like a living version of Halley’s Comet that keeps you company for over a month. What on earth could possibly be better?”

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°µÍřTV harvested a record 1,128 pounds of produce from its this season, all of which was donated locally.

From beets to berries and sweet potatoes to zucchinis, donations of produce went to:

• Regional Engagement Center, Selinsgrove, 437 pounds
• Haven Ministries, Sunbury, 286 pounds
• Sunshine Corner, Sunbury, 200 pounds
• Loaves & Fishes Food Bank, Selinsgrove, 100 pounds

In addition to produce, the university also harvested 205 pounds of honey. The honey will be used and sold across campus with the proceeds supporting the upkeep of the ’s seven hives.

The 15,000-square-foot Campus Garden grows more than 30 different varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs in 50 raised beds and six in-ground plots. Some of this produce supplemented the REC’s weekly food distribution to 150 individuals and families whose needs escalated as COVID-19 restrictions intensified in the central °µÍřTV Valley.

“Our deliveries from °µÍřTV have gone from colorful heirloom tomatoes, buttery lettuce and delicious herbs to gourds, peppers and beets, and we couldn’t be more grateful,” said Kelly Feiler, director of the REC. “The faces on those receiving a distribution that get to pick from the fresh produce mean the world; they love to talk about their favorite recipes and what they’ll go home and make.

“With our location and the support of SU, we can work toward educating the next generation to eat and live more sustainably with what they can get from the Earth,” Feiler continued. “We are thankful for the partnership.”

Work on the garden has been led through the David ’69 and Sharon and .

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One of 416 colleges in the 2021 edition of The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges, °µÍřTV was chosen based on a survey of administrators at 695 colleges in 2019–20 regarding their institutions’ sustainability-related policies, practices and programs. More than 25 survey data points were analyzed by The Princeton Review editors to tally green-rating scores on a scale of 60 to 99. Colleges that earned a green rating of 80 or higher made it into the guide, which lists schools alphabetically rather than assigning a numerical rank.

Survey topics ranged from academic offerings and campus initiatives to career preparation. University profiles in The Princeton Review Guide to Green Colleges present information on each school’s use of , its recycling and conservation programs, the availability of in offerings, and guidance for green jobs. The profiles also include information on the schools’ requirements, cost and .

“We are honored to again be recognized for in our ongoing efforts,” said , professor and chair of the and director of the . “Our commitment to environmental stewardship remains strong as we focus on evolving in the areas of academics, research, facilities, administration and more.”

The ranking can be accessed . Details on methodology can be found .

°µÍřTV recently earned a STARS silver rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education. STARS, the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System, measures and encourages sustainability in all aspects of higher education.

°µÍřTV achieved its silver rating just two years after earning bronze, improving its overall score by 23 points (2018, 33 points, bronze; 2020, 56 points, silver).

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“We are focusing on the Middle Creek-Penns Creek watershed due to its number of impaired stream miles and the opportunities for improvement from additional best management practices,” said , a scientist with the Freshwater Research Institute and adjunct professor in . “This funding will allow °µÍřTV to leverage our faculty expertise and student researchers to support Snyder County in identifying ways to improve the watershed for our community and, ultimately, lead to improved water quality downstream in the °µÍřTV River and Chesapeake Bay.”

°µÍřTV, in partnership with the , will identify sources of pollution within the Middle Creek-Penns Creek watershed and outline best management practices targeted to reduce nitrogen, phosphorous, and sediment loads into neighboring streams. Agricultural management best practices may include, but are not limited to, heavy use area protection, streambank fencing and tree planting, pasture and crop land management, and manure and nutrient management. In addition to agricultural best management practices, the watershed implementation plan will also identify stream segments requiring restoration to preserve the integrity of naturally reproducing and stocked trout streams.

“The Snyder County Conservation District is always looking for ways to secure additional funds for best management practice implementation, especially if those practices can be implemented after a good strong plan to maximize their effectiveness,” said Jason Winey, conservation district manager.

Long-term goals of the watershed implementation plan will include data collecting and assessments to quantify the outcomes and benefits of conservation management.

“This funding will also allow °µÍřTV faculty to train SU students in restoration planning and best practices,” Wilson added, “giving them the practical experience they need to become restoration practitioners.”

Snyder County Conservation District and °µÍřTV faculty and staff will hold three public meetings with landowners in the watershed to solicit needs and historical knowledge. Those meeting dates, times, and locations will be announced at a later date.

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The report, “” compares Pennsylvania’s colleges and universities to similar institutions across the nation in key energy metrics, and ranks campuses in three categories: shifting to renewable electricity, repowering buildings with clean energy, and adopting electric vehicles.

°µÍřTV is ranked 18^th nationwide for transitioning 50% of the university’s fleet to clean vehicles.

°µÍřTV is also home to a 3.9 MW DC that supplies 30 percent of the campus’ electricity needs — the largest university-sponsored solar array in Pennsylvania.

The 12,000-panel, 14-acre project is located at °µÍřTV’s Center for Environmental Education and Research along the western border of campus on Sassafras Street. The array produces more than 5,300 megawatt hours (MWh) per year of electricity, enough to power all of the campus’ residence halls and avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking approximately 787 cars off the road each year.

The university employs a flock of sheep to graze around the solar array to keep the grass trimmed, as tall grass and weeds cast sun-blocking shade that impedes the array’s efficiency. The sheep also eliminate the need for diesel-fueled lawnmowers — further demonstrating the university’s commitment to sustainability.

The university also purchases remaining energy from sustainable sources.

“College campuses are natural leaders when it comes to transitioning to 100 percent clean, renewable energy,” said Ashleigh Deemer, deputy director at PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center. “We’re excited to celebrate the fact that so many colleges and universities in Pennsylvania are leading the way in doing just that.”

The PennEnvironment Research & Policy Center is a statewide non-profit environmental group dedicated to protecting water, air and open spaces.

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°µÍřTV has tapped several black walnut trees on campus to collect sap to make walnut syrup, the flavor of which is described as similar to a light maple syrup, but with more butterscotch and nutty overtones.

Students, faculty and staff gathered recently at °µÍřTV’s Center for Environmental Education and Research to begin the syrup-making process by boiling down the sap that has been collected so far.

Below are photos from our first effort making syrup from the sap tapped from our black walnut trees.

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