Nature preserve created from suburban landfill lot in Salem

SALEM, Va. (WFXR) — There is a nature preserve in the heart of a Salem suburb and it is serving as a research laboratory for Roanoke College students, while helping native plant and wildlife species to thrive. It is called the Roanoke College Environment Center.

The center is located on the Roanoke College Elizabeth Campus on Kime Lane. It was a landfill lot that has now been reclaimed and has become an oasis for wildlife. It was partially paid for by a grant from the National Wildlife Federation and Mutual of Omaha.

“It’s a place for us to build tomorrow’s environmental leaders,” said Roanoke College biology professor and Environment Center Director Dr. Rachel Collins, who credits her students for the center’s creation. “They pitched the idea to the faculty, and we liked it some much we made it happen.”

The center consists of a meadow restoration and a woodland restoration. Native plants have been re-introduced. Habitat, in the form of specialized boxes and houses, can be found for owls, bees, and bats in the meadow area. All three species are vital to the environment and ecology of the region.

“So many students have been able to do independent research out here,” said Collins. “So many students across majors have been able to come out here and learn about environment, learn about ecological restoration.”

There is a practical component to the project, too. The center is open to the public. Visitors can conduct self-guided tours. There are QR codes people can scan at the information kiosk to learn how to provide similar habitats in their own backyards.

The center has a healthy population of wild animals including deer. Julianna Morrow is a student at Roanoke College. She is conducting research on the deer to find out how deer behavior in the suburbs differs from behavior in less populated areas. She says the center gives us all a chance to thing globally, but act locally.

“It’s interesting to see what we all can do locally and what you can do in your own backyard,” said Morrow.

That was one of the factors that led to the project being funded by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). Roanoke College was one of only seven schools to receive a Mutual of Omaha grant from the NWF.

“They had a huge educational component to it. so not only were they building these boxes to provide homes and habitat for these creatures, they were educating the campus community, and the community beyond about why it was important to do it,” said Kristy Jones of the National Wildlife Federation.

Dr. Collins hopes the public will take the purpose of the Environment Center and act on it: “The kinds of things we’re doing here anybody can do in their backyard. It’s a demonstration place for the community, so the community can come out here and learn about the value of wildlife and what they can do in their yard to promote wildlife.”

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