Erik Oliver
Located 35 miles east of Atlanta, Oxford College is the birthplace of Emory University, site of the original campus established in 1836. The still bucolic, sylvan setting and the historic buildings of the small campus are described as "temples in the woods". Faculty, staff, and students at Oxford College have undertaken a concerted effort to restore 15 acres of campus forested land with an understory that is approximately 85% infested by nonnative, invasive plant species. Thirty years ago, in May 1978, biology professor Curry Haynes led an initiative to establish a nature trail adjacent to campus. Well into retirement, Professor Haynes almost single-handedly maintained the trail and forest. After his death, invasive plant species spread from adjacent land and quickly overtook the forest. The push to restore the forest and establish a permanent management plan is not only an effort to reclaim a valuable environmental asset and educational resource, but also a tribute to the legacy of Professor Haynes by colleagues and community members who knew him and admired his slow, steady, and patient determination. The significant success of the program to date may be attributed to five key elements: supportive university and college policies; tie to the curriculum; service orientation of student clubs; regular work days year-round to maintain momentum; and sustained leadership by project champions with a high personal investment born of sense of place and tradition.
Keywords: POLICY, CURRICULUM, SERVICE, MOMENTUM, PERSONAL INVESTMENT
