Cedar Valley College Opens First Environmental Learning Area in Southern Dallas County

Cedar Valley College recently celebrated the grand opening of the Cedar Valley College Environmental Learning Area with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The six-acre, outdoor classroom will provide space for students and community members to learn about different habitat types represented on campus, including wetlands, prairie and woodlands.

“For more than a decade, it has been a vision of mine and others at Cedar Valley College to create an environmental learning area that leverages the natural resources around our campus and benefits not only our students, faculty and staff, but also the community-at-large here in southern Dallas County,” said Dr. Brian Earle, science faculty member and coordinator of environmental learning.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by Lancaster Mayor Marcus E. Knight, Lancaster City Council members and Lancaster Chamber of Commerce representatives. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Ron Curry served as keynote speaker.

“Cedar Valley College is helping fulfill the EPA’s mission by preparing and encouraging students, employees and community members to live more sustainably,“ Curry said. “We thank the college for their leadership and innovation in creating a sustainable future for North Texas.”

Since 2009, Cedar Valley College has been recognized by the EPA as a Center of Excellence in Sustainability and has pledged to reduce its carbon emissions by 20 percent by 2020.  Over the years, the college has also partnered with the EPA on several projects, including studying the feasibility of using solar energy on campus and joining the organization’s Food Recovery Challenge.

The Cedar Valley College Environmental Learning Area is the first facility of its kind in southern Dallas County. The venue is open to the general public from dawn to dusk during the college’s regular operating hours and guided tours are also available upon request.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was part of the Dallas County Community College District’s sixth annual Sustainability Summit held at Cedar Valley College. For additional information on the Cedar Valley College Environmental Learning Area, contact Henry Martinez, director of Marketing and Public Relations, at (972) 860-8142 or visit www.cedarvalleycollege.edu.