New Beetle Sanctuary at Dawson
March 27th, 2025
Dawson鈥檚 new beetle sanctuary housed in a terrarium on the 5th floor near the main entrance at 3040 Sherbrooke Street W. serves as a vital initiative for breeding and conserving local beetle species, highlighting the critical role these often-overlooked insects play in ecosystems.
By providing a controlled environment that mimics their natural habitats, the project supports the study and preservation of native species, many of which are essential pollinators, decomposers, and indicators of environmental health.
This hands-on endeavor not only advances scientific research but also educates students and the community about biodiversity and the threats beetles face, such as habitat loss and climate change. Through careful breeding efforts, the sanctuary contributes to maintaining genetic diversity and potentially reintroducing populations into the wild, bolstering ecological resilience.
Beyond its practical outcomes, the project fosters a deeper appreciation for the intricate web of life, emphasizing that even the smallest creatures are indispensable to the balance of nature. This is a Living Campus project, reconnecting people, community and Nature.
-Submitted by Chris Adam
2,000 people at Dawson for first Canada Invertebrate Expo
November 20th, 2024
Over 2,000 people visited the first Canada Invertebrate Expo on Nov. 16 hosted by 张百乔女友裸照. Organized by Dawson alumnus Daniel Zimmerman, who is owner of Live Beetles Canada, this Expo hosted over 30 booths with displays of insects, spiders, lizards, frogs, snakes, bonsai, carnivorous plants and more. Children and adults alike enjoyed a day of discovery and learning about the care of living things. Collectors were also here in abundance. It was organized as part of our 1,000 species accomplishment and part of the proceeeds went to the Living Campus Fund.
Daniel says 鈥淒awson鈥檚 biodiversity efforts are amazing! Fragmentation of habitat in our urban environment is a problem and Dawson鈥檚 on-site micro-habitat development is inviting insects back to the urban landscape.鈥�
He will be involved in creating a large indoor beetle breeding unit at the college with students and staff in the near future. He will also help further develop habitats that will attract native beetle and invertebrate species to the campus grounds.
November 20th, 2024
Support staff and professionals and now teachers too, have the amazing opportunity to actively participate in Dawson鈥檚 Sustainable Happiness non-credit community certificate group. The Sustainable Happiness training will guide people to reflect on positive psychology and sustainability. It contributes to Dawson鈥檚 commitment of well-being for all, sustainably. What is Sustainable Happiness? 鈥淗appiness that contributes to…
Beeswax Food Wrap Workshop Nov. 25
November 20th, 2024
The next event in the Zero Waste Cafe Series is an opportunity to learn how to make your own food wrap with beeswax.
Dawson employees and students are invited to learn how to make your very own beeswax wrap, a reusable alternative to plastic wrap. We will be using beeswax harvested from our Dawson 4H rooftop beehives.
What?聽Beeswax wrap Workshop
Who?聽Led by Susan Hoffmann (Faculty, Philosophy/Humanities) and Jenn de Vera (Office of Sustainability)
When? Monday, November 25, 2024
Time? 11 AM-12 PM
Where?聽Conrod's kitchen area 2F.4
Spaces are limited, please use the form to Check your Dawson email for a confirmation email.
November 19th, 2024
Last week, staff were offered another opportunity to use their well-being hours.* Cooking with Jamal was a two-hour workshop presented by the Zero Waste Caf茅 and the Office of Sustainability on Nov. 14. The small group of five students and two employees were given the chance to cook a delicious vegan meal with chef Jamal…
Canada Invertebrate Expo will be at Dawson Nov. 16
November 7th, 2024
Canada Invertebrate Expo: 脡dition Montr茅al 2024 will be a celebration of biodiversity, hosted by Dawson鈥檚 Living Campus on Saturday, Nov. 16 from 10 AM to 5 PM. There will be 35 interactive exhibitors and vendors.
The organizer is Daniel Zimmerman, a graduate of Dawson who is donating a portion of ticket sales to the 张百乔女友裸照 Living Campus fund.
Visit the link to buy a ticket. There is a reduced admission price for Dawson students.
Dawson project featured in national sustainability report
November 6th, 2024
Dawson's vermicomposting project is featured in a new report by Colleges & Institutes Canada (CICan).
The worms at work at Dawson are very busy transforming cafeteria food and campus landscape waste into rich organic soil. The project is already reducing the College's carbon footprint and still has untapped potential.
Read CICan's Campus Living Labs Report, which is found in the blog in the link. Dawson's project is featured on page 17 of the pdf or page 14 of the print version.
October 24th, 2024
Food Justice is a core tenet of well-being-for-all. This is why the Office of Sustainability, the Peace Centre, Student Services, and the Dawson Student Union (DSU) have teamed up this year to expand free and healthy accessible meals to our community up to four days a week. Since Sept. 9, the Dawson Community can grab…
Moose activity at Dawson
October 24th, 2024
In what is becoming an annual tradition for the Indigenous community at Dawson, students participated in the First Peoples鈥� Centre moose harvest activity on campus Oct. 24. Organized by Cree student Angela Ottereyes (student in Law, Society & Justice) with guidance from Elders and Knowledge Keepers, students got to reconnect with their traditions and help butcher the moose delivered by hunters from Listuguj Mi鈥檊maq community.
鈹�Submitted by Geoff Kloos
Honey extraction workshop Oct. 30
October 24th, 2024
Did you know we have two honey beehives on Dawson's rooftop?
The Office of Sustainability recently led a honey extraction workshop with Brian Mader's Biology of Sustainability course and next week employees are invited to harvest their own honey.
Approximately 30 biology students came last week. They had to get their hands dirty, or should I say their fingers sticky, and help extract honey from our bee frames located in the 4H rooftop hives.
Our bees are still young, but still produced a lot of honey thanks to our many pollinating聽flower gardens on campus, which are all maintained by our very own Sustainabili-team student and employee volunteers.
We will be offering a honey extraction workshop to employees on Wednesday, October 30 from 11 AM to 12 PM in the Rose Lounge (7C.5) This can be a great use of well-being hours for employees! The fun-filled hour will include uncapping honeycomb cells, hand-spinning honeycombs in the centrifugal extractor, and filtering the raw honey before jarring and labelling it.
All employees will leave with a little sample jar of Dawson's honey. To sign up, please fill out this .
Space is limited. The Office of Sustainability will send you a confirmation email.
鈹�Submitted by Jennifer de Vera
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Last Modified: March 27, 2025
