Walking toward the East Bank across the picturesque Faryon Bridge at Trent University, many people have looked up and wondered about the creature that emerges from the top of the Environmental Sciences Building (ESB) and overlooks the Otonabee River. According to building architect Richard
Henriquez, the creature is a mythical fire-breathing dragon, charged with protecting the entrance to the ESB. As the home for environmental science programs at Trent, Mr. Henriquez included several building features to address the ecological issues facing our planet. In designing the dragon, he hoped to demonstrate how there are not just scientific issues surrounding the environment, but also cultural and lifestyle issues which influence ecological crises. As such, the dragon is a reminder of how, as human beings, we should not only be concerned with our quest for scientific knowledge, but also knowledgeable about how our cultural background, mythology and beliefs have an impact on our environment.

Trent University has been a leader in environmental stewardship since its inception in 1964, and has been widely recognized as a champion of environmental awareness and sustainability. Throughout the University’s 50-year history, Trent has been challenging the way we think about environmental programs and sustainability initiatives, demonstrated through continuous investment in state-of-the-art and efficient facilities, top teaching and research expertise, the cultivation of sound working relationships with communities and partner agencies, and through its stewardship of the second-to-none natural assets of its beautiful 1400-acre Peterborough campus. With classic programs like Environmental and Resource Science/Studies (ERS) – one of the first environmental programs to be launched at a Canadian university – and newer initiatives like the Ecological Restoration joint program with Fleming College, Trent will continue to educate the next generation of environmental champions.

Posted on Friday, July 25, 2014.