Virginia Tech
IN-2: Innovation 2

“Campus Land Conservation: Protecting Stadium Woods” In 2012, the University resolved a major campus sustainability controversy regarding the fate of a significant environmental resource, a 14-acre old growth forest remnant adjacent to the football stadium, so-called Stadium Woods. In 2011, a major athletic indoor practice facility was proposed for part of the Woods. When it became clear that the Woods was a unique old growth forest site with hundreds of ancient white oak trees including 59 older than 300 years, a major controversy developed over the facility planning. The issue generated national media attention, student and alumni protests, and resolutions from the Faculty Senate and several other campus organizations. University President Charles Steger initiated a 15-member ad hoc campus committee to resolve the issue. After six months of fact-finding and deliberation, the committee issued its final consensus report calling for relocating the site of the facility away from the impact area of the Woods and developing a sustainability management plan for the Woods. The President accepted the committee’s recommendation. Please see the URL below for the Final Report for the “Athletic Practice Facility Site Evaluation Committee” dated May 30, 2012.