The biotope was completed
A project to construct biotope is selected as one of the pre 100th Anniversary student-faculty-staff collaborative projects. The main theme of this project is “the creation of sustainable future – with our 100 years of history – the day we see fireflies on our campus.” Biotope is a small area of natural environment that enables plants and small animals to live in their own distinctive communities. The idea was proposed by Nanako Aoyama, a first year student in the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies and Professor Takeshi Kawakami supervised the whole project.
The biotope made its debut in the cafeteria entrance area of Building 9 on Yotsuya campus. Fr. Masashi Masuda, Vice President for Student and General Affairs blessed the biotope on December 6.
This biotope owes to hard work and effort of students and faculty of the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies with a help of Takenaka Corporation. The biotope is constructed in such a way that a water pump is designed to circulate the water from the front to the rear side of the pond by the pump. The flora was planted around the biotope considering the vegetation native to Kanto area.
Students and faculty gathered in front of the camera for a commemorative photo
By creating a place where you can feel close to nature on campus, it is hoped that we can raise our consciousness for conserving the global environment. Since our campus is located near the Akasaka Imperial Place, if only we had a habitat suitable for plant and animal lives, the chances would be greater to see insects come and go in a biotope area of our campus.
Ms. Aoyama stated, “I am really hoping to see butterflies and dragonflies but our final goal is to see fireflies glow and fly in our biotope area. This attempt can certainly stimulate and enrich our interest in living creatures and their environments. Kioicho which is a home of Sophia University is an area of historical significance. In Edo Period, there were many residential mansions of feudal lords in this district. I hope our biotope will serve as a link between our past and present.”
