Lamont Campus Stewardship

Two years ago, in acknowledgement of its ecological importance here in Rockland, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) established the Lamont Ecosystem Impacts & Stewardship Committee (LEISC).

LEISC encourages the Lamont community to take responsibility for its ecological footprint with actions that conserve or enhance habitats for the benefit of all.

Recent Lamont highlights in support of this responsibility include:

• Inclusion in the Nyack Pollinator Pathway – the Lamont campus hosts an abundance of native plants, shrubs, and trees and maintains several dedicated pollinator gardens.

• Recognition by the Rockland Audubon Society as a Certified Bird Sanctuary – the Lamont campus is a resource-rich stopover and home for migratory birds, with native vegetation, access to water, cover and nesting sites, as well as the absence of pesticides.   

LEISC is working hard to address bird strikes on its buildings with the installation of collision deterrents placed on the outside of glass windows and doors to disrupt the reflection of sky and trees. These include handmade anti-collision cords and window dot decals. A small installation of dot decals was funded by a Rockland Audubon Society grant to LEISC, along with additional funds from several private donors. The paracord curtains are being made by a small team of dedicated Lamont volunteers. Additional resources and substantial funding are required to expand this effort to more Lamont buildings.

To learn more about the Lamont campus stewardship efforts, please visit https://lamont.columbia.edu/leisc