Penn State has Guiding Principles on sustainable land management and conservation practices to ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems associated with the university, in particular forests, mountains and drylands. These are described in the Campus Planning and Sustainable Campus sections of the guiding principles document. This links directly to the Penn State LEED policy that details information on environmental conservation and site assessments including restoring natural habitats.  

Environmental resources are mapped in the Campus Master Plan. 

Penn State’s University Park campus has been a certified Bee Campus through the Xerces Society since 2018.

The Penn State Erie, the Behrend College has been a recognized Tree Campus since 2014 by the Arbor Day Foundation.

Penn State’s Hershey Medical Center was awarded Tree Campus Healthcare designation by the Arbor Day Foundation in 2023, one of 35 inpatient health care facilities nationwide to earn recognition.

Penn State has partnered with the Clearwater Conservancy, a non-profit organization that aims to conserve and restore the natural resources in central Pennsylvania, to conserve a piece of property in Penn State’s boundary known as Musser Gap. 

 

Learn more about Penn State’s progress on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals HERE and on SDG15 HERE.