·Como Conservation
At Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, conservation is a part of our mission. Our goal is to take an active role in helping to conserve our planet's resources - plants, animals, and whole ecosystems. As a model for others, Como staff works to preserve resources and operate in an environmentally responsible, efficient, safe and sustainable manner.
The Green Team
The Green Team at Como Zoo and Marjorie McNeely Conservatory is a group comprised of staff members that meet monthly to monitor Como’s environmental efforts and maintain a sustainable workplace
GREEN TEAM MISSION STATEMENT:
To make Como Campus an Environmental Ambassador for it's visitors, staff and volunteers by enhancing, fostering, inspiring green practices such as recycling, waste reduction, conservation, and education.
Green Design
Green Design is an important feature of the Visitor Center at Como Park. The interior walls are made of a recycled wood product. Photovoltaic cells help provide shade over the new Fern Room and offer a source of renewable energy. The photovoltaic project was funded as a demonstration project by Xcel Energy.
Water is collected and reused throughout the new facility. Accumulated runoff goes through a series of pools and streams and ends up in an underground cistern. This water will eventually be used to irrigate the building's exhibit plantings.
Como's volunteer team interprets the photovoltaic cells and other environmentally friendly aspects of the Visitor Center to the general public.
The Conservation Parking Meter
The Conservation Parking Meter is on its eleventh year at Como! Money collected in the meter goes to the Center for Ecosystem Survival for the purchase of rainforest land in Central America and the Adopt an Acre program.
·Recycling
Cell Phone Recycling
Como has set up a permanent collection point to collect and recycle unwanted cell phones. All cell phones collected will be sent to Eco-Cell and Como will received funds for each phone donated. The funds raised will go to Orangutan conservation projects that help preserve one of the most critically endangered species on earth, the orangutan.
In addition to aiding endangered orangutans, recycling cell phones at Como also prevents toxic phone batteries from harming our earth when land-filled and helps to reduce the need to mine coltlan, a product used in making cell phones that is often illegally mined in an area of Africa that is home to endangered gorillas.
Drop off your unwanted cell phone in the collection boxes located in the Visitor Center and Primate Building.
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is partnering with the St. Paul Public Library to make recycling your cell phone even easier! You may now drop off your unwanted cell phone and accessories at all 13 St. Paul Public Library locations.
Important Note: It is the responsibility of the donating party to cancel or switch service on the phone and to delete any data such as phone numbers, text messages, emails or documents that might be on the cell phone.
Phones can also be mailed to Como for recycling:
Cell Phone Recycling
Como Education Department
1225 Estabrook Drive
St. Paul, MN 55103
For more information on the Como cell phone recycling program call 651-487-8272.
To learn more about orangutans and what else you can do to help save their habitat visit The Orangutan Conservancy web site.
Ink Jet Recycling
Recycle your Ink Jet and Toner Cartridges at St Paul's Como Zoo and Conservatory. Proceeds from the Cartridge recycling program will help fund Conservation Projects on the Como Campus. A donation box is located in the lobby of the Visitor Center.
Other Recycling
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory is partnering with Eureka Recycling to create a model for public recycling. Eureka Recycling has received a grant from the EPA to create this model for "away from home" recycling. Few examples of large public space recycling programs exist. Como will assist in determing best practices, including how to assess the need and design of public space recycling in the community.
What that means today...lots of preparation. You won't see more recycling containers in the public areas just yet. Baseline data will be collected over the next six months on what's currently in our trash, where it occurs, and quantity of recycled materials. This project is expected to provide much needed information to make a case for and inspire public space recycling throughout St. Paul and the region.
·Animal Conservation
Species Survival Plan
Many animals at Como Zoo are managed through a program of the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums called the Species Survival Plan (SSP). Most species chosen for SSP are endangered. Each SSP program manages the breeding of the captive population so that it remains healthy and genetically diverse. Como currently participates in 12 SSPs: Gorilla, Orangutan, Spider Monkey, Blue-eyed Black Lemur, Debrazza Monkey, Amur Tiger, Snow Leopard, African Lion, Waddled Crane, African Penguin, and Radiated Tortoise. Other species are managed cooperatively through various Taxon Advisory Groups.
Como Zoo’s First Studbook: The Crowned Lemur (Eulemur coronatus)
Como Zoo Primate Keeper, Megan Elder, is the newly appointed North American regional studbook keeper for the Crowned lemur (Eulemur coronatus)- a species managed under the Eulemur Species Survival Plan (SSP). Crowned lemurs are found only on the northern tip of the island of Madagascar. Duke University’s Primate Center estimates only 1,000-10,000 individuals left in the wild. Threats to this species include human encroachment, “slash & burn” agriculture, and fragmented habitats. To qualify for this position, Megan underwent special training and completed two Population Management courses offered through the Association of Zoos & Aquarium’s (AZA) professional development program. As studbook keeper, Megan is responsible for tracking all Crowned lemurs held in North American institutions and tracing them back to the wild. In doing so, a database is created that is used to perform genetic analyses for making breeding recommendations. Studbooks are important conservation tools that ensure genetically diverse, healthy captive population similar to those in the wild.
Blandings Turtle Research
The Blandings turtle is listed as a threatened species in Minnesota. Como Zoo staff is involved in tracking the Blandings in Saint Paul Parks. The ongoing research locates the areas where this rare species is found and provides critical information to help protect its habitat in our city.
Butterfly Conservation Initiative (BFCI)
Como recently joined a coalition of AZA accredited zoos and aquariums, non-governmental organizations and governmental agencies - working together to aid the conservation of threatened, endangered and vulnerable North American Butterflies and the habitats that sustain them. This initiative focuses on recovery, research and education. At Como we demonstrate butterfly gardening with the Enchanted Garden, which is located across from the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory. Last spring, our on-site butterfly habitats were expanded to include space in the Bird yard around the Old Mill House. Como is also working with the Monarch Larva Monitoring Project at the University of Minnesota to collect data on monarch butterflies in Como's gardens.
Seafood Watch
Como has established a Seafood Watch Partnership with the Montery Bay Aquarium to raise awareness with our visitors about the importance of buying seafood from sustainable sources. Visitors can pick up a Seafood Watch guide at the Visitor Center or in the Aquatics building.
Amphibian Recovery and Conservation Coalition Project in Panama
It is believed that 50% of nearly 6000 species of amphibians are in serious danger of becoming extinct in the near future. The goal of the Amphibian Recovery and Conservation Coalition (ARCC) is to treat sick amphibians in the wild and establish healthy captive colonies here in the United States. Como is helping to breed five species of endangered Panamanian frogs for the coalition including the national symbol of Panama, the Golden Frog.
The Zambezi River Basin Transboundry Carnivore Project
The Zambezi River Basin Transboundry Carnivore Project is the primary long-term study of the African Predator Conservation Research Organization (APCRO) . It is an ongoing multidisciplinary investigation of carnivores in an area of approximately 610,000 hectares (1.5M acres) of the transboundary area that includes the Kwando/Linyanti region of Botswana and Namibia, the Tamafupa region of Botswana and the adjacent Hwange border region of Zimbabwe. This study includes the examination of the overall health and genetics status of the lion, leopard, African wild dog, cheetah, spotted hyena, and black back jackal in this region. This project provides a comprehensive, broad-based look at the role these species play in disease transmission, their impact on genetic viability, and their reproductive potential through inter-species competition.
Components of the Zambezi River Basin Transboundry Carnivore Project include: animal census, satellite tracking of certain individuals to determine home range and potential of genetic distribution, a comprehensive nutritional analysis to determine effects of various habitats and the effect available prey species have on the predators.
Como Zoo keeper Krista Webber joined this team for three weeks in September of 2005. Krista's assignments included: photography, assisting with blood and other biological sample processing, recordkeeping and data input, assisting with tracking of predators and assisting with camp.
·Plant Conservation
Shade Grown Coffee
The education department has created a 'coffee card' that explains to Como visitors why they should purchase shade grown coffee. Coffee cards are available for interpreters to give out to visitors, who can then show the card in Garden Safari Gifts to receive a 10% discount on shade grown coffee.
The shade grown label on coffee means that the beans were grown on a plantation that provides a rainforest home for birds and animals. Over the last 20 years, many large coffee plantations have switched to full sun production, and in doing so eliminated the forest that serves as a critical habitat to many species of migratory birds. Approximately 200 species of birds are known as neo-tropical migrants, breeding in North America and migrating south to Mexico, Central and South America and the Caribbean islands for the winter.
Plant Rescue Center
Many plants are under severe threat of extinction from over-collection and destruction of their native habitats. The Marjorie McNeely Conservatory has been designated as a Plant Rescue Center by the U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). This program was created in order to salvage plants seized through the enforcement of regulations put in place by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). It was established in an effort to curb the illegal collection, documentation and trade of plants and to ensure their survival after confiscation.
Integrated Pest Management
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an approach to pest control that utilizes regular monitoring to determine if and when treatments are needed. It then employs physical, mechanical, cultural, biological and educational tactics to keep pest numbers low enough to prevent unacceptable damage or annoyance. Treatments are made only when and where monitoring has indicated that the pests will cause unacceptable economic, medical or aesthetic damage. Treatments are chosen and timed to be most effective and least hazardous to non-target organisms and the general environment. As part of the IPM program beneficial insects are released in the glasshouses to prey on pest insects - particularly in the MMC's public areas where pesticide use is extremely limited. In 2005, over 1 million beneficial insects were released.
Buckthorn Eradication
Buckthorn is an invasive plant that robs native plants of nutrients, light and moisture. Overgrown buckthorn can degrade wildlife habitat, contribute to erosion and serve as a host to pests such as fungus and harmful aphids. Buckthorn eradication at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory campus is a goal of the horticulture staff. Targeted areas for buckthorn eradication include the zoo exhibits, behind-the-scene areas, and the grounds that adjoin the Como Ordway Memorial Japanese Garden. Progress was made in 2004 with the participation of a large group of volunteers from Comcast and is also made annually with existing staff, but more resources will be required to achieve total eradication.
