Page 93 - Sustainability REPORT'23

Solution Proposals

International roadmaps such as the United Nations Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement and the
Convention on Biological Diversity play a major role in the

protection of nature's life cycle and biodiversity. The
Spermophilus Monitoring Committee of our university made
suggestions for the continuation of the Spermophilus

population and a sustainable future. As part of solution
proposals in the report, the following statements were included:
“Programming night-time irrigation in the campus ecosystem,
not creating new grass areas in additional landscaping works

to be carried out, protecting the vegetation cover with seed plants in the existing
steppe areas in a way that guarantees the future of Spermophilus population, not
mowing the seed plants in the campus ecosystem during the seed-setting periods
until October following the June solstice and subsequently until the Spermophilus

enter the feeding and hibernation period, identifying the habitats of existing
colonies, determining the population size based on the current number of active
Spermophilus nests, marking these identified areas with directional signs and
warning signs and leaving grain crops such as barley, wheat, oat and corn near the

nests identified in these areas.”

“New generation projects should be developed”

The suggestions in the report inviting official institutions and non-governmental
organizations to cooperate are as follows: “In the campus ecosystem, wastes such as
rubble, earthworks and garbage should not be poured randomly into the breeding and

feeding areas of the Spermophilus colonies, the transfer of Spermophilus colonies from
nearby regions to strengthen the existing colonies in the campus ecosystem and
increase the population as part of the cooperation with the the General Directorate of
Nature Conservation and National Parks, adopting the stray animals

on the campus in close cooperation with the municipalities and
considering the ecological projects in line with the sustainable
development goals and aiming to strengthen the campus ecosystem

as part of the priority project. In this context, new generation
projects, which have the characteristics of being a model, such as the
use of advanced artificial insemination technology in reproduction
should be developed in cooperation and coordination with the
General Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks.”

ERCİYES UNIVERSITY
SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2023