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Environmental Science major Jennifer Arena ’26 says she was struck by the University's urban setting on her first visit to campus. “It felt that it needed more areas of natural landscape,” she said. That initial observation eventually grew into her senior thesis project: a set of raised garden beds behind Celentano Hall designed to attract pollinators and study the ecological benefits of native plants.

Arena’s project, which began in spring 2025, is a blend of scientific inquiry and environmental advocacy. She is tracking the number and frequency of pollinators and other organisms not classified as pollinators that visit two garden plots.

“One goal of this project is to attract bees, birds, butterflies, and other beneficial insects to urban areas,” she said. “Another goal is to restore the Monarch butterfly population as they are endangered.”

One plot features annuals, such as pansies, and perennials, such as day lilies, while the other includes native lavender, butterfly bushes, and other plants specifically chosen to thrive in local conditions.

She’s comparing the number of pollinators that visit each type of plot,” explained Laura Miller, director of energy and sustainability at the University It’s been a really nice project — and a great example of student-driven sustainability.”

The location of the project is intentional, too. The beds sit behind Celentano Hall, a LEED (green building certification) Gold-certified building, making it a fitting home for an environmentally focused initiative. “We wanted it to be near one of our LEED buildings because those spaces already emphasize sustainability,” said Miller.

As part of her thesis, Arena monitors the plots several times a week, collecting soil samples and recording data on soil pH and pollinator/organism visits. “Throughout the summer, I visited once a week,” she said. “While I’m on campus for the semester, I’m checking the beds about three or four times a week.”

Arena describes her project as a “Victory Grove.” The term, inspired by an initiative she read about online, reflects her goal to create small but impactful areas that serve as biodiversity hotspots. “These groves act as microecosystems,” she said. “When enough are established, especially in urban areas, they can restore biodiversity on a larger scale.”

To develop her plan, Arena consulted with her thesis adviser, Jean-Paul Simjouw, Ph.D., professor of practice in the Biology and Environmental Science Department, as well as experts from Yale University. “Collaborating with Dr. Simjouw has definitely helped,” she said. “He’s been guiding me on my thesis proposal, data collection, and variables.”

The Victory Grove is also an example of a way to bridge the "Urban Blockage" of pollinators such as bees and butterflies, such as what the does, but also to encourage the AV������ to become a member of , like several other Connecticut universities, which helps to ensure that these standards for the limited use of chemicals, pesticides, and herbicides on campus do not adversely affect bees, other pollinators, or any wildlife the grove is designed to attract, such as an increased population of bird species to the AV������ campus.

Arena’s project is also meant to bring more biodiverse, climate friendly microecosystems across urban areas to moderate global warming, act as carbon sinks, and replace and eliminate so many chemical agents used in urban landscaping. These would be replaced by urban landscapes requiring less or no maintenance, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and overall pollution as well as chemicals that can leach into local water supplies and eventually to our coastal wetlands.

We worked with several landscaping companies and nurseries to source the plants,” said Miller. “But Jennifer really took the lead in connecting with the nurseries herself.”

“Native plants are so beautiful,” added Arena. “They’re adapted to our climate, take less care, and help our bees and butterflies. It all connects back to the health of our environment.”

Arena envisions her work as a foundation that future students can expand upon. “My intention was always to continue this project,” she said. “I’m hoping other students will volunteer and help expand it across campus.”

She imagines future Environmental Science and Biology majors using the plots for research, comparing soil samples or pollinator activity across different areas of campus. “Once these groves have established themselves, there will be more organisms that make these microecosystems their own homes,” Arena said.

Miller agrees that the project has long-term potential. “I’d love to add signage explaining what the beds are and include them on our sustainability tours,” she said. “Eventually, we’d like to incorporate more native plants into all of our existing beds across campus.”

Arena also hopes her work will inspire the surrounding community. “There needs to be more urban green spaces not only on the AV������’s campus but also in West Haven and New Haven,” she said. “The idea is to encourage our community to participate in growing beneficial plants and creating these groves.”

Her project may have started as a small patch of soil behind a residence hall, but Arena’s vision is much larger. “When enough of these spaces exist,” she said, “we can restore biodiversity one grove at a time.”