DANBURY, CONN. — As spring approaches, students and staff affiliated with the Jane Goodall Center for Excellence in Environmental Studies at Western Connecticut State University are preparing to get their hands dirty in the university’s Permaculture Garden on the Midtown campus, 181 White St. in Danbury. Launched during the 2014-15 academic year, the garden serves multiple purposes, including course curriculum across many disciplines — and its yield provides healthy, locally grown food for WCSU students in the campus cafeterias and at area food pantries.

The community is invited to learn more about permaculture gardening and to participate hands-on in the soil preparation and planting of WestConn’s garden at several upcoming volunteer work days that are open to the public.

The scheduled volunteer opportunities are:

• Wednesday, March 8, 2017: Garden Volunteer Meeting, 2 p.m., Science Building, Room 150, Midtown campus 

• Wednesday, March 22, 2017: Planting in the Greenhouse, 2 p.m., Science Building, Room 150, Midtown campus

• Friday, April 21, 2017: Composting Day in the Garden, noon to 4 p.m., Permaculture Garden adjacent to Science Building, Midtown campus

• Saturday, April 22, 2017: Planting Day in the Garden, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Permaculture Garden adjacent to Science Building, Midtown campus

Last fall, the Jane Goodall Center was awarded a $500 Community Champions Grant by Constellation, an Exelon company, for use with the garden. The center also was named a 2016 Environmental Champion by Aquarion Water in June 2016, winning $2,500 in prize money that went toward hiring a garden intern last summer.

For more information or to volunteer, email Permaculture Garden Manager Roman Mendieta at mendieta002@connect.wcsu.edu.

Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.