The population growth of the Charlottesville-Albemarle region is outpacing what the local ecosystem can withstand, according to research from Advocates for a Sustainable Albemarle Population.
The local nonprofit organization recently finished the first phase of its Optimal Sustainable Population Size Project, which aims to determine how many people the region can support sustainably. ASAP conducted five studies examining the impact of population growth on the local ecosystem, including stream health, air quality and groundwater.
"The fact is, we are at an ecological deficit," ASAP President Jack Marshall said. "This means that we are not living sustainably right now. We are exploiting our environment and utilizing production from all over the world. If we want to live sustainably, we should be reducing both consumption and the number of consumers."
Growth at the University, the area's largest employer, accounts for a portion of the growth the area has seen in recent years, and ASAP is looking to meet with University officials to discuss issues relevant to its expansion.
"[The University] is the elephant in the community room," Marshall said. "While many of us are here because of the advantages of living in the University community, it is apparent that the University's needs are met without consideration of the community's."
About six years ago, the University committed to gradually increasing the number of University students by 1,500 during a 10-year period, University spokesperson Carol Wood said. In addition, the state has asked its institutions to increase the number of degrees they confer by 100,000.
"The University - including the academic side and the Health System - is the largest employer in the region and the acknowledged economic engine that attracts other businesses and services to this area," Wood said. "It would be difficult to imagine what the Charlottesville area would be like without the University of Virginia."
ASAP's current efforts to identify an optimal size for the region began in 2008, and it has received funding from Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville. Additional studies conducted by the organization will focus on socioeconomic issues and will involve the input of residents and an examination of how changes in growth impact the character of the wider community. These studies, in addition to those already conducted, will allow the organization to determine the region's carrying capacity.
"It is probably not to the overall University's best interest to have a constantly expanding University," Marshall said. "As the University grows, it then creates demand for new folks moving into our community"
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