Project Background
Since 1997, all new plants introduced to campus properties have been listed as native species that require less maintenance, are better suited to our climate, support local wildlife including pollinators, and help to reduce invasive plants. The Campus Environmental Sustainability Strategy includes goals of using sustainable landscaping maintenance standards and developing a remediation and preservation plan for targeted areas by 2025. The benefits are multiple: reduced need for pest control measures, habitat creation, increased biodiversity, improved air and water quality, reduced urban heat island effects, and more1 . Yet there are social barriers to sustainable landscaping practices, including expectations of well-manicured lawn and landscaping. The University would like to better understand these barriers and develop value propositions to address them. This work related to the UN Sustainable Development Goals 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and 15 (Life on Land).
Project Example
- Reviewing the campus Landscaping Standards document and similar documents from other major institutions to identify best practices for naturalized landscaping not already covered by the campus Landscaping Standards.
- Examining existing naturalized gardens and spaces on campus.
- Conducting a literature review of stakeholder attitudes and satisfaction with naturalized landscaping. Stakeholders could include grounds personnel and campus users.
- Identifying compliance and liability risks and benefits for naturalized landscaping.
- Researching the potential for naturalized landscaping to impact institutional reputation, including environmental, land stewardship, aesthetics, and others.
- Analyzing any economic implications for naturalized landscaping.
- Summarizing the institutional value of naturalized landscaping.
- Conducting a sensitivity analysis of the impact of changing attitudes on institutional value.
- Making recommendations based on the work listed above.