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).
Scope of Work
- Review 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.
- Examine existing naturalized gardens and spaces on campus.
- Conduct a literature review of stakeholder attitudes and satisfaction with naturalized landscaping. Stakeholders could include grounds personnel and campus users.
- Identify compliance and liability risks and benefits for naturalized landscaping.
- Research the potential for naturalized landscaping to impact institutional reputation, including environmental, land stewardship, aesthetics, and others.
- Analyze any economic implications for naturalized landscaping.
- Summarize the institutional value of naturalized landscaping.
- Conduct a sensitivity analysis of the impact of changing attitudes on institutional value.
- Make recommendations based on the work listed above.
Resources
The Sustainability Office can share its proposed Landscaping Standards documents and campus ecological biodiversity maps. The Sustainability Office is also happy to facilitate a conversation with Grounds Services and the Ecology Lab.
Stakeholders
- Sustainability Office
- Plant Operations
- Ecology Lab
Proposed Deliverables
The details of the deliverables are flexible but must meet the requirements set out by the course instructor. Some proposed deliverables include:
- A work plan early in the term outlining key milestones and responsibilities.
- Updates on progress at least once during the term.
- A final report outlining the outcomes of the study, including the literature reviews, economic analysis and any recommendations stemming from those.
- A final meeting to review the outcomes of the report and answer questions.