Grounds
Introduction
Beautiful and welcoming campus grounds can be planned, planted, and maintained in any region while minimizing the use of toxic chemicals, protecting wildlife habitat, and conserving resources.
Featured Resources
Latest News from AASHE Bulletin
New Resources
Green Infrastructure at the University of Louisville
- University of Louisville (KY)
On August 4, 2009 a storm hit the University of Louisville with 7" of rain in 30 minutes. Although not located on a stream or river, flooding damage exceeded $22 …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
- Conference Presentations
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Collaborating around Art + Architecture: Designing the Paradise Creek Nature Park
- University of Virginia (VA)
The recently designed Paradise Creek Nature Park proves the value of the arts in sustainability education. University students and faculty collaborated with the City of Portsmouth, Portsmouth Public Schools, and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Getting The Entire Campus Involved In A Campus Garden Project
- Bemidji State University (MN)
Examines the design and planning features encountered when building the Gitigaan Campus Garden at Bemidji State University (BSU), Bemidji, MN. This presentation addresses specific goals and outcomes such as local …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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A New Sustainable Method for Filtering Storm Water Runoff
- University of California, Riverside (CA)
Storm water runoff is a major source of surface water contamination that contains oil and sediment. Conventional filters create waste because they cannot be recycled and have to be thrown …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Community Garden Connections: strengthening resilience through university-community partnerships
- Antioch University, New England (NH)
Our city identified food security as a priority issue given likely disruptions in the commercial food supply due to climate change and peak oil, in addition to food insecurity (hunger) …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Habitat Preservation in Agnes Scott's Urban Forest: Arboretum Guide
- Agnes Scott College (GA)
Striving to sustainably maintain a campus landscape is on the horizon for all college's and universities' agendas. The Arboretum Guide will educate the wider community about the many assets that …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainability Practices of a Campus Grounds Department: Utililizing Technology to Improve Stewardship
- Calvin University (MI)
The Grounds Department of our Institution has taken the initiative over the last 10 years to adopt sustainable practices that incorporate our mandate for creation care with the desire for …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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EcoCommons establishes Ecological Performance for entire campus, provides distinctive sense of identify, place, sustainability
- Georgia Institute of Technology (GA)
In the higher education arena, our institute has one of the most advanced and forward-thinking sets of building standards for environmental stewardship, sustainable design, and energy management. Strategically, sustainability is …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Native Woodland Garden: The New Paradigm in Ecology Takes Root on Manhattan Island
- New York University (NY)
Does the high density of our cities mean that we have to leave the city center to experience biodiversity? Do we have to sacrifice aesthetics for the sake of ecological …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Plant to Plate: A model for student-run urban gardens
- Plant To Plate
Plant to Plate was born during the Fall of 2009, when two undergraduate students recognized a need for a hands-on means to educate students on local food systems and sustainability. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Leasing Land to Farmers to Support Sustainability
- St. Paul's School (NH)
For land-rich institutions, leasing parcels of land to local farmers can support all facets of sustainability. Small farms gain acreage, enhancing the local food system; dining halls get direct access …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Adopting the "Swamp": Creating a Sense of Ownership through a Litter Prevention and Maintenance Program
- University of Florida (FL)
The University of Florida campus provides a beautiful collegiate atmosphere for students, staff and faculty to study and learn. Amidst the over 900 buildings housed on campus are numerous ecologically …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Creating Sustainable Urban Infrastructure One Seed at a Time
- University of Louisville (KY)
Rationale: Many students and universities are interested in the integration of sustainable systems but don't have a means to empower students, faculty and the wider community to take an active …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Education through Restoration: The Campus Landscape as a Living Laboratory
- Wellesley College (MA)
"Campus," from Latin, translates as field or open plain. In support of sustainability initiatives, some colleges and universities have undertaken the restoration of campus open spaces as a "living laboratory," …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Community gardens and access to green space for near-poverty populations
- Western Illinois University (IL)
Backyard gardening has become more popular in recent years both as an outdoor recreation activity and a means of food safety and security. Access to open space for gardening is …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Addressing Land, Water & Biodiversity on an Urban Campus
- Yale University (CT)
Many urban campuses are intertwined with the layout of the surrounding city. Sharing streets, neighborhoods, and green spaces requires that we manage the physical campus in a locally, integrated way. …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Installing an Organic Garden on Campus
- LaGrange College (GA)
Beginning an organic garden on a college campus poses more challenges than one initially assumes, as the community of LaGrange College quickly learned; issues that arose included administration buy-in, construction, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Organic Gardens On the Rise
- Arizona State University (AZ)
- Fort Lewis College (CO)
- Saint Michael's College (VT)
Program organizers from several different colleges plan to lead an interactive discussion on different approaches to community and organic gardening on college campuses. Campus gardens are known for being one …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Calculating and Communicating the Carbon Benefit of Campus Trees
- Chatham University (PA)
- Clean Air-Cool Planet (NH)
This dialogue and discussion session will facilitate creation of a peer-reviewed methodology for calculating and reporting the carbon sequestration of campus trees, to further the design of responsible policies for …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Local Organic on Campus: Commitment, Education, Outreach
- Western Colorado University (CO)
The Sustainability Coalition, a student group at Western State College of Colorado (WSC), is committed to promoting local organic agriculture both on campus and in the greater community of Gunnison, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Assessing the Sustainability of Carbon Sequestration through Reforestation
- George Mason University (VA)
Ashley Mott, M.S.
George Mason University, 2010
Project Director:
Dr. Sharon DeMonsabert
George Mason University began to address its greenhouse gas emissions with its Climate Action Plan commitment to climate …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Using campus green space for learning about learning and teaching
- University of Plymouth (Devon)
This action research project explores the student experience of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) embedded into a postgraduate course on teaching and learning at the University of Plymouth, with particular …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Planning sustainable campus urban forests: Indiana University-Bloomington and Tree Campus USA.
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
Many universities are creating or updating their campus master plans with an eye toward sustainability, going beyond traditional development-based plans centered on new building construction and instead focusing on protecting …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Student Agriculture at Whitman - A New Approach to Student Initiatives
- Whitman College (WA)
A group of Whitman students with a lofty goal, a student-run organic farm to provide produce for campus dining halls, developed a novel approach to generate student and faculty support, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Gardening with seniors: Benefits across socioeconomic status
- Furman University (SC)
Recently, researchers have become interested in the psychological benefits of engaging in nature-based activities. Thus far, research has shown that gardening can increase well-being and sense of community (Armstrong, 2000) …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Let's talk about poop!
- Furman University (SC)
This study examines the effects of the installation of pet waste bag dispenser stations on the compliance of dog owners to pick up after their pets. Our study site is …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Promoting Sustainable Communities: The Randolph College Permaculture Program
- Randolph College (VA)
Randolph College has a thriving permaculture and organic garden program, well-integrated into the college curriculum and offering semester and summer internships. The garden includes an orchard of heirloom fruit and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Demonstrating Carbon Sequestration with a Verifiable Land-Use Change
- Truman State University (MO)
The use of degraded agricultural lands for carbon sequestration has the potential to store significant amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Through verifiable land-use changes, property owners could realize revenue by …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Boundary Crossing, Experiential Learning, and Sustainable Agriculture at Virginia Tech
- Virginia Tech (VA)
A diverse team of faculty, staff, students, and community partners collaborated to conceptualize, develop, and propose undergraduate curriculum for a transdisciplinary and experiential-based Civic Agriculture and Food Systems (CAFS) Minor …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The University at Albany's Purple Path: A Vision for Sustainable, Non-Motorized Travel
- University at Albany (NY)
The University at Albany has begun construction on an ambitious and student driven project called the Purple Path. Named after our school's colors, the path is a five kilometer loop …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable Agriculture on a Community College Campus
- College of DuPage (IL)
This presentation discusses work at a community college in Chicago's western suburbs, where we combine the interdisciplinary (English and Biology) academic study of food and agriculture with hands-on experience in …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Comparison of Third Party Forest Certification Systems for their Impact on University Environmental Footprints
- University of Alberta (AB)
Forest certification systems are meant to guarantee responsible harvesting and manufacturing practices of forest products. Certified products are now common in the market place and may represent an opportunity for …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Sustainable Stormwater Management at Old Dominion University: A Low Impact Approach to a Greener Campus Community
- Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (MA)
Located in an urban setting in Norfolk, Virginia, the 188 acre campus of Old Dominion University is nestled between the Elizabeth and Lafayette Rivers in the sensitive Chesapeake Bay watershed, …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Restoring the Wellesley Campus Community: Landscape as Infrastructure and Learning Resource
- Wellesley College (MA)
- Haley & Aldrich, Inc. (MA)
- Vanasse Hangen Brustlin, Inc. (MA)
Over the past decade, Wellesley College has executed two major projects that have addressed campus needs while providing substantial environmental benefit and educational opportunities through the living classroom of the …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Teaching Sustainability Using an On-Farm Community Supported Agriculture framework
- New Mexico State University (NM)
An organic garden operated as a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) venture at New Mexico State University (NMSU) was used as the framework for teaching sustainability concepts. The CSA model of …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Tree Campus USA: Supporting Sustainability Efforts with Community Forestry
- Indiana University Bloomington (IN)
In 2008, The Arbor Day Foundation is launching the Tree Campus USA program aimed at recognizing those colleges and universities who meet core standards of forestry management, planning, student involvement …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Conserving Potable Water through Stormwater Irrigation
- Elon University (NC)
As the demand for potable water increases and supply remains constant or diminishes, the need to conserve water is more evident than ever. Elon University is responding to this need …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Sustainable Agriculture Education Association: Facilitating the Teaching and Learning of Sustainable Food and Farming Systems in Higher Education
- North Carolina State University (NC)
- University of California, Davis (CA)
Sustainable agriculture as an academic discipline is an emerging field. In the past five to ten years, numerous U.S. colleges and universities have formed courses and programs dedicated to the …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Ecotrail Design: Integrating Art, Nature and Sustainability
- Daemen University (NY)
In an interdisciplinary collaboration between a biologist and artist/designer at Daemen College, we have initiated a multi-year project to engage students in environmental science through the creation of a campus …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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The Furman Sustainable Agriculture Project
- Furman University (SC)
At a small liberal arts school in upstate South Carolina, a quarter acre garden of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers is being cultivated and promises to be integral to Furman …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Prairie Restoration and Community Building through Service Learning
- Carthage College (WI)
In a unique partnership, Carthage College and Harborside Academy (a high school specializing in expeditionary learning) recently paired with a local nature center in Kenosha, Wisconsin to design and implement …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Expressions of an Environmental Framework: Campus as an Arboretum
- Hughes Good O'Leary & Ryan (GA)
As universities and colleges expand at a record pace, they are also increasingly expected to be models of sustainable development. Henceforth, the expression of a tangible campus environmental framework and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Incorporating Native Systems into the Academic Campus Landscape
- JFNew (IL)
Much of the modern campus has been encroached upon by ornamental landscaping, and native plants have been replaced by a small number of non-native species such as turf grass and …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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District Approach to Campus Stormwater Management
- Mississippi State University (MS)
As part of a precinct master plan commissioned by Virginia Tech, SmithGroup/JJR developed a district storm water management plan utilizing principles of sustainable design to maintain, or reduce, current levels …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Campus Habitats: Conserving Energy, Sequestering Carbon, and Providing Homes for Wildlife
- National Wildlife Federation (VA)
This presentation will feature the different kinds of habitats found on college and university campuses including forests, prairies, wetlands, gardens, and green roofs and highlight, through case studies, the benefits …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Promoting Sustainable Agriculture Careers for Undergraduates through a Collaborative Experiential Learning and Research Program at Cornell University: The Sustainable Agriculture Scholars Program
- North Carolina State University (NC)
The number of undergraduate students majoring in agricultural fields is steadily declining, resulting in fewer trained agricultural professionals able to address complex problems concerning agricultural sustainability. We developed and piloted …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Developing Integrated Research, Education, and Outreach Programs in Sustainable Agriculture at NC State University: A Model for Land Grant Universities
- North Carolina State University (NC)
Land grant universities (LGUs) play a vital role in educating students and training extension agents in organic and sustainable agriculture. Incorporating research, education and extension outreach into their missions, LGUs …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Establishing Carbon Offsets for Univerities through Tree Planting in Rural Africa
- Northern Arizona University (AZ)
In February of 2008, a representative of The International Small Group & Tree Planting Program (TIST), gave a presentation at Northern Arizona University outlining the function and methods used by …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Greening Pest Management on Campus - Demonstrating Termite Management using Low-Insecticide Input Application Strategies
- University of Georgia (GA)
Termites are the most economically important pest of structures in the United States resulting in an estimated annual cost to US consumers of over $2.5 billion. A typical whole-house termite …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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Partnering for Sustainable Stormwater Management on Campus and Beyond
- University of Georgia (GA)
Sustainability requires working together for a common goal. At universities, effective partnerships can result in improved water quality on campus and beyond. Collaboration between campus departments and innovative town-gown relationships …
- Posted Feb. 26, 2016
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This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.
All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.
OP 9: Landscape Management
- Percent of grounds managed organically
- Description of the organic landscape management program
- Percent of grounds managed in accordance with an IPM program
- Description of the IPM program
- Website URL - Sustainable landscaping
OP 10: Biodiversity
- Description of legally protected areas, priority sites for biodiversity, and regions of conservation importance
- List of endangered and vulnerable species with habitats on land owned or managed by the institution
- Description of areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution
- Website URL - Biodiversity initiatives
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.