Lawns to Meadows Plan and Implementation
Project Leads: Jim Horner & Theron Klos
Sponsor: Facilities Services & Capital Projects
TGIF Grant: $40,000
Additional Funds: $1,000
Project Theme: Habitat Restoration
Project Description: This project will prepare a master plan that includes locations, methodology, and plant palettes for converting selected grass lawns to regionally appropriate plants and promotes more efficient use of water and fossil fuel resources while respecting how open space is used.
Goals: Develop a master plan for converting grass lawns to regionally appropriate plants. Promote efficient use of potable water resources and improve energy efficiency by reducing fossil fuel consumption. Create more native habitats for plant and wildlife biodiversity. Assist campus in planting drought tolerant plans and creating organic lawns and playing fields. Reduce the current use of 47,530,000 gal per year of water for the campus landscape irrigation system. Assemble a team of landscape industry specialists experienced in development of contemporary ecological landscapes and materials as well as campus maintenance staff and students. Develop the approach, baseline data, plant lists, and priority sites through a series of open workshops. Present a draft master plan to Facilities Services and the Design Review Committee. Refine the plan and prepare contract documents to implement trial conversions in two representative areas. Install educational signage to inform the campus community about the projects. Involve students to help perform post construction evaluations and data gathering every three months for 18 months to document water use, plant growth and refine the maintenance practices. Update the Landscape Master Plan and Landscape Heritage Plan websites to reflect the revised goals.