Grounds
UNCG's picturesque campus includes more than 27 academic buildings and 30 residence buildings on 250-plus acres, many of which are designated green spaces. In 2021, the University earned a Tree Campus Higher Education designation for the 12th year in a row from the Arbor Day Foundation. Tree Campus is a program which honors colleges and universities and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation.
From the picturesque Foust Park, which has been part of the campus since it first opened in 1892, to Peabody Park, a 34-acre tract of mixed hardwood forest, to our numerous gardens, the green spaces on campus serve as a vital refuge for a wide variety of flora and fauna characteristic of the Piedmont region and as pleasant places for repose and retreat for our students, faculty, staff, and visitors.
Across campus, our Grounds crew prioritizes pollinator-friendly plantings to encourage and support populations of honeybees, butterflies, hummingbirds, etc., which are also essential to agricultural food production. Likewise, plant selection for turf, shrubs, and trees is targeted for drought tolerance, which reduces maintenance costs, dependence on irrigation, fertilizers, and replanting.
Other Initiatives Include:
- ❖ Rainwater collection and storage systems.
- ❖ Smart electronic irrigation systems that use “rain-stop” devices to prevent watering in the rain.
- ❖ Underground and drip irrigation systems that are more efficient.
- ❖ Organic or slow-release fertilizers used for less frequent applications, decreasing labor and fuel costs.
- ❖ Removal of invasive species (English Ivy and Bush Honeysuckle) from Peabody Park.
- ❖ No harmful mowing of stream banks to reduce erosion and promote healthy water ecosystems.
- ❖ Fuel-efficient, biodiesel mulching mowers are chosen for purchase because mulched grass clippings that remain on turf reduce the need for fertilizers and irrigation.
- ❖ When necessary, trees and leaves are chipped into mulch for use on campus.
