A student, staff and faculty partnership to convert 25,500 square feet of turf into a biodiverse, low-maintenance habitat.

Project Overview

Team: Sustainability Stewards, Landscape Maintenance and Operations, University Sustainability Office, Design and Construction, Global One Health Academy, Climate and Sustainability Academy

Duration: Fall 2026 – Present

Status: In Progress

Focus: Life on Land

Primary Contact: Mike Riha

Summary

The No-Mow Project at West Deck is a student-driven effort by the Sustainability Stewards in collaboration with multiple units within the Facilities Division. Located on a 25,500-square-foot site south of West Parking Deck, the area started as an underutilized grass space requiring weekly mowing, edging and trimming. The primary goal of this project is to replace low-productivity turf grass with grasses, flowers, and semi-shade vegetation designed to thrive alongside existing trees.

By reintroducing a variety of vegetation, the project transforms an unproductive plot of land into an improved and healthier ecosystem that also reduces erosion and improves quality of stormwater runoff. The site’s plantings will also make it an urban refuge for native pollinators, birds, butterflies, and small wildlife. Once established, the area will be  chemical-free and mowed only occasionally, which results in maintenance savings from lower labor and fuel demands at the site.

Findings

The project is in progress, and findings will be updated. One lesson learned so far is that interdepartmental collaboration is vital. With the vision set by the Landscape Framework Plan, Landscape Maintenance and Operations identified this site for a turf alternative. Partnership with the Sustainability Stewards was critical in securing a Sustainability Fund grant and in the long-term management of the site as it is established. Through the two academies, faculty provide research expertise to measure the ecological characteristics of this site versus traditional turf sites nearby.

Looking Ahead

The project is still in progress with ongoing research, maintenance savings and site monitoring planned.