Campus Landscape | Sustainability

Pacific University takes pride in the greenery on campus and the extent of its sustainable practices. Almost all of the landscaping projects that occur on Pacific's campus are contracted through a company out of Portland, Pacific Landscape Management. Students and staff work with facilities and Pacific Landscape Management on new projects and proposals to increase the sustainable efforts on the landscape at our school. Pacific also has a landscape plan that has is referred to for projects and changes across campus.

Pacific University Oak Trees

Starting in 2015, Pacific's Facilities Department, the CSS, and Pacific Landscape Management began looking into the health of the big oaks trees that Pacific prides on campus. These trees have been dying over the past years and are in dire need of help to bring them back to life. Diligent work has been done to understand what is causing the harm to these trees and the steps that can be taken to bring them back to life.

The research and testing done on the trees reveals that the oaks are not receiving all of the nutrients that they need in order to remain healthy. To combat this, for the 2016-17 school year, the trees' trunks, leaves, and roots will be sprayed with a solution to help give the missing nutrients to the trees and help revive them over the year. More information on the research done and the treatment process can be found in the research provided by Jared Kawatani.

Pacific University Reflective Garden

Since 20016, professor Terry O'Day has been working on creating a Reflective Garden and edible guild next to the Pacific Library. 2016 was the first year that students were able to work on the garden and guild together, introduced to them through an art class titled Health, Humans,and Design. The facilities department has been working with Professor O'Day on this project in transferring mulch from campus to the garden area in order to give more nutrients to the plants within that area. Aside from the health aspects of a reflective garden space, we are very interested in highlighting the biomass recycling aspect. Rather than blowing the bark chip mulch on an annual basis, we intend to use some of the leaves and grass clippings that are generated during the routine maintenance of the campus grounds.Part of the project was to gain approval for a variety of plants that can be used in these projects. In addition to aesthetics, these plants were chosen for their edible landscaping, insectary, xeriscape, and medicinal values. The dream vision is to spread this kind of landscaping across the campus as a kind of learning environment in relation to sustainability concepts. Classes and job opportunities continue to be available for this project, and others, led by Terry O'Day.