Sustainable Grounds Management at Dalhousie University: A Community Approach

Abstract

There is a need for greater sustainability on Dalhousie University campuses. More specifically, the report epands on the need for sustainability in terms of the land indicators on campus. Dalhousie’s current landscape management practices may not adequately address functional, aesthetic, ecological and social needs of the community. Interview results show the need for a more holistic and sustainable approach to Dalhousie’s landscape management must be. The purpose of this study is to examine approaches to landscape management that would contribute to improving, firstly, campus sustainability and secondly student, staff, and faculty’s campus experiences. Firstly, the research examines landscape management and design approaches in theory and practice. Secondly, it seeks to discuss the applicability of these approaches on Dalhousie campuses by considering staff, faculty, and student opinions and visions and to discuss the relevance and benefits of sustainable landscape management for the Dalhousie community. We have acquired our information through questionnaires, interviews, and observations as well as from our studies of literature. The report concludes with recommendations for Dalhousie that offers increased maintainability while increasing aesthetic interest in the landscape among other social, ecological, and economic benefits.