Sustainable Grounds
We’re shifting perspectives on how a college campus should look. From landscaping to habitat protection, we lead by example, starting with our physical location.
This includes stewardship of The Farm at Butler and its programming, formerly offered by the Center for Urban Ecology and Sustainability (CUES).
Holcomb Gardens Restoration
We have begun the groundbreaking restoration of our beloved Holcomb Gardens, partnering with the Indiana Native Plant Society to replant 12 flowerbeds with all native plantings. This ongoing project will create beautiful pollinator gardens, reduce the need for landscaping chemicals, and expand the scientific, educational, and recreational reach of Holcomb Gardens to the public.
On September 30, 2024, over 400 volunteers from the Butler community, surrounding neighborhoods, INPS, and beyond gathered to assist with planting 3,700 plants. We are grateful for the outpouring of support that will help Holcomb Gardens flourish.
Explore the Holcomb Gardens planting designs.
Campus Certifications
Butler is a Tree Campus USA University, Bee Campus USA University, and a Gold Level Conservation Champion—the highest level of landscape conservation management identified by the Indiana Wildlife Federation.
Butler has also installed rain gardens throughout campus to naturally filter water runoff and prevent flooding. You can learn more about the rain gardens here.
No Mow Zones
No mow zones, including the greenspace along Garden Road leading into Holcomb Gardens, the hill behind the Sellick Bowl, and areas within the Resco courtyard, while being important habitats for local pollinators and wildlife, are a way for our grounds staff to minimize water, fertilizer, and fuel use. By reducing the number of maintained lawns on campus we can lower our expenses and emissions.
Butler’s location, situated adjacent to the Indianapolis Central Canal and the White River, means we are responsible for preventing contaminants and harmful runoff from entering these waterways. Chemicals used to maintain Butler’s traditional landscape pose direct risk to the health of the White River and the people, plants, and wildlife that depend on it. Converting turf, non-native flower beds, and other traditionally landscaped areas to mini-Indiana native prairies, pollinator gardens, rain gardens, fescue, sedge “lawns,” and no-mow zones will reduce chemical runoff, enhance biodiversity, conserve water, and provide community education opportunities in Holcomb Gardens and throughout campus.
Other landscaping initiatives include implementing efficient watering techniques, avoiding harsh chemical pesticides and fertilizers, and adhering to the below sustainable landscaping plan.
Rain Gardens
Butler’s rain gardens, located along Sunset Ave, in front of the HRC, behind the tennis bubble and on The Farm at Butler, help to naturally filter water runoff and prevent flooding of the pavement in the surrounding areas. These gardens are filled with native perennial plants that help to remove pollutants like gas and oil from runoff and provide a habitat for wildlife.
Our sustainable landscaping and grounds initiative centers around the use of native plants to re-wild our campus. In addition to their aesthetic appeal, native plants support local wildlife and promote biodiversity by providing food and habitats for insects, birds, and small mammals. Additionally, native plantings have an increased survival rate because they are adapted to the local climate, precipitation, and environmental factors, and they are less susceptible to pests, allowing for reduced, if not eliminated chemical use for pesticides and fertilizers. Some notable examples of native areas on campus include the Butler Tallgrass Prairie, and the shortgrass prairie behind Gallahue Hall.
The Farm
The Farm at Butler is a one-acre sustainable agriculture project on campus managed by the Office of Sustainability. The Farm’s three-pronged mission is:
- To promote excellence in education and research across the University curriculum
- To educate Butler University and the Indianapolis community about sustainable agriculture and the local food system
- To serve as an example of sustainable urban agriculture through the exploration of local food production.
Since breaking ground in 2010, the farm has grown approximately 96,300 pounds of fresh produce, in addition to its farm-based learning programs.
Friesner Herbarium
The Friesner Herbarium is also closely aligned with Butler’s Sustainable Grounds efforts, with projects including the Butler Prairie, Butler Tree Walk, and Apothecary Garden.
The Friesner Herbarium is a systematic collection of over 100,000 dried, pressed and preserved plant specimens. The Herbarium, third largest in the state, grew out of the personal collections of Dr. Ray C. Friesner, Professor and Chair of the Botany Department, 1920-1952.