University of Colorado Colorado Springs
1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80918

Prepared for
Carolyn Fox, University Architect / Chair
Linda Kogan, Director of the Office of Sustainability
Keith Woodring, Grounds
The UCCS Landscape Committee
The Green Action Fund Committee
Prepared by
Joshua Hendrickson, Volunteer and Events Coordinator
UCCS Office of Sustainability
Colorado Springs, CO
April 9 th , 2012 ii

Joshua Hendrickson
Office of Sustainability
Campus Services Building, 230
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
April 9 th
, 2012
Carolyn Fox, University Architect
Linda Kogan, Director Sustainability Office
Campus Services Building
1420 Austin Bluffs Parkway
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
Dear Carolyn and Linda,
Attached is the report proposed at the beginning of March regarding incorporating edible landscaping principles into the landscape design plan at the University of Colorado Colorado
Springs.
In this report I have included how edible landscaping helps to fulfill the objectives set forth in the various strategic plans of the university. I have also researched how other colleges have utilized this tool to enhance their curriculum and build food security within their campus communities. Finally, I have offered a few suggestions on how I feel edible landscaping may best be incorporated into our landscape design at UCCS. Adding edible landscape plots offers the campus numerous benefits.
Edible landscaping enhances traditional landscaping by using plants not just for their aesthetic value, but also as a means to educate about food processes and ultimately, produce food for the community. By incorporating edible landscaping practices, UCCS can become a leader in the community for food sustainability practices. While UCCS has a student run garden, its distance from the main campus makes it inaccessible and infrequently utilized by instructors or student groups as a learning tool. Edible landscaping can bring food process education to a larger number of students.
I feel that these additions can add value to the campus and enhance our curriculum. This report has also provided me with an excellent opportunity to learn about sustainability initiatives at other colleges across the nation. I appreciate the opportunity to present this report to you, and thank you for your time in considering the strategies I have suggested.
Sincerely,
Joshua Hendrickson iii

Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... vi
Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Purpose and Scope ...................................................................................................................... 1
Assumptions ................................................................................................................................ 2
Limitations .................................................................................................................................. 2
Definition .................................................................................................................................... 2
Benefits of Edible Landscaping .................................................................................................. 3
The Current UCCS Strategic, Sustainability, and Landscape Plans ............................................... 4
The 2020 Strategic Plan .............................................................................................................. 4
The 2007 – 2012 Sustainability Strategic Plan ........................................................................... 7
UCCS Landscape Guidelines ...................................................................................................... 8
Case Studies .................................................................................................................................... 9
University of Minnesota Duluth ................................................................................................. 9
Luther College .......................................................................................................................... 10
Other Schools with Edible Landscaping ................................................................................... 12
Edible Landscaping Projects for UCCS ........................................................................................ 12
Project 1: Edible Native Plants Plot ......................................................................................... 12
Project 2: Native Raspberries for Easy Student Access........................................................... 16
Project 3: Portable Container Gardens for Organization Adoption ......................................... 17
Conclusion and Recommendations ............................................................................................... 19
Works Cited .................................................................................................................................. 20
Appendix A: Landscape Zone Map ............................................................................................. 23
Appendix B: UCCS Plant Palette ................................................................................................. 24
Figures
Figure 1: Taste of Cultures garden at UMD. ................................................................................. 3
Figure 2: Red nasturtiums (edible flowers) and chard ................................................................... 4
Figure 3: UMD edible landscaping gardens .................................................................................. 9
Figure 4: The Bicycle Garden is reserved for UMD Continuing Ed and grown in containers next to some bike racks ......................................................................................................................... 10 iv

Figure 5: Luther College Edible Landscape Plot ......................................................................... 10
Figure 6: Student volunteer harvesting at Luther ........................................................................ 11
Figure 7: Possible location for indigenous food site .................................................................... 13
Figure 8: Example of native edible plants bed............................................................................. 15
Figure 9: Suggested site for native raspberries ............................................................................ 17
Figure 10: Example of portable planter bed ................................................................................ 18
Tables
Table 1: Other campus edible landscape projects ........................................................................ 12
Table 2: Edible plants in palette................................................................................................... 14
Table 3: Additions to native plant palette .................................................................................... 14
Table 4: Cost estimate of native plot ........................................................................................... 16
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In a 2007 survey conducted by the University of New Hampshire, researchers found that over 1/3 of the college students surveyed were considered overweight. In addition, 95% of males and
70% of females consumed much greater than the recommended daily sodium intake. (Burke,
Reilly, Morrell, & Lofgren, 2009) The high level of sodium, in addition to the obesity, points toward one thing: college students eat too much junk food (LiveScience, 2007). It’s not just college students that are impacted; all of America is facing an “epidemic” of obesity, and this may be because in our culture, we have lost our connection to food (Spector, 2003).
One solution to this problem is to re-integrate our youth with the process of food production. We can place edible plants literally at our student’s fingertips and watch them reap the rewards of education in the most vital of natural systems. Food production should not be peripheral, but rather integral to the education that we provide. I propose that we bring food to the forefront of our sustainability education through incorporating edible landscaping principles into our landscape design. Edible landscaping is an important addition to our campus for three main reasons:
1.
Edible Landscaping enhances and adds value to the existing landscape design and strategic planning. The landscaping design is in place to attract additional enrollment and foster a particular campus feeling. Sustainability initiatives such as this can help to attract new students.
2.
Campus food is a factor just as important as classes, athletics, and housing.
Especially for freshman, students eat many of their meals on campus. While campus dining provides a large variety of options, there is little connection between what is eaten and where it comes from.
3.
Edible landscaping can serve as a tool to teach students about our food system along with other topics and grow a greater connection to the food we eat.
Edible landscaping already fits into the goals set forth by the strategic and sustainability plans adopted by the university. Several of these goals search for innovative ways to enhance the curriculum and better involve students, faculty, and staff into the campus community and educational efforts. Edible landscaping is a progressive way to help fulfill these goals.
As forward thinking as edible landscaping is, UCCS would not be the first college to incorporate these practices into their landscape design. I have researched several other universities who have established these projects and found that despite challenges such as climate and cost, these schools have been able to proceed with edible landscape design. They have found that the vi

benefits to the community more than outweigh the additional expenditures required for their maintenance, and have found them to be a creative means to educate classes, student groups, and visitors about food production processes.
I believe that we would also find edible landscaping to be beneficial at a low cost. Two of the projects that I suggest would require minimal maintenance, and the third project would call upon student groups or classes to maintain the plots. The three suggestions I have for incorporating edible landscaping are:
1.
Edible Native Plants Plot – with an estimated installation cost of around $1,200, UCCS could have a small plot devoted toward educating students about the various indigenous plants that can be consumed.
2.
Native Raspberries for Easy Student Access – this project would allow students living in the residence halls to freely pick native raspberries growing across from the west lawn.
3.
Portable Container Gardens for Organization Adoption – an investment of around
$1,500 would provide the tools for student clubs and organizations to create their own edible experiences. vii

While recycling programs, energy conservation, and environmentally-friendly transportation are common topics on college campuses, the sustainability of our own food systems is frequently ignored. Heavily processed fast food and microwave meals have become so prolific in our country – especially on college campuses - that there is a fear that we have lost a connection with the food that we eat, leading to issues such as obesity and health problems. In addition, these meals are often the product of distant factory farms and industrial agriculture which greatly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and may contain dangerous chemicals. One of the solutions suggested to improve our culture’s connection with food is to focus on eating local, organically produced fruits and vegetables. This ensures that consumers have a connection to their food by knowing where it comes from and how it was produced, as well as reducing the environmental impact from its production and transportation. The simplest way for a college campus to provide its internal community with local produce is to grow it themselves.
The purpose of this report is to encourage the University of Colorado Colorado Springs to adopt edible landscaping plots into their overall landscaping plan. Edible landscaping plots can enhance the landscape design, attract additional enrollment, teach about sustainability, and impact student health. While there is already a student garden at the Heller Estate on campus, there is very little student involvement with it. The distance to the garden makes it peripheral to the campus rather than an integral part of the design.
To support this initiative, I have researched the existing UCCS Strategic, Sustainability, and
Landscaping plans. From these, I have outlined several ways that adding edible plots contribute to and enhance the goals set forth by the existing policies, without detracting from their intent and functionality. I have also suggested plants that could be incorporated into two of the designated landscaping regions.
In addition, I have researched the experiences of other colleges and universities who have incorporated edible landscaping into their campus designs. I detail the successes and challenges these schools have faced in order to anticipate and avoid similar issues on our own campus.
These case studies can serve as framework with which to develop an edible landscaping plan at
UCCS.
Based upon this research, I have offered several recommendations for edible landscaping projects on campus. A cost analysis has been completed for these projects, as well as
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recommendations for sites and upkeep. I have also outlined several initiatives that can be used to involve students into the project.
This report assumes that the Landscape Committee is open to entertaining suggestions to impact food sustainability in the landscape design, and that if approved, funding could be acquired in order to realize this initiative.
Some assumptions were also made during the cost analysis, including estimates for labor cost and time. It was also assumed that the university does not have restrictions upon where they may purchase their landscape materials through. The tools required for conducting all landscape projects listed are believed to be already in possession of the school and available for use.
There are several limitations to this proposal. I was unable to procure the exact costs associated with specific landscaping requests on the UCCS campus, so general guidelines from alternate sources were used. This may result in an inaccurate estimate due to the unique challenges provided by our particular climate and landscape. In addition, I am not a master gardener, so some landscaping details may have been overlooked.
Urban agriculture for food production is a sustainability strategy practiced by people throughout the world (RUAF Foundation, 1996). Some gardeners in America grow food to supplement their incomes, while others work to harvest produce to add to their diets. Across the nation, small gardens exist in back yards and in patio containers, tucked obsequiously into corners and behind sheds. On the UCCS campus, we do the same: our own student-run garden is located on the
Heller Estate, hidden from view of a majority of the students and visitors to the campus. The concept of edible landscaping is to move these plants to the front of the house, so to speak, and revel in the beauty they can add to our existing landscape designs. The practice of edible landscaping is uses food-bearing plants for landscaping purposes in place of more commonly used ornamental plants (Holland Bars Planning Group, 2002).
Edible landscaping is not a new practice, in fact there is evidence that these practices were in place as early as ancient Babylonian or Egyptian times (Conger). During Medieval times, monks grew edible plants alongside ornamental ones and English estates also included edibles within their landscapes for both aesthetic and culinary usage (Beck & Quigley, 2001). Sometime during the Renaissance, growing edible plants became associated with the lower classes, while upper class citizens grew only ornamental plants. Landscape design omitted those plants that served a functional purpose and focused purely on aesthetic values (Strutynski, 2005).
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In the 1980’s, Rosalind Creasy brought back the concept into the mainstream focus with her book “The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping.” Edible landscaping in the modern world incorporates edible plants with ornamental ones to create a landscape that encourages education and interactivity rather than just maintenance and observation. Recently edible landscaping has identified with sustainability initiatives in addition to gardening by focusing on utilizing landscaping resources for productivity and promoting locavore habits.
Edible landscape goes beyond just gardening. It can be defined as any place where edible plants are intentionally used in a public or private space in a constructed landscape (Strutynski, 2005).
This can include herbs, vegetables, fruits trees, grape vines, nuts, or even edible flowers. These can be planted in dedicated edible plots or combined with ornamental plants to enhance the area.
The key point of edible landscaping is to utilize functional edible plants for their aesthetic value as well.
Aside from the obvious benefit of providing nutritious food to the campus, edible landscaping can provide quite a few additional opportunities ranging from education to aesthetics as well:

Education : Actively participating in growing and harvesting from an edible landscape teaches college students about the processes of growing food. The average college student may not understand how the combination of soil, water, and sunlight creates our food supply. Opportunities for education on chemistry, biology, botany, geography, and soil science abound.

Environment: Planting edible indigenous plants can help to preserve the local environment by ensuring that species are protected and maintained. In addition, plants that can provide food for students can also provide food for local wildlife.

Culture: Many cultures are instantly recognizable by the unique plants that are included within their diets. Planting small plots of culturally specific edible plants can help students learn about that culture, or help international students to connect with home.
At the University of Minnesota Duluth, various
Figure 1: Taste of Cultures garden at UMD.
language clubs in their Department of Foreign
Languages each adopted a plot and grew culturally specific vegetables and herbs which were incorporated into learning about the culinary environment of their interests (Granley, 2011).

Recreation and Community: Gardening is relaxing and enjoyable pastimes that can help students develop a feeling of ownership on campus. By working on the landscaping directly, they can develop increased ties to the land which may help them connect with
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other places on campus as well. Working with other students together on a plot can build connections between students that can last a lifetime. Unused produce from these plots can be harvested and donated to locals in need, such as Care-and-Share or homeless shelters; giving back to the community we reside within.

Sustainability: Urban agriculture allows for a greater awareness and access to food within the city. In addition, the more food that is produced locally, the less food that must be transported, burning fossil fuels and producing greenhouse gas emissions. While at inception this project would have minimal impact upon these issues, as a leader for sustainability in the community, we should pave the way and show other community members the benefits of urban agriculture.

Aesthetics: many edible plants are just as beautiful as ornamental ones, and their beauty is only accented by their usefulness.
Incorporating edibles into the landscape design only increases the versatility and sustainability of the campus. There are a variety of vegetables, fruits, and nuts that bloom into flowers, as well as numerous flowers that happen to be edible. Figure 2: Red nasturtiums (edible flowers) and chard
The current landscaping plan is very well thought out and takes into consideration a multitude of factors. The intent, spirit, and practical application of this planning are illustrated in three documents: The 2020 Strategic Plan, The 2007-2012 Sustainability Strategic Plan, and the
UCCS Landscape Guidelines.
The 2020 Strategic Plan (UCCS Office of the Chancellor, 2011) begins with a statement of
Vision and Values. Of particular import are values of “
Student Focus
” and “
Dynamic
Responsible Growth.”
The value of Student Focus states:
“We value students and never forget that students are our reason for being. We consider students and student outcomes in all the decisions we make. We provide
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a supportive environment in order to create lasting and significant educational experiences for every student.”
Sustainability initiatives are important to college students today, and an institution’s focus on sustainability or lack thereof can impact a student’s decision to apply or attend a school. In a survey conducted by the Princeton Review entitle “College Hopes and Worries Survey,” 69% of potential college freshmen stated that a college’s commitment to the environment would impact their school selection decision (The Princeton Review, 2011). Another survey conducted by researchers at the College of William and Mary found that “current freshman are two times more likely to choose their school based upon sustainability concerns than the entering freshman class just 3 years ago” (Dautremont, 2009). Both of these surveys are further reinforced by a 2008
UCLA survey of 240,580 students across 340 colleges that stated that almost half of students believe it is “very important” or “essential” for universities to advance sustainability initiatives
(Pryor, et al., 2008). It is clear from these surveys that sustainable development of the campus is extremely important to current and future students.
This is addressed in the second value, “ Dynamic Responsible Growth .” This value states,
“We value dynamic growth while continuing to be financially responsible, academically sound, and environmentally sustainable. We meet the future with energy, enthusiasm, and a commitment to retaining a close, interconnected campus community.”
This value shows that the campus is already committed to sustainability concerns. This commitment is illustrated by the numerous LEEDS buildings on campus, our Sustainable
Development minor, and our funded Office of Sustainability.
In addition to the Core Values of the 2020 Strategic Plan, 12 Overall Goals have been established, several of which are pertinent to this proposal.

Goal 1: Foster academic programs that serve diverse communities and develop intellectually curious and globally, culturally competent graduates.
o Goal 1.5
states: Identify, define, and create signature academic experiences that inspire lifelong engagement for all UCCS students, linking students’ academic pursuits to community engagement and future employment opportunities.
Edible landscaping projects on campus can provide students with an important life skill and opportunity for future community involvement through learning how to grow food. Community gardens have been shown to improve the quality of life for people in the garden and provide a catalyst for neighborhood and community development (American Community Garden
Association, 2012).
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
Goal 2: Provide excellence in leadership and execution of economic, environmental, and social sustainability.
o Goal 2.1 states: Create a thriving and effective culture of sustainability on campus.
The word “thriving” in this goal could not be better realized than through coordinated management of sustainable food plants. This goal is listed as being measured through improvement on the Sustainability Tracking Assessment and Rating System (STARS) from
Silver to Gold level. The percentage of food supplies on campus that come from local sources contributes directly toward this rating. Currently UCCS has achieved 0.64 out of a possible 6.0 points for Sustainable Food Purchasing, based upon only 5.36% of the institution’s food coming from sustainable sources (Kogan, 2011) UCCS could also apply edible landscaping toward additional credits OP-6, Tier 2-7: Food Donations, or within Education & Research. o Goal 2.4
states: Foster campus stewardship to minimize environmental impact and nurture a sense of place.
Jim Nollman defines a sense of place as “an ethic that prompts respect, cooperation, and compliance with the landscape we inhabit,” (Nollman, 2005) and that “gardening offers us a clearer pathway for acquiring a sense of place than any other activity in our lives.” Again, it is important to note that there is already a student-run garden located on the UCCS campus.
Unfortunately, this currently does not meet the needs of the residential or commuter campus population due to its distance from the central campus and limited scope of operations. Edible landscaping on the main campus allows for integration of the plots into clubs, organizations, and classes without requiring a 20 minute hike to the Heller Estate.

Goal 4: Cultivate a vibrant, healthy, and engaged campus community that unites students, faculty, alumni, and friends of the university to support the educational goals of the institution.
o Goal 4.6 states: Enhance the student, faculty, and staff experience on campus through operational practices and facility design.
One of the measureable achievements in this goal is to develop a food environment that promotes a healthy community and increases offerings of sustainable food. Edible landscaping plots directly speak to this goal and help to achieve it by bringing the community together, working toward sustainable food.

Goal 12: Provide a transformative educational experience that engages students both in and out of the classroom.
Edible landscaping plots allow for hands-on experience in a unique and innovative way. For example, Biology 3230: Plant Physiology could adopt an edible plot to learn the life cycle of plants first-hand and benefit from eating the produce at the end of the term. This type of
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experience can resonate with students and create memorable experiences that textbooks and lectures may lack.
The final goal of all 12, goal 12.3 is to:
“ Actively pursue innovations that help faculty and staff become more fulfilled and productive in their ongoing efforts to support our students .”
This is perhaps one of the most important in the entire plan. Edible landscaping plots on campus, if incorporated into curriculum and adopted by classes, clubs, or organizations, are an innovative and creative way to reach out to students in a sustainable, memorable way. It helps to prepare our students for community engagement in the future and teaches them a skill that is fundamental in life – where our food comes from and how it is grown.
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The Sustainability Strategic Taskforce was formed in 2007 with the goal of institutionalizing sustainability and “integrating sustainability in all aspects of the University including leadership, education, and operations” (Sustainability Task Force, 2007). One of the goals of this plan is to increase the number of staff, faculty, and students involved in sustainability projects on campus.
Edible landscaping plots offer an opportunity for all three of these groups to become involved by adopting a plot or container and cultivating produce.
An entire section of the plan is devoted toward the sustainability of food, and many of these targets have been achieved. For example, the first goal was to achieve 5-10% of food purchases to be from local or organic sources. The STARS assessment evaluated this and found that 5.36% of purchases are coming from local sources. Another goal listed is to “implement an educational program designed to increase awareness of sustainable food practices for the entire campus community.” Edible landscaping plots situated around campus can help to meet this goal. Each plot can include a sign or placard that explains the purpose of the edible landscape and why it differs from the surrounding plants. Increased awareness of sustainable food processes can help educate not just students, but faculty, staff, and visitors as well.
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While not listed in the current strategic plan, the most recent faculty assembly indicates that there are plans to build a greenhouse that will be used to supply campus food service with organic produce (Faculty Assembly, 2012). This is an excellent step in the right direction, helps to improve campus food sustainability, and achieves many of the goals set forth, but may not necessarily provide the same type of opportunities for student education and involvement as incorporating edible landscaping into the outdoor landscaping design.
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The UCCS Landscape Guidelines serve to outline approved landscaping practices on the campus, with a goal of setting an example for the community and providing a sense of place while maintaining a high degree of visual excellence (UCCS Landscape Committee). This document is very thorough and covers many aspects of sustainable landscaping, from preserving natural outcroppings and arroyos to utilizing xeriscaping as an adaptation to our climate restrictions. The Landscape Guidelines document through facilities services designates six
“zones” of landscaping on campus (Map of Zones – Appendix A):

Natural landscapes – areas that are undisturbed or that have been replanted with indigenous plants.

Formal landscaping – areas around buildings, highly visible areas, and in the campus core. Mostly irrigated lawns and planting beds.

Drainage areas – natural arroyos.

Campus edges – areas along the roadways leading to campus that serve as the connection to the outside community.

Campus entrance features – formal entrances that set the standard for the campus and provide first impressions.

Parking lot landscaping – islands, medians, and planting areas surrounding parking lots.
The greatest opportunity to incorporate edible landscaping practices lies within the natural and formal landscaping sectors. Drainage areas do not facilitate student involvement with the landscape and would be difficult to plant and maintain. Both campus edges and campus entrance features already have a specific design aesthetic that are not conducive toward the type of interaction that is encouraged through edible landscaping. Finally, parking lots would be problematic for the goals of this project as well.
UCCS uses a Plant Palette (Appendix B) to determine which plants are acceptable for planting in the different landscape zones on campus. Currently there are quite a few plants that have edible potential already included on the Plant Palette, however, these plants often required additional processing to become edible (such as the prickly pear cactus, pinon pine, or thimbleberry) and may be edible, but not palatable.
The UCCS strategic and sustainability plans show support for sustainability initiatives, and in particular food sustainability is listed as one of the future goals. Other universities have established similar goals and have achieved them through edible landscaping initiatives. Each college has faced its own challenges of climate and design in order to achieve this important endeavor, just as UCCS must overcome unique challenges as well. I have researched some of the more successful edible landscaping projects on college campuses in order to illustrate how they have achieved their goals of increased food sustainability.
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Edible landscaping projects on college campuses are relatively new, but several schools have already paved the way. In a 2008 article published in the Chronicle of Higher Education, physicist and educator Vandana Shiva, “Why shouldn’t edible schoolyards be on every campus?” (Carlson, 2008) Several colleges have already answered this question with action.
Each university has its own challenges of landscape, topography, climate, and cultural considerations that must be considered when developing an edible landscape plan, though many of the goals are the same. I have researched two college campuses that have established edible landscaping programs to illustrate how different schools have been able to enhance their curriculum and local food sustainability.
The University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) edible landscaping project began as a cold-climate urban agricultural experiment and has shifted toward a goal of teaching students and allowing individual campus groups such as student clubs and organizations an opportunity to learn about gardening and local agriculture. UMD is approximately the same size as UCCS, with a 2011 undergraduate enrollment of 9,782 students and a total student population of close to 12,000
(University of Minnesota Duluth, 2011).
Considerably further north than Colorado Springs, but also much wetter, Duluth lies within
USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 4b, with winter temperature lows between -25 and -20 degrees
Fahrenheit. Despite a somewhat shorter growing season than Colorado Springs, which falls in zone 5b, UMD has managed to create a thriving edible landscape on their campus.
The project encompasses 9 different plots around campus:
Legend:
1.
Salad and Herb Garden
2.
Sophie's Terrace Gardens
1.
Taste of Cultures
2.
Tiger Lily Garden
3.
Fresh 15
3.
Potato Trials
4.
Tea Party! and Edible Flowers
5.
Bicycle Garden
6.
Pizza Garden
7.
SFSA Garden
8.
Garden of Eat'n
9.
Chester Creek Collaborative
Figure 3: UMD edible landscaping gardens
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Plots are used for a variety of uses. One plot is focused on providing salad greens and herbs to the food service and catering, while another is dedicated toward the Department of Foreign
Languages and Literature to allow language clubs an immersive study in cultural foods. The
Health Sciences department has adopted another plot called “Fresh 15” with a goal of teaching students about healthy eating habits.
Some plots, such as the edible Tiger Lily Garden, or the Fresh 15 garden, are open for visitors to sample the produce as they see fit, provided that they leave enough for the next visitor, while others have signs requesting that produce be reserved for specific uses. The Pizza Garden, for example, is grown by the Kirby Student Center employees for an annual
September pizza event. Each year submissions are accepted from student clubs and organizations to adopt plots and create their own theme gardens.
Figure 4: The Bicycle Garden is reserved for UMD
Continuing Ed and grown in containers next to some bike racks
Even though UMD is over relatively small size and in a challenging climatic zone, they have managed to overcome these obstacles to build a thriving food sustainability project that includes students, faculty, and staff from a diverse range of interests.
Luther College is a small Midwestern liberal arts college with a student population of close to
2,500. Located in Decorah, Iowa, the heart of US agriculture, edible landscaping seems like a natural project to explore connections between students and food sustainability.
Figure 5: Luther College Edible Landscape Plot
Edible landscaping at Luther began as a student proposal in 2009 when three Environmental
Philosophy students recognized a need on their campus raise student awareness of food sources, encourage practical land use, and provide an alternative to the traditional turf grass lawn
(Hecht, Blanco, & McCargar, 2009). The initial project took into consideration that it may not necessarily succeed, so was intended to be small and during the first year only annual plants were selected for the plot. The plot was situated in an
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area next to the Environmental Sciences building where students would have easy access to maintain it. The site selected was also along the tour route for visitors to the campus in order to allow a high degree of visibility for the project. The proposal was approved by the landscape committee and the first edible plots were planted in 2010.
The edible landscapes at Luther faced several challenges. The first concern, of the administration, focused on who would manage and maintain the gardens. The initial proposal accounted for established volunteers connected with the idea to maintain the plot for the initial term (1 year) but in order to continue the plot past inception, a commitment was required from the grounds team in order to keep the project going. The Office of Sustainability at Luther
College was able to work with the Grounds Crew in order to designate student employees who would take on the responsibility of maintaining the plot over the summer. Existing equipment already in use by landscaping is used.
Another challenge Luther faced was in how to ensure that the food produced in the garden was given to the right people. In an interview with Maren Stumme-Diers, Sustainability Educator at
Luther College, I asked how they handled distribution of the produce. She states:
“We struggled with whether to let people come in to eat what’s growing or not.
We’ve decided that the educational opportunities are abundant when you let people come in and eat off the vine. So we are going in that direction. This year we will have a chalkboard posted outside of the garden with a list of what’s available to be eaten that week in the garden with an invitation for people to please come in” (Stumme-Diers, 2012).
Finally, Luther was faced with the challenge of wildlife on their campus, specifically deer.
There was a concern that having edibles on campus would attract wildlife and that the produce would not be available for student use if consumed by the deer. In order to overcome this challenge, the college placed a fence around the garden plot.
Despite several challenges in administration and locality, the pilot project for edible landscaping at
Luther College was considered a huge success and has become a permanent fixture of the campus. In 2011, a second proposal was accepted to expand the project to include a Diversity
Garden, which would focus on educating students and visitors on ethnic foods from diverse cultures.
Figure 6: Student volunteer harvesting at Luther
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In addition to these two schools, a number of other college campuses have adopted edible landscaping into their landscape design:
College Location Size Notes
Warren Wilson College
Meredith College
Loyola University Chicago
Asheville, NC
Raleigh, NC
Chicago, IL
900 Incorporated edible plants into existing landscaping.
Part of Sustainable Agriculture 2000
Internship Program
16,000 Developed integrated web-GIS project to help identify edible
Kansas State University offerings around the campus.
Manhattan, KS 23,000 Challenged architecture students to create edible landscape designs that fit into university planning standards.
Table 1: Other campus edible landscape projects
The strategic plan for UCCS supports sustainability projects, which have been shown to be increasingly important to new and prospective students to the university. The sustainability plan recognizes a need for additional food sustainability on campus and has taken some steps in order to improve in this area. The landscape guidelines for the university account and allow for a multitude of landscaping projects but fail to address the campus’s role in advancing food sustainability initiatives in the community. Several college campuses have paved the way of this important field and have seen great success through incorporating edible landscaping projects into their vision and co-curricular activities. In order to bring UCCS to the forefront of food sustainability, I propose three edible landscaping projects to be incorporated into the UCCS strategic and landscape plans.
Description: The Edible Native Plants Plot utilizes the existing plant palette (Appendix B), gathering edible plants already approved for planting on campus, along with a few additional indigenous specimens into a single location. Signs will identify each plant specimen and provide information about culinary usage of the plant.
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Purpose: This plot serves to educate students and visitors about the bounty available within the natural landscape of the Front Range of Colorado.
Educational Opportunities: There are numerous ways to incorporate this plot into both formal curriculum and co-curricular activities. Several courses in the Geography department, ranging from Biogeography to the Geography of Food would benefit directly from having hands-on experience with indigenous foods. Biology courses such as BIOL 3130: Plants of Colorado,
BIOL 4290: Plant Communities of Colorado, and BIOL 4150: Field Botany can all use the plot to enhance the syllabus. History, anthropology, and humanities courses can use the experience to teach about what natural resources settlers had available to work with when they first arrived.
Student Outdoor Leadership Expeditions (S.O.L.E.) could hold workshops using the plot to teach outdoor enthusiasts about natural sources for nourishment when in the field.
Site Location: This site should be located within one of the natural zones designated by the landscape committee. The area designated as natural immediately adjacent to Columbine Hall could serve as an excellent location for this plot. As a south facing hillside, it receives good natural sun and would be close enough to facilitate incorporation into classes held in either
Columbine or the Osborne Center. Another possible site is to the east of the parking garage.
Figure 7: Possible location for indigenous food site
Plant Species: A number of edible species are already included within the existing plant palette.
These include:
Species
Pinus edulis
Amelancher ainifolia
Common Name
Pinon Pine
Serviceberry
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Opuntia polycantha
Prunus besseyi
Prunus pensylvanica
Prunus virginiana melanocarpa
Rhus aromatic
Ribes aureum
Rubus deliciosus
Rubus parviflorus
Table 2: Edible plants in palette
Prickly Pear Cactus
Sand Cherry
Pin Cherry
Choke Cherry
Fragrant Sumac
Golden Current
Boulder Raspberry
Thimbleberry
In addition, a number of indigenous plants for a variety of uses could be added to this palette to expand the learning experience (Colorado Plants, 2009):
Species
Amaranthus retroflexus
Helianthus annuus
Mentha arvensis
Allium cernuum
Fragaria virginiana
Yucca glauca
Common Name
Amaranth
Sunflower
Wild mint
Wild onion
Wild strawberry
Narrow leaved Yucca
Usage
Leaves eaten raw or cooked like spinach
Seeds can be roasted or ground and eaten
Made into tea or used as a spice
Eaten raw or cooked like conventional onions
Same as conventional strawberries
Fresh flowers eaten raw in salads
Table 3: Additions to native plant palette
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Figure 8: Example of native edible plants bed
Cost of the Project: A majority of the native plants required for this project should be able to be found on campus. A project could be conducted within one of the Biology or Geography courses to identify suitable plants for the plot on campus, which would then need to be transplanted. Alternately, specimens could be purchased to ensure viability in the landscaping.
As the plants are indigenous, minimal care should be required in order to maintain the health of the plot. The table below shows a generalized cost estimate of the project.
Item Supplier
Bedding
Cedar Raised Garden Bed, 4'x8' Home Depot
Ton organic topsoil Schramek Landscape
Plant Identification Signs per Guidelines
Labor
Labor Estimate Grounds
Plants if Purchased
Pinon Pine
Serviceberry
Prickly Pear Cactus
Las Palitas
Las Palitas
Lithops
Quantity Cost
3 $239.91
5 $84.75
12 to 15 Unknown
$500.00
2 $160.00
2 $20.00
2 $12.00
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Sand Cherry
Choke Cherry
Pin Cherry
Fragrant Sumac
Golden Currant
Boulder Raspberry
Thimbleberry
Amaranth
Sunflower
Wild Mint
Wild Onion
Wild Strawberry
Yucca
Arbor Day Foundation
Las Palitas
Las Palitas
Hirts Gardens
Las Palitas
Harlequins Gardens
Las Palitas
Companion Plants2
American Meadows
American Meadows
American Meadows
American Meadows
American Meadows
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
$30.00
$18.00
$18.00
$8.00
$18.00
$30.00
$18.00
$3.50
$8.95
$12.95
$6.95
$3.95
$15.95
Table 4: Cost estimate of native plot
Total $1,208.91
Description: The native raspberries project would plant four raspberry plants near the residence halls, across from the West Lawn in order to provide quick, easy nutrition for any student interested in picking them. The West Lawn is frequently attended by students who are enjoying outdoor activities, such as frisbee or football. A quick, healthy, easy snack only footsteps away, would serve to promote a healthier lifestyle.
Purpose: The act of picking food right off the bush for immediate consumption connects individuals with the foods system, reminding them of where other meals may come from. This project may build a greater awareness of food systems while providing a quick, nutritious snack to passers-by. As a midway-point between the Lodge and the Overlook, seeing edible plants on the way to either location may encourage students to eat healthier.
Educational Opportunities: Much like the previous project, courses that focus on plant identification, field work, or botany can utilize this plot for field experience. In addition, activities taking place on the West Lawn during the fall can benefit from having a quick, easy source of fresh, organic food.
Site Location: On the east side of Monarch house, there is a sidewalk running northeast, across from the West Lawn. There is an open space here that could accommodate four raspberry bushes.
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Figure 9: Suggested site for native raspberries
Plant Species:
Rubus deliciosus Boulder Raspberry
Costs: As previously noted, these plants can be purchased for a minimal cost of approximately
$15-20 per plant from local nurseries. The ongoing maintenance costs are undetermined, as noted in the limitations.
Description: Portable containers would be purchased and prepared for planting for student clubs, organizations, or classes to adopt each year. Groups would be asked to submit an application for the garden that includes the purpose of the garden, what they intend on planting, who will be responsible for the container, and where they would like it located. This allows for different groups to explore a variety of food production interests in various locations around the campus.
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to provide different groups an opportunity to connect with the food system in unique ways in locations that are convenient to them around the campus.
Educational Opportunities: The educational opportunities of this project are numerous, and the following are but a few examples of possibilities:

Like UMD or Luther College, the foreign language clubs (such as the French or Spanish
Clubs) can adopt a planter in order to grow culturally specific food plants.

A floor of one of the residence halls could adopt a container in order to grow peppers for a jalapeno eating contest to use as a fundraiser for activities.
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
A Biology class could adopt a container in order to test the effects of different growing conditions on food plants.

A psychology graduate student could adopt a plot to explore people’s reactions to strawberries growing outside of Columbine Hall – do they pick and eat them when they think no one is watching?
The possibilities in this project are limited only by the imaginations of our students, faculty, and staff.
Site Location: The purpose of these containers is to be portable, allowing the campus to move the edible landscaping to the people, rather than the people to the landscaping.
Plant Species: Plant species would be determined by the individual project. All projects would need to be approved by the Landscape Committee prior to planting to ensure that invasive species were not being introduced, but beyond that, it is up to the individual or group adopting the plot.
Costs: Each high quality, rectangular cedar planter would cost between $100-$200 initially. For this project, I am recommending an initial purchase of 6 of these planters, for a maximum charge of $1,200. In addition, soil would need to be purchased and provided, at a cost of approximately
$20 per ton. Students, groups, and organizations would be responsible for procuring their own seeds or plants, though they should consider applying to the Green Action Fund to help fund their project.
Figure 10: Example of portable planter bed
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The benefits of incorporating edible landscaping plots into the landscape design of the campus are bountiful. Research has shown that students are increasingly including the sustainability of a campus as part of their enrollment decision. The goals set forth in the strategic and sustainability plans show support for innovative ways to get students, faculty, and staff more involved in sustainability initiatives and build a more sustainable community. Food sustainability in particular is an area that can benefit from additional focus on the campus. Other colleges and universities have found that using edible landscaping to enhance their curriculum provides a way to educate students with lasting, hands-on experiences. Our campus can realize these benefits as well with a manageable initial investment.
If one, or all, of the projects suggested were to be implemented, several additional steps would need to be completed in order to ensure success. A complete cost analysis of the project would be conducted in coordination with the facilities team and landscape committee to determine not just an exact initial investment, but also any ongoing maintenance expenditures that would need to be accounted for. Once this was determined, grant proposals would be submitted to the Green
Action Fund, as well as external sources. After funding was secured, a timeline and project plan would be created in order to make the landscape plots available as soon as possible to the campus community.
Solutions for food sustainability will not come on their own; it is up to us as leaders in the
Colorado Springs community to come up with innovative ways to advance sustainability education. Incorporating edible landscaping into our campus design can help our students to break away from the epidemic of obesity in America by teaching them where their food comes from and building a stronger connection to the process that sustains all life on earth – the process of growing food.
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