Why should I use native plants?
This is a question asked by anyone thinking about gardening or trying to help out their local ecosystem’s health. One thing for certain is that biodiversity is on the decline. Climate change is the cause of 75% of terrestrial environments being severely altered. Just by utilizing a small portion of your property to promote native species, you can preserve local biodiversity.
Native plants evolved in and occur naturally within a certain region, like the Midwest. Plants native to the Midwest thrive in Indiana’s climate without the need for additional inputs like fertilizer or pesticides. Native pollinator species also prefer native plants, as they have spent generations co-evolving with them, forming a symbiotic relationship.
IUPUI understands the benefits of native biodiversity and is leading the way to implement sustainable practices on its campus grounds. Here are some of the things IUPUI does to help its local, urban ecosystem:
- Prioritizes the planting of native plant species in new landscaped areas
- Holds yearly tree plantings with the goal of reaching a 28% canopy cover for campus
- Has a 2,500 sq. ft. pollinator garden at Riverwalk Apartments full of native species to provide habitat and food to local pollinators
- Utilizes a student-made Native Plant Guide
- Participates in #NoMowMay which helps migrating butterflies better pollinate our beautiful campus.
- Provides a home to over 200,000 honeybees by maintaining two beehives located at the New York Street Garden
- Hosts invasive species removal volunteer days, led by The Center for Earth and Environmental Science at IUPUI
- Uses electric grounds equipment to reduce noise and air pollution
- Conducts an annual tree assessment to track tree location, species, diameter, height, and health
This blog post was written by Keegan Cougill, Sustainable Landscapes Intern with IUPUI Sustainability. Keegan is a senior studying Geology with the School of Earth Sciences. Through his internship, Keegan assists Campus Facilities Services’ Grounds Team strengthen our campus’ commitment to sustainable landscape practices.
Just read the article about replacing the awful Callery pear trees with natives here on campus – HOORAY!! Glad to see the Terrestrial Plant Rule was mentioned as well. I hope this means they will be removing all of the wintercreeper (euonymus) that is all over campus (I believe it is along the NY Street side of the Natatorium and in front of R3 aka Walther Hall – just a few places I know it exists).
Someone also needs to speak to the Engledow folks that place the mulch all over campus and around the trees. Mulch is NEVER supposed to touch the tree and yet every tree on campus has several inches shoved right up to it!!! (I realize they probably do this so they can get paid more $$ to come out and remove/replace the tree when it dies prematurely from girdled roots due to too much mulch).
Glad to see the campus continuing to try to be green (although I’m not sure what that lawn treatment was that was put down not long ago around the Vermont St garage. Why is the grass being treated anyway?) I was part of the very first group that started the DIGS gardens. We intentionally planted clover around the food beds to draw in bees. Here’s to more gardens and natural plantings on campus and less mulch.
Good luck!
I’d love to know what native trees the school is replacing the invasive trees with and why they picked those specific trees. As I evolve my garden and trees away from non-natives, I’d like to learn more about native options.
We will be planting a mix of Indiana native trees. At this time, we don’t have the exact mix. The nursery industry has been experiencing shortages over the last several years. With that, our Grounds Manager Jesse Beck gives our vendors a list of natives to choose from and trees to avoid. This list is site specific based upon soil conditions, whether or not the area irrigated, proximity to hardscapes, and sunlight.
Here is a link to a Purdue Extension document that would be helpful to a homeowner when looking into native trees and selecting the best plant for the location: https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/fnr/fnr-idnr-36.pdf
Hello! I was wondering where I can find a copy of the Native Plant Guide? I clicked on the link, but it led me to a tree care plan for campus.
Thank you!
Meghan
Thanks for letting us know! I’ve updated the link, it should work now.