The IU Indianapolis Campus Facility Services (CFS) Grounds team actively works to incorporate sustainable practices into their daily care of the campus landscape. These initiatives have increased the operational efficiency of the campus while also reducing the long-term impact of our campus footprint and providing a thriving, urban habitat for pollinators, birds, and other creatures.
IU Indianapolis has implemented a wide range of sustainable landscape initiatives to promote environmental responsibility and resource conservation. These efforts include reducing lawn irrigation through smart systems that respond to weather and soil moisture, using phosphate-free fertilizers, and adopting mowing practices that naturally suppress weeds. The grounds department are minimizes chemical runoff by applying fertilizer carefully and switching to biodegradable pesticides, while also reducing salt usage through pretreatment strategies during winter. Landscaping waste is composted, and biodiesel is used where feasible to cut down on fossil fuel use. Additionally, rainwater is collected for irrigation, and the campus is transitioning to turf-type fescues and native landscapes to reduce maintenance needs.
For a full list of our campus grounds efforts, visit the CFS sustainability page.
IU Indianapolis has been a certified Tree Campus Higher Education university since 2012. A program of the Arbor Day Foundation, the Tree Campus Higher Education program helps colleges and universities around the country establish and sustain healthy community forests while actively engaging the campus community in learning about native trees.
IU Indianapolis became the 31st educational institution in the US to be certified as a Bee Campus USA in 2017. IU Indianapolis was the first state university in Indiana, and the first IU campus, to earn this designation. The Bee Campus USA program endorses a set of commitments for creating a sustainable habitat for pollinators, which are vital to feeding the planet.
Thanks to a winning Greening IU Indianapolis Grant, the IU Indianapolis Grounds team is converting its fuel-powered handheld grounds equipment to 100% electric. The conversion currently includes backpack and handheld blowers, hand and pole saws, string trimmers, tillers, self-propelled mowers, and ride-on zero turn mowers.
Electric grounds equipment provides many benefits, including improved worker safety, no gasoline fuel costs, and zero emissions during use.
Through the triannual Tree Inventory, we've labeled and marked every freestanding tree on all IU campuses. The tree inventory offer valuable data for our Grounds crew and landscape architects to monitor tree health and plant climate-resilient species. Explore the interactive map to view tree species and characteristics.
IU Indianapolis is home to a handful of rain gardens, which capture, filter, and absorb rainwater runoff from roofs, sidewalks, and parking lots instead of rainwater flowing into stormwater drains. Through water filtration, these gardens help cut down the amount of pollution reaching local creeks and streams by up to 30%.
IU Indy removed dozens of invasive Callery pear trees on campus and replaced them with trees found naturally in Indiana. The Callery pear tree, also called Bradford pear, is popular in central Indiana because of its noticeable white flowers, but the tree spreads rapidly, overtaking native species.
Subscribe to our newsletter to be informed of spring and fall tree planting.
Keep our campus clean by placing all trash and recyclables in the receptables found in campus buildings.
If you have the space, consider creating a pollinator habitat. Butterflies, bees, birds and other organisms offer valuable ecosystem services and pollinator habitats help offer food and shelter for such creatures.
