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Development Program
Campus Landscape Program
GRCC Landscape Program Goal
Landscape development shall occur
within the existing context of a mature native northwest
habitat. Development standards shall require that
landscape areas be purposefully and carefully managed
with the intent of maintaining a healthy and safe campus
environment. Landscape opportunities shall be explored
in collaboration with campus life, science, and natural
resource programs in order to create learning
opportunities. The college shall seek to educate its
community about the environment through interpretative
learning. All landscape development will follow
sustainability guidelines for preservation of
environment.
Purpose
By defining differing levels of
landscape management and identifying zones across
campus, design and maintenance standards are
established, including the removal of unhealthy,
invasive, or non-native species. A well thought-out and
publicly distributed approach will assuage concerns when
landscape elements need to be removed. This plan will
become a teaching tool for college construction programs
and the community, illustrating the importance of
managing natural resources.
Hierarchy of Managed
Landscape
-
Highly Managed Landscape
Areas immediately adjacent to
buildings and other important campus amenities shall
typically be designated as areas receiving a high
level of landscape management. Within these zones,
unhealthy, invasive, and non-native species will be
removed and replaced. Landscape shall be designed
utilizing trees, shrubs, and groundcover hardy in
the Pacific Northwest. Plantings shall be arranged
to display their beauty and function as well as
diversity. Specimen plants shall be grouped to allow
for a cohesive visual appearance. Species which
bring color, variety, and demonstrate the changing
of the seasons should be emphasized.
- Moderately Managed Landscape
In areas defined as moderately managed, an ongoing
effort will remove and replace unhealthy, invasive,
and non-native species with Pacific Northwest
plants. The primary characteristic of these areas
will be to demonstrate natural vegetative and animal
habitats typical of northwest forests. Decorative
species should not be used. Areas under existing
tree canopies shall showcase under-story plants
typical of Pacific Northwest forests.
-
Minimally Managed Landscape
Areas defined as minimally
managed will have unhealthy, invasive, and
non-native species removed to the extent practical.
Native woodland planting will be permitted to grow
naturally to create diverse habitats for wildlife.
- Stormwater Treatment
Whenever possible, surface storm water treatment
methods shall demonstrate an “ornamental
rain-garden” and consist of the creation of
microtopography in the shallow areas and planting
with ornamental, adapted, and native plants
(grasses, sedges, rushes, etc.) that enjoy wet roots
in winter and dry conditions in summer. This will
demonstrate sustainable design principles and
showcase many plant varieties now available for use
in rain garden and infiltration swales/ponds. As
storm water management is part of the GRCC Water
Wastewater Program, opportunities to create storm
water system laboratories as part of the curriculum
will be explored.
- Existing Wetlands
The campus currently contains several natural
wetlands. Per NDPES regulations, these areas shall
be protected to the extent reasonable as the campus
is developed.
- Stream Restoration
As the north end of campus is developed, there will
be opportunity to restore a stream buried by the TI
complex. In keeping with the values of GRCC, strong
consideration will be given to restoring the stream
to its natural condition. A restored stream would
become an amenity for campus as well as an example
of campus environmental principles.
Low Impact Development
In support of Green River Community College’s
commitment to maintaining and promoting sustainable
environmental planning and preservation, all college
development will seek to incorporate low impact
development practices.
Graphics
Click on Landscape Concept for a graphic depiction.
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