Land

With a 350-acre campus, the University makes every effort to manage its land in an effective and sustainable manner. We believe that a combination of creating new environmental programs, enhancing the land we already have, and involving the community in our efforts will be the most constructive way to create a more sustainable campus. For a quick overview of sustainability and land at a University, national, and global level, take a look at our land fact sheet.

University of Richmond has also adopted an Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPM) that establishes a sustainable approach to managing pests. The IPM combines biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that reduces economic and environmental risks and protects the health and safety of students, faculty, staff, and visitors from pest and pesticide hazards. 263 of 322 campus acres are managed under the IPM.

Though we do not have an official sustainable landscape management plan, initiatives exist on campus to steward grounds.

All new construction on campus avoids the use of irrigation systems by using native plants and less water-intensive plantings and any existing plant material and trees are moved to other locations on campus when possible. An Arboricultural Plan completed in November 2013 is used to assist in the management of 13 acres (144 trees) in the historic core of the campus. In 2015, Landscape Services and the Office of Sustainability held two tree planting events in which students, faculty and staff planted 66 native trees, 4-7 feet tall.

Other key land-management projects include:

  • Operating as a certified Nutrient Management Site under the auspices of the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, which imposes strict standards of fertilizer use
  • Hosting an on campus organic community garden
  • Prioritizing native and adaptive species in permanent on-campus plantings
  • Composting landscape waste in an off-campus location
  • Using shovels and Magnesium Chloride (MgCl) on walks and Sodium Chloride/Rock Salt (NaCl) on roadways to limit environmental impacts from snow and ice removal
  • Using non-potable water for irrigation at the baseball field and when required in other parts of campus
  • Adhering to weather-informed irrigation
  • Not installing any irrigation systems at new construction sites
  • Continuing the operation of a 50-acre, off-campus land parcel as an organic farm operation, producing feed for organically certified cattle
  • Investigating opportunities for improving the local watershed, including Gambles Mill Trail retrofit projects, transportation changes, community outreach programs, and other projects, including those identified in the Campus Master Plan. Explore a 2017 Earth Lodge student project about the Gambles Mill Trail.

Trails on Campus

There are four mapped trails on campus, three around the lake and one that goes all the way to the James River. You can view a map of all four trails here.

Community Garden

University of Richmond has an organic community garden adjacent to the Country Club of Virginia golf course, which offers plots for students, faculty, and staff to grow their own produce. Space is limited and sign-ups open up each spring. Learn more on the garden's web page.

Eco-Corridor

The Eco-Corridor is a beautiful, lush, natural space on campus that features an accessible walking path, native flora and fauna, and areas to rest and reflect. To learn more, visit our Eco-Corridor page.