Camosun's innovative landscaping techniques
Everyone is a leader at Camosun
"Camosun employees are encouraged to introduce and lead green initiatives," says Brian Faught, head groundskeeper at Camosun College. "Staff have the freedom to identify problems, develop solutions, and make sure Camosun is doing its part to lower our community's ecological footprint."
Adopting sustainability as a core principle
Groundskeeping staff at Camosun College have adopted sustainable practices as a core principle, including enlisting the help of 4,000 ladybugs to fight pests as well as following other environmentally friendly practices to almost eliminate the use of cosmetic chemicals on campus. In order to reduce water use, Faught and his team choose species of plants that are adapted to Victoria's dry summers, including Dogwood trees and Labrador Tea, a shrub native to British Columbia.
Enhancing green initiatives at Camosun College
Groundskeepers also work to enhance existing green initiatives on campus.
"One idea the groundskeeping staff came up with was to monitor a bioswale system at our Interurban campus," says Faught. "The bioswale was developed to deal with sediments carried by rainwater runoff after the construction of a new building."
Brian Faught, Camosun's head groundskeeper, in a Lansdowne garry oak meadow.
A bioswale is a landscaping technique designed to mitigate pollution from surface runoff water, and consists of a narrow, troughed drainage course with gently sloped sides filled with vegetation or gravel. Water is filtered as it slowly travels through the system. At Camosun's Interurban campus, runoff water flows through the bioswale to a pond located at the foot of a hill along Interurban road. The process helps reduce the amount of silt entering the Colquitz River watershed.
Helping wildlife return to Camosun lands
"We monitor the pond and try to introduce organic compounds that help restore balance in the pond chemistry," says Faught.
As a result, frogs, Red-winged blackbirds and other wildlife have returned to live in the marshy area close to Interurban road.
"We all want to do the right thing for the environment," says Faught. "With 38 buildings spread over 120 acres across two campuses, and 13,000 students, faculty and staff, Camosun is a small city. Even the smallest changes make a big difference."
