On Our Grounds

With 260 acres of suburban campus, Villanova is responsible for managing a diverse array of flora and fauna. Through proactive steps and a commitment to sustainable practices by our Grounds department, Villanova can maintain this suburban oasis for years to come.

Starting at the Roots

To keep the plants healthy, organic fertilizer and compost tea have been used for the past 20 years, reducing our need for synthetic chemicals. Additionally, we compost all of our yard waste on site and use the finished compost across campus to help off-set the need for purchased nutrient supplements.

In Good Health

Integrated Plant Management is the first defense that Grounds uses against avoiding pest infestation. This type of management focuses on plant health by using native plants, appropriate plant placement, and nutrient management.

When more action is needed to manage pests we utilize Integrated Pest Management, looking to reduce the need for pesticides by raising the threshold for chemical application and taking time to accurately identify a pest infestation. Since native plant species are used primarily across campus, the need for regular irrigation is drastically reduced.

Protecting Biodiversity

In 2016, Villanova signed the Bee Protective Campaign in an effort to improve the health of area pollinators. As a signatory, Villanova does not use pest treatments that contain neonicotinoids, which are known to be dangerous to pollinators. Additionally, a concerted effort is made to make sure pollinator friendly plants are present throughout campus.  

A year later, Villanova was designated a Tree Campus USA School for its dedication to the preservation and management of our unique variety of campus trees, and engagement with the Villanova community through recurring campus tree tours.

Tree tours are held during events like Parents Weekend, Reunion Weekend, or Earth Week by our campus horticulturalist. Campus visitors are also able to embark on a self-guided campus tree tour through the use of our campus tree map, which features 35 unique tree species.