Berea College

Berea College takes pride in maintaining its grounds to the satisfaction of the campus body and the local community. The Grounds Management Team, comprised of staff labor supervisors and student laborers, works diligently to keep campus landscapes tidy and well-managed, with an emphasis on removing invasive species and encouraging the growth of native plants. To this end, Berea College uses “No Spray” practices on the main campus, meaning that no pesticides or herbicides are used to discourage the growth of weeds and only organic fertilizers are used on landscaped beds. Since <a href="http://water.ky.gov/waterquality/Pages/TMDLHealthReports.aspx">Berea College’s main campus falls on the intersection of four watersheds</a>, it is important to limit pollution from water runoff in order to preserve the surrounding natural ecosystems.

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“Learn About Our Landscape” is a campaign to educate and inform visitors and residents of Berea College about the challenges of managing a landscape for both aesthetic value and to maintain ecological integrity. Click on the links below to find out more about how Berea College is maintaining its grounds while caring for the local environment.

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<h3 class="vc_custom_heading">No Grass? No Problem!</h3>
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<strong>Have you noticed some bald patches on the lawn, where the grass doesn’t grow?</strong> In the summer, when the trees are in full canopy, not enough sunlight reaches the ground to allow the grass to grow into a full cover. This causes the grass to grow in patches, and even then it cannot grow very tall because of the shade from the tree canopy.

Trees also soak up most of the water from rain and stormwater runoff, and grass struggles to grow in low moisture conditions. Did you know that a single beech tree with a 25 inch diameter will divert nearly 6,000 gallons of rainwater in one year? This is important to local ecosystems for many reasons. Stormwater often has a high pollution content, since water picks up pollutants such as oil as it washes across non-porous surfaces like asphalt. Trees soak up the water before it can carry those pollutants into local streams and waterways. Trees are also carbon sinks, meaning they sequester carbon from the atmosphere. Did you know that a single white oak tree with a 25 inch diameter sequesters over 1,250 pounds of carbon dioxide annually?

Trees are integral to our campus because of the ecological services they provide, and they are beautiful specimens that make our campus so inviting. Visit the <a href="http://treebenefits.com/calculator/">National Tree Benefit Calculator </a>to find out more about how trees serve local ecosystems.

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Lesson 1.0: No Grass? No Problem!

<h3 class="vc_custom_heading">Weeds and "No Spray" Practices</h3>
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<strong>Do you think weeds are a nuisance?</strong> They can be, but here at Berea College we embrace all the plants that call our campus home. Many plants considered weeds are actually beneficial to local ecosystems and food chains. For instance, dandelions are some of the first plants to bloom in the spring, providing bees the nutrients to survive through the last cold snaps of the season. Other weeds you might find on campus that are beneficial to our wild friends are milkweed, which is essential to the survival of Monarch butterfly pupae, and wild clover, another favorite of bees and other insect pollinators.

We use “No Spray” practices on our main campus, which means that our Grounds Management Team does not use pesticides or herbicides to kill insects or plants. Many of these lawn care products contain toxic chemicals that can be absorbed by the skin, ingested, or inhaled. Such exposure has been linked to <a href="http://www.toxicsaction.org/problems-and-solutions/pesticides">allergic reactions, cancer and birth defects</a>. Therefore, we allow all native plants to grow, while maintaining a tidy landscape.

However, the Grounds Management Team does make an effort to remove non-native plants, as they can have detrimental effects on local ecosystems beyond their potential benefits to pollinators. Bush honeysuckle is one such non-native, “invasive” plant. Even though it blooms and provides nectar to insects and birds, it also chokes out native plants by growing more quickly. Find out more about non-native and invasive plants in your area by going to the <a href="https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/index.shtml">National Invasive Species Information Center</a>.

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Lesson 2.0: Weeds and “No Spray” Practices

<h3 class="vc_custom_heading">Pollinators and Way stations</h3>
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<strong>Have you heard the buzz? Bees are necessary pollinators to our native ecosystems.</strong>Unfortunately, bees are becoming endangered in many parts of America. In fact, <a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/10/03/496402620/bee-species-added-to-u-s-endangered-species-list-for-1st-time">seven species of bees were added in the Endangered Species List</a> in 2016. Berea College is proud to host pollinator waystations on campus. Pollinator waystations are landscaped beds that have been planted with flowers that are attractive to pollinators, including bees, butterflies and even some birds. Without these pollinators we wouldn’t have the huge variety of flowers, fruits and vegetables that make up our food system. According to one <a href="http://www.abfnet.org/?page=14">study</a>, “Honey bees contribute over $14 billion to the value of U.S. crop production,” making them invaluable to our current way of life.

In addition to purposefully landscaped beds, pollinators of all stripes (and feathers) enjoy blooms of all types, including many flowering weeds. Thanks to Berea College’s “No Spray” practices, all of these native plants are allowed to grow on campus for use by our wild neighbors.

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Lesson 3.0: Pollinators, Way stations and “No Spray” Practices

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Do you like free, organic, and delicious food? Look no further than your own front yard! Or, in this case, Berea College’s campus grounds. Many edible and easy-to-find plants grow on campus and can be added to home-cooked foods. See below for easy recipes that incorporate foraged edible weeds and plants on campus.

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<h3 class="vc_custom_heading">Edible Spring Flowers</h3>
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Spring in Berea, Kentucky is a time of blooms, blossoms, and fresh flowers. It is also a showcase of some of the finest weather to be had in the Southeastern states. Crisp 40 degree mornings still reminiscent of winter’s chill slowly transition into sunny, vibrant afternoons. The air is ever-so-slightly damp, a premonition of the heavy, humid summer days to come, but the moisture is welcome after so many cold, dry winter days.

To celebrate the return of warmth and color, flowers are tended and cherished, both in- and out-of-doors. What many people don’t know is that the same flowers that they delight in seeing and smelling during spring’s peak are also edible! Among the most vibrant are dandelions with their characteristic bright yellow blooms that turn into balls of white seeds that are the delight of children everywhere, and tiny Johnny Jump Ups with their vivid purple and yellow coloring.

Dandelions (French for “lion’s tooth”) are fairly unpopular in many landscaped yards. Their deep taproot makes them hard to be removed and conventional methods of spraying herbicides to kill the leaves and flowers can be harmful to surrounding grasses and pollinating insects that collect pollen from the blooms. However, every part of the plant is edible, and scientific studies are emerging that show that dandelions have <a href="https://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/herbs-and-spices/health-benefits-of-dandelion.html">surprising health benefits</a>, from promoting liver function to managing diabetes.

Johnny Jump Ups, or violas, are close relatives to pansies (which are also edible). They often grow of their own accord, but can be planted as a <a href="https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/violet/johnny-jump-up-flowers.htm">heat-resistant cover crop</a> under trees.

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<h3 class="vc_custom_heading">Sugared Dandelions and Johnny Jump Ups</h3>
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In order to preserve these edible flowers and use them on your preferred desserts (like the old-fashioned vanilla cake shown above) you can use sugar-coating. This simple method keeps the flowers fresh for longer and creates a hardened outer shell that makes them easy to handle.

First, pick dandelions and Johnny Jump Ups from a yard, preferably one that is not being sprayed with pesticides or herbicides.  Gently rinse the flowers and set them out to dry on a paper towel.

Prepare the sugar-coating ingredients. Lightly whisk one or two pasteurized egg whites. Set the egg whites aside. Next, prepare the sugar. Finely ground sugar is best. The consistency should be somewhere between regular cane sugar and powdered sugar. Blend regular cane sugar in a food processor for less than 30 seconds to achieve this consistency.

With a clean paint brush or your fingers, lightly coat the flowers with the whisked egg whites. Dip or sprinkle each flower with the sugar. Gently shake off the excess sugar and set the flowers on a clean surface to dry.

After the flowers have dried, you are free to use them as a fresh, floral and tasty addition to your sweet culinary creations!

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Grounds and Sustainability