Bee Campus USA
Bee Campus- South Dakota State University achieved BCUSA affiliate status in 2018 and promotes high quality pollinator habitat on campus and in the Brookings community. We have established 20,000 square feet of pollinator habitat that we continually improve each year. These areas are maintained as outlined in our IPM policy to ensure that unnecessary chemical applications don’t interfere with our pollinating friends. Established gardens can be found near the American Indian Student Center and north of the Local Foods Education Center.
Tree Campus USA
Since 2009 SDSU has held the Tree Campus USA certification. We were the first institution in the state to do so! Facilities and Services implements a robust tree protection system for new construction projects focused on preserving the old growth trees of SDSU. Occasionally, trees do need to be removed and the refuse is retained on campus and shredded into mulch to be used in the many campus planting beds. This helps to boost organic matter. Trees are replaced by measuring the canopy loss and aiming to re-establish that loss on a 10 year schedule.
Each season the grounds services team plants a variety of tree species on campus to help keep a diverse spectrum of species and genera. Diverse tree plantings help our tree canopy function as an outdoor laboratory for students and is resilient against pests and diseases. Each spring we host an Arbor Day planting event, look for announcements in April each year – we hope to see you there!