Universities across the U.S. are replacing lawns with native plants and eliminating synthetic pesticides to boost biodiversity and protect health.
UCLA leads the movement. In 2025, it became California’s first campus to earn Green Grounds Certification for managing over 90% of its 400-acre grounds without synthetic chemicals. It has removed turf and planted drought-tolerant natives like yarrow and clarkia, showing that large-scale pesticide-free maintenance is achievable.
Other schools are following. Prescott College in Arizona is fully pesticide-free and relies on native landscaping, campus-made compost, and preventative pest strategies. Grinnell College in Iowa restored turf to native prairie without chemicals and is transitioning major lawns to organic care.
These examples show that re-wilding works only when paired with chemical elimination. Organic practices protect waterways, wildlife, and student health, since pesticide exposure can linger in outdoor spaces and cause long-term health risks.
By adopting holistic land care, universities become healthier, more sustainable environments and help shape students’ environmental awareness. Schools like UCLA, Prescott, and Grinnell prove that ecological stewardship is both practical and essential.
Photo ©️unsplash.com
Don’t miss any Gute Minuten news!
Subscribe to our ad-free newsletter or become a member.
Subscribe to our newsletter https://dieguteminute.ch/newsletter/
Become a member https://dieguteminute.ch/vereinsmitglied-werden/
