Landscapes & ecological systems

LES1 Flagship Action: Assess relevant landscape certifications to identify best practices that support healthy and resilient landscapes. 

UW campuses already have strong environmental stewardship practices, while their landscapes and management needs vary. This action will compare current practices with criteria from relevant third-party programs, including Salmon-Safe and Green Grounds Certification, to identify effective approaches UW could adopt or adapt.

The review will consider practices that improve stormwater management and water quality, support native and pollinator-friendly habitat, strengthen soil health, and reduce reliance on synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. It will also consider feasibility, maintenance needs, and fit with each campus’s priorities. Formal certification may be considered for a project or landscape where appropriate.

Timeline: Complete by the end of FY31

• 2027 - Review relevant landscape and grounds certification programs.
• 2028 - Pilot approaches across the tri-campus.
• 2029-2030 - Evaluate pilot results and refine best practices based on performance, feasibility and maintenance needs.

Tracked metrics: 

• Completion of the certification assessment

• Number of best practices identified and prioritized

• Number of selected practices piloted

• Number of stormwater and habitat restoration projects that apply selected practices 

Campus connections:

• UW Bothell’s established Green Grounds and Salmon-Safe practices may offer lessons learned that can help inform approaches and best practices across the UW system.
• Aligns with UW Bothell’s 2026–2036 sustainability goals to advance campus land management standards for contracted spaces and protect at least 63.4 acres of green space during the master plan update.
• UW Tacoma can build on existing rain gardens, Prairie Line Trail stormwater treatment and native plantings by using Salmon-Safe and Green Grounds best practices to strengthen water quality, pollinator habitat and ecological function.

Did you know?

The UW Bothell campus was the second campus in the nation to achieve Salmon-Safe certification, in 2008. In 2023, it received Platinum-level Green Grounds certification. The campus has been pesticide- and synthetic-fertilizer-free since 2006 and practices organic land care across its grounds, including at the 58-acre restored North Creek wetland. It also features a food forest with more than 30 fruit trees.

Funding needs: Initial investments may be needed for staff time and technical support to assess certification criteria, train staff, and pilot selected practices. Additional resources may be needed for habitat restoration, infrastructure upgrades, or changes to land management practices. 

Lead partners: UW Facilities, UW Bothell Facilities Services and Campus Operations, UW Tacoma Campus Maintenance and Operations

LES2: Develop an Adaptive Plant Guide as a resource for native and pollinator-friendly plantings to improve climate resilience across the tri-campus.

Plant selection plays an important role in supporting resilient campus landscapes in the midst of a changing climate. As the planet warms and weather patterns become less predictable, strategic plant selection can help sustain species, habitat biodiversity, provide shade for people and animals, and support the natural beauty that makes each UW campus so special. The UW already uses a mix of native, climate-appropriate and low-water plantings, but approaches vary by project and campus. Developing an adaptive plant guide as a shared resource across the University will help ensure new campus vegetation continues to thrive. This new resource is intended to support, not replace, professional expertise and site-specific decision-making.

This action will build on existing expertise across the UW, including facilities and grounds teams, faculty, researchers, students and external partners. The Adaptive Plant Guide will identify native and climate-resilient plants that can thrive in the region’s wetter winters and drier summers.

It will support plant choices that use less water, improve habitat and benefit native birds and pollinators. The guide can also create living-lab opportunities through pilot plantings and demonstration areas. These projects will help test what works in different campus settings and inform future recommendations around site conditions, maintenance, irrigation, pest management and habitat value.

Timeline: Complete by the end of FY31

• 2028 - Compile existing campus research and data to draft an initial climate-adaptive plant list. Pilot selected plantings in priority campus areas to evaluate performance and irrigation needs.
• 2029 - Pilot selected plantings in priority campus areas to evaluate performance and irrigation needs.
• 2030 - Evaluate pilot results and finalize an initial adaptive plant list to communicate with campus landscape design processes.

Tracked metrics:

• Percent campus plantings using adaptive species list
• Percent campus landscaping area incorporating climate-adaptive plantings
• Number campus projects incorporating climate-adaptive landscaping
• Annual Landscape Water Requirement (LWR) for implemented projects after establishment period

Lead partners: UW Facilities, UW Bothell Facilities Services and Campus Operations, UW Tacoma Campus Maintenance and Operations, Society for Ecological Restoration

Campus connections:

• The Adaptive Plant Guide will serve as a shared framework across campuses, guiding plant selection, irrigation planning, and landscape design in ways that reflect each campus’s ecological context.
• Aligns with UW Bothell 2026-2036 sustainability goals of protecting green spaces during the campus master plan update through targeted restoration efforts.
• At UW Tacoma, the Adaptive Plant Guide can build on the campus’s micro-forest work by supporting native plantings that improve habitat, shade and climate resilience.

Funding needs: Initial research, stakeholder engagement and pilot implementation require time and funding.

LES3: Build on existing urban forest planning efforts to enhance and expand tree canopy coverage across all UW campuses.

Tree canopy is essential to healthy, resilient campus landscapes. Trees provide shade, reduce heat, manage stormwater, limit erosion and support habitat. Each campus will evaluate its current approach to tree canopy management and identify where stronger planning, retention, expansion or maintenance may be needed. This action compliments LES2 with an eye toward species adaptability and resiliency in a changing climate.

The Seattle campus Urban Forest Management Plan provides a strong foundation for this work. The plan sets a goal of reaching 25% canopy cover by 2037, which exceeds the City of Seattle’s goal of 20% canopy coverage on institutional land by 2037. UW’s Urban Forest Management Plan notes that canopy cover declined from 27% in 2016 to approximately 24% in 2021. This loss shows how quickly campus canopy can change. Development has reduced mature tree cover in some areas and climate change is making tree health harder to sustain as warmer temperatures and more extreme seasonal conditions increase stress and pests on campus trees. The UW’s policy of replacing every tree with two new plantings is an important tool for rebuilding canopy over time, but young trees need years of care before they provide the same benefits as mature trees. This action focuses on protecting existing canopy where possible and helping new trees survive and mature.

A key part of this action is making sure each campus has the information needed to guide tree-related decisions. At UW Bothell, that may mean building from prior tree inventory work to update baseline data and identify future planting opportunities. At UW Tacoma, where the Campus Master Plan envisions new green spaces and hundreds of additional trees, it may mean establishing clearer canopy data to guide expansion and maintenance. Across the tri-campus, this action will help make tree retention, planting and care a more consistent part of project review, site design and landscape management.

Timeline: Complete by end of FY31

• 2028 - Compile existing canopy data across the tricampus. Identify where additional assessment is needed to establish a baseline and a campus coverage target, as needed.
• 2029 - Develop campus-specific recommendations, such as gaps and opportunities for retention, expansion and potential changes associated with care and maintenance.
• 2030 - Begin integrating canopy considerations into existing campus planning, capital project review and landscape management processes.

Tracked metrics:

• Assessment of existing data and related information. Campus-specific recommendations compiled
• Percent change in tree canopy coverage across each campus
• Number of trees retained and planted annually
• Tree survival rates (three-year post-planting)
• Percent of capital/renovation projects incorporating canopy guidance

Campus connections:

• Collaborate with staff and subject matter experts across the all campuses to develop recommendations for incorporation into landscape planning and capital projects, ensuring alignment with shared goals and adapted to local context.
• Aligns with UW Bothell 2026-2036 sustainability goals to protect green spaces through master planning and targeted restoration efforts.
• UW Tacoma’s campus master plan calls for new green spaces and hundreds of additional trees, creating a timely opportunity to establish baseline canopy data and expand shade in their urban campus setting.

Lead partners: UW Facilities, UW Bothell Facilities Services and Campus Operations, UW Tacoma Campus Maintenance and Operations

Funding needs: Requires additional funding. Funding needed for canopy assessment and heat-vulnerability mapping; tree purchasing and planting; arborist and maintenance support; optional consultant services for climate-adapted species selection; and staff support for engagement and feedback.