By Lily Frank, Stentorian Staff Writer
On February 12, 2024, Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order 305, requiring that all North Carolina state property would be planted with native N.C. plants and seeds. This included NCSSM’s campus within its radius of influence. NCSSM was ahead of the curve with efforts in October 2023 to fill gardens with native plants.
NCSSM, however, had never had permanent garden features. With students leaving every two years, it became clear that there was no way to create “continuity” within the gardens as they were now. As biology instructor Dr. Heather Mallory pointed out, “It’s been hard and sad to see students put effort into planting a garden, and then it gets full of weeds, and things take over.”
A few years ago, the area in front of Bryan was filled with bushes that provided little for the space they took up. However, an opportunity presented itself when the previously planted bushes were bulldozed, creating a completely new space.
Dean of Science Dr. Amy Sheck, Plant Facilities, and many teachers, including Mallory, have led the recent changes that blossomed around campus. As required by the Executive Order, these gardens are focused on building a beautiful native ecosystem as well as acting as “an educational asset” that allows for “data collection, data management, data analysis, and opportunities to look at mutualisms, predation, and other symbioses,” according to Sheck.
Planting began last October. “I think it was Halloween because people came in costumes. It was quite the scene, but we got it all done in one afternoon.” Sheck recalled.
Then, in April of this year, the meadow was planted on the slope along Beall lawn. Around five hundred plants went in, which amounted to about forty species of native seeds. The idea is to keep it watered through the first year, and then after that, the gardens will take care of themselves because they are filled with well-adapted, hardy native plants.
Since April, these plants have grown quickly, with flowers blooming in time for move-in this fall and tall grasses filling in the slope. These flowers drew in various pollinators, including bees, wasps, flies, and butterflies. According to Sheck, “35 percent of the food plants we eat depend on pollinators,” so making space for them within our environment, even on campus, is vital. This also gave the Ecology class at NCSSM a chance to take the first census of pollinators, which may act as the “beginning of a long-term data set.”
Yet, managing such extensive gardens poses its own set of challenges. Five hundred plants in one garden is a lot. On top of that, there are about six other central gardens on campus, which has created an issue.
“We’ve got all these wonderful gardens; we just don’t have enough people to maintain them,” said Mallory. Previously, they would hold “garden days” where they would pull weeds and mulch with students and staff who volunteered, or clubs such as the greenhouse or garden club would help out frequently.
“Garden TA was a specific way to have students get interested, gain on-the-ground experience, do the weeding for certain gardens, and make decisions about plantings.” Mallory stated. It was about “having a group of individuals take ownership of the gardens.”
Through Sheck, teachers, staff, and students, the gardens around campus now have a clear plan of maintenance and care and ways for everyone on campus to get involved–whether through senior leadership, volunteer events, or clubs. These gardens are meant for everyone on campus and can act as an educational and propagational tool to spread the knowledge and seedlings of native NC plants.
As Sheck put it, “I’d love to give away plants to students and employees each year and spread these fantastic native plants.”