FSU’s Greenest Addition
posted by Jessahna Whitney | November 9, 2018 | In Arts and Culture, NewsIt’s a fast-paced world we’re living in these days, especially on a college campus. As students, we have club/organization activities, meetings, sporting events, studying, exams, papers, presentations, and class after class after class, not to mention our personal lives. When utterly lost in our agendas, it becomes necessary to slow down and engage in activities less complicated.
Fortunately, Fayetteville State University’s campus will soon have a place to do so. The Green Team proudly presents, the new Broncos Botanical Garden — coming Spring 2019.
This garden will be northeast of the Nursing building parking lot, where there is access to irrigation, little disturbing foot traffic, and room to grow. In providing a garden, the Green Team intends to pique campus interest in what it takes to maintain one. Involved students, faculty, and staff will gain a sense of community and ownership, a better knowledge of environmental sustainability, and hands-on gardening experience while working toward common goals.
According to Jason Weathington of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the Green Team learned about different factors that affect gardening, such as regional climate, location, and soil conditions.
Some others who made this project possible include Green Team alumni Bryan King and Alaisha Pratt. King proposed the original idea for a garden in Fall 2016. In April 2017, the club’s cabinet members approved and then voted in Pratt’s name suggestion “Broncos Botanical.”
Funding was the most significant challenge moving forward; however, after two years, the Green Team’s efforts paid off.
Currently, the club is preparing to build the garden. They will have two 4’ x 24’ raised beds in the ground by January 2019, just in time for the spring planting season. To begin, the Green Team will plant low-maintenance herbs and vegetables. As the garden grows, it will host more challenging produce and flowers as well. The plan is to eventually expand large enough to collaborate with surrounding communities, creating fundraising opportunities while supporting Fayetteville State’s sustainability efforts.
The Green Team highly encourages campus participation. If you or anyone you know is interested, contact DJ Diop, Green Team advisor (ddiop@uncfsu.edu) with your gardening ideas.
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