NWC again named Groundwater Guardian Green Site
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
In recognition of its groundwater and environmental stewardship, Northwestern College has been named a 2009 Groundwater Guardian Green Site by The Groundwater Foundation of Lincoln, Neb. This is the second consecutive year of designation for Northwestern under the leadership of Sue Taylor, government regulations specialist, and Ward Van Peursem, grounds supervisor.
Green Sites are highly managed green spaces such as golf courses, ball fields, school campuses and parks. Northwestern, one of only five colleges recognized, earned this exclusive designation based on its groundwater-friendly practices related to the responsible use of chemicals and water, pollution prevention, and water quality.
“Individual efforts, like those of Northwestern College, can collectively make a big difference and are important to motivate others to do the same,” says Groundwater Foundation President Jane Griffin. “Over half of the U.S. relies on groundwater for drinking water, which makes it that much more important for all of us to be responsible stewards of our groundwater resources.”
To earn Groundwater Guardian Green Site designation, site managers complete an application that uniformly evaluates and documents their site’s groundwater-friendly practices, such as tracking irrigation water use, maintaining a no-application zone around surface water and active wells, selecting plants adapted to the region’s climate, and applying fertilizer based on nutrient needs.
The Groundwater Guardian Green Site program is supported by the Nebraska Environmental Trust, the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, and Cargill.
