NWC named Groundwater Guardian Green Site

Northwestern College has been recognized by The Groundwater Foundation as a 2013 Groundwater Guardian Green Site for its groundwater and environmental stewardship. Northwestern earned Green Site designation for the sixth consecutive year based on responsible use of chemicals and water, pollution prevention and water quality.  

“Green Sites, like Northwestern College, can truly have a positive impact on the environment,” says Groundwater Foundation Program Manager Jennifer Wemhoff. “The groundwater and environmentally friendly practices they implement help benefit water resources, improve wildlife habitat, reduce stormwater runoff and responsibly manage potentially hazardous materials.”

“This honor is an affirmation of the work done by Ward Van Peursem and the rest of our groundskeeping staff,” says Sue Taylor, Northwestern’s government regulations specialist. “We are proud that we were the second college in the nation to receive this award and that we’ve been recognized every year since 2008. It recognizes our commitment to be good stewards of the environment.”

The Green Site program began in 2007 to recognize good stewards of groundwater by encouraging green space managers to implement, measure and document their groundwater-friendly practices.

To earn Groundwater Guardian Green Site designation, site managers complete an application that uniformly evaluates and documents their site’s 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.

According to www.groundwater.org, only four other colleges are Groundwater Guardian Green Sites.