Landscape and Biodiversity
As part of the University 2028 Sustainability’s challenges, HKUST aims to utilize the campus landscape as an active resource for research, sustainability experimentation, and community engagement.
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2022-23 Tactic |
2022-23 Progress & Key Activities |
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Healthy Soil |
Allocate spaces on campus for utilizing “green” landscape wastes and storage of site-developed compost. |
New space allocation of shredded leaves storage in LG7 Nursery in addition to the recycling skip in One University Road Nursery for landscape wastes. |
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Prioritize the use of compost in flower beds as a way to provide natural nutrients to a groundcover that can retain moisture. |
Use of wood chips and on-campus mulched leaves on exposed soil to retain moisture and natural nutrients. |
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Experiment with “compost tea” as a way to add natural nutrients to the turf and grassy areas. |
Testing and discussions underway |
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Engagement and Research |
Collect flora and fauna information from SSC projects to build a public and visible inventory of the natural capital of the campus. |
Developed the HKUST Biodiversity Map showcasing the biodiversity of the campus. |
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Add specific landscape areas and features in the campus tours for incoming students and visitors. |
Planting of orchids in North Entrance and SSQ BBQ site to enrich landscape features. |
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Engagement with contractor to ensure meeting all performance goals to reach incentive benchmark. |
Regular and active engagement of contractor through bi-monthly Biodiversity Steering Committee Meeting. |
- Governing Biodiversity: The Biodiversity Steering Committee meets bi-monthly to review landscaping operations and discuss sustainable landscaping practices. Their main objective is to enhance biodiversity within the campus environment at HKUST.
- Conserving the Ecosystems: In the Net-Zero Building Standards (refer to section 4.6.8), design team is responsible for demonstrating methods on enhancing the ecological value of the site, while identifying ways to conserve the existing land ecosystems sustainably, especially the trees on the existing site which can be a forest in the context of HKUST.
- Conserving Timber Resources: In the Tree Planting & Felling Policy (refer to section Tree Felling Guidelines), design team is also required to fell the trees in a manner that the timber resources in the ecosystem can be utilized sustainably.