Land Use

How a university uses, maintains, plans and interacts with its campus grounds is an important sustainability indicator. As an urban campus, PSU has a unique relationship with the surrounding natural environment. Properly managing stormwater runoff, reducing use of chemicals, conserving the urban tree canopy, and utilizing diverse, native plantings can help mitigate climate change and provide benefits to our ecosystem and watershed.

What PSU is doing to lessen our impact:

• Clean Air Corridor along the park blocks is targeted as a pollution-free zone, prohibiting smoking and the creation of air pollutants such as exhaust from idling vehicles, gas powered leaf blowers, pressure washers, and small utility vehicles.

• 98% decrease in pesticide use between 2007 and 2010.

• Storm water management techniques such as bioswales, pervious planters, eco-roofs, and storm water planters located throughout campus. For more details, please see our Water page.

• Award-winning Montgomery Green Street Project crosses campus and demonstrates innovative ways of managing stormwater. 

• Integrated pest management (IPM) plan completed in 2012.

• Native and drought tolerant plant species prioritized in landscaping.

• Salmon Safe certified campus.

• Community garden plots are available to students on an annual basis.

• The 12 "Park Blocks" that bisect our campus are Portland’s oldest park and provide greenspace and tree canopy.

• Campus orchard under development at 12th & Montgomery by several student groups.

• Ecoroofs on several buildings provide additional greenspace and pervious surface. (See Water and Green Buildings pages for more info.)