Green thumbs up: National award for ANU grounds
ANU grounds staff have won an inaugural Stewardship Awards from the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA).
The award recognises the outstanding job being done to develop and maintain the 145-hectare Acton campus.
“It’s an honour to have our hard work recognised. People enjoy being in gardens and green spaces, but don’t often think about the huge amount of thought and work that has gone into making them such pleasant environments,” Grounds Manager George Abraham said.
Mr Abraham, who named the North Road entrance as his favourite part of campus, said that he and his team were lucky to have a flexible blueprint created by Sydney-based landscape architects Knox and Partners in 1993.
“We’ve got a big picture plan that emphasises the site’s strengths – its connection to Black Mountain and Lake Burley Griffin, the remnant trees, and the established exotics. But we’re also able to adapt to meet changing circumstances, which means the people who tend the campus every day are making decisions about planting and landscaping solutions.”
Part of the success story at ANU has been the introduction of water wise gardening practices, which include the planting of drought-tolerant species like native grass meadows, and the installation of grey water recycling systems. Mr Abraham said that future developments would allow for more rainwater storage and re-use, meaning that the environmental legacy on campus should be secure.
The Gardens and Grounds Section management includes Jeffrey Albrecht and Melinda Walker. The AILA has named the ANU campus as part of its national list of Australian Significant Landscapes.
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