Belmont University received a national Grand Award, the highest designation given, in the Urban University Grounds category for the 2015 Professional Grounds Management Society Green Star Awards. Belmont’s submission earned a number of top remarks including comments on its use of sustainable practices, impressive annuals and perennials and the photography submitted for each category.
The Green Star Awards program brings national recognition to grounds maintained with a high degree of excellence, complimenting other national landscape award programs that recognize outstanding landscape design and construction. Overall, PGMS presented six Grand Awards, the highest award given, 21 Honor Awards and two Merit Awards in ten categories of competition.
Grounds are recognized based on details including campus size, square feet of ornamental gardens, budget numbers, sustainable practices, challenges faced and lessons learned. The Society presents three levels of awards including grand, honor and merit.
During the award’s presentation the Society said, “Belmont University Grounds Department brings beauty to students and faculty seasonally with ginkgo and maple trees that provide beautiful fall contrast, rose arbors that make snowy archways each winter and the bloom of 14,000 tulips highlight the start of spring.”
Director of Facilities Management Services Henry Lacher said, “[The award] means the people that care passionately about our campus grounds are receiving recognition for their tireless efforts and pride in their work. The quality of the landscaping and grounds contributes to all of the things that make Belmont a great school. Student recruitment, retention, campus safety and a sense of place are all enhanced by the beauty of the landscape.”
Included in Belmont’s Urban University category were honor winners Auburn University Montgomery, New York University, Savannah College of Art and Design and University of Kansas Medical Center.
