Tucked behind the 6 Magnolia Building on Vanderbilt's Peabody Campus is what might look to some like a lush garden of weeds. In reality, it's a strategic Native Meadow full of pollinator-friendly plants.
Funded by the Vanderbilt Green Fund in 2021, students proposed filling a meadow with plants native to the Tennessee/Nashville area to increase pollination and biodiversity and support soil health on campus. Many of the research projects within the meadow are supported by the university's Curb Center for Art, Enterprise, and Public Policy.
Since its inception, the meadow has flourished, and many faculty, staff and students have found ways to collaborate and interact with the space. Like other natural spots on campus, this meadow is thought of as a 'living lab.' It is an example of teaching, research and learning aspirations intersecting with university values around sustainability and stewardship of the campus environment.
