The Atrium in Lewis Science Center is the hub of the Green Bear Coalition. It hosts our general meetings as well as our sustainable garden project! Most importantly, though, the Atrium acts as a communal space where all students are welcome to pass the time, either by trying your hand at gardening or just taking in the view.
Housed within Lewis Science Center, the Atrium update was made possible thanks to a partnership with the COSE and the dedication of students with a vision of a brighter space. The atrium upgrade included leveling out the dirt, installing new raised gardening beds, a new composting station, and lightening the space with a botanical themed mural across three walls.
Closed-Loop Gardening
Within the LSC Atrium is the Green Bear Coalition Sustainable Gardening Project. Here we grow produce and native plants to beautify the area and educate on the benefits of a natural garden space! Designed with sustainability in mind, the space features an automatic watering system, a water permeable weed layer, and eight raised gardening beds with built in benches. Nothing is directly disposed of; instead, garden waste is repurposed as growing medium through our three-part composting station.
We change up our crops along with the seasons, growing plants such as tomatoes, carrots, nasturtiums, basil, dill and thyme. Our seeds are locally sourced, and mostly come from previous years of plants. What we grow is either donated to the Bear Essentials Food Pantry to fight food insecurity, or used in biology labs as a learning tool.
Sustainable Horticulture
We grow our plants in organic compost made on site. Slow composting allows for the natural breakdown of organic material to create a nutrient rich soil! A wide diversity of invertebrates and bacteria aid in the process of decomposing the material to make their nutrients available. We are able eliminate the use of fertilizers by planting our crops in this nutrient rich blend.
While what we grow changes over time, we always make sure to have a wide variety of crops and non-produce plants growing at once. The diversity of our garden supports a wide array of essential pollinators and other beneficial insects! Check out the Atrium to see how many different bugs you can spot!
Food Education
The Closed-Loop Garden is our pinnacle project for a reason; it not only functions as a source of produce for our food pantry, the garden is a fantastic educational opportunity! In the Atrium, we educate students and community members on sustainable practices and the value of gardening. With a variety of plants, students our able to see first hand how common food items develop in the garden.
