On Tuesday, April 22, Calvin University celebrated Earth Day with the planting of a new native meadow outside of the north entrance to Hiemenga Hall. Calvin students, staff and faculty were joined by Rep. Hillary Scholten to take part in the planting event with Plaster Creek Stewards.
Jack Klop, head of the sustainability coordinators and the Earthkeepers student organization, said that the recent Hekman Library construction created a unique opportunity to build a new native meadow. “After the renovations, a large area next to the library was left as bare dirt, and it quickly became clear that it needed a thoughtful plan for restoration. As students passionate about sustainability, we saw a chance to create something that would be both ecologically meaningful and beautiful for the campus community.”
In November 2024, Calvin’s Student Senate approved $2,000 in funding to support the construction of the native meadow. Calvin Earthkeepers pledged an additional $500 towards the meadow through a student org grant this spring. The remainder of the funding for the project was provided through the library renovation funds.
“It was a really positive experience working alongside Calvin’s facilities team, Student Senate and Plaster Creek Stewards to bring this project to life,” said Klop. “We’re especially thankful for the Earthkeepers projects committee and the wider student body for offering input and energy to make this happen. It’s inspiring to see so many students rally behind sustainability and shape a lasting, positive change for campus.”
The design of the native meadow incorporates a small path and an area for students to sit, offering “a peaceful green space right in the heart of campus,” said Klop.
The meadow is not only a new place for students to relax, but also offers important environmental benefits, according to Calvin biology professor and Plaster Creek Stewards director, Dave Warners.
Warners explained that “most of Calvin’s campus is located in the Plaster Creek watershed. This means most of the stormwater runoff ends up in Plaster Creek, considered the most contaminated stream in West Michigan.”
“Plaster Creek suffers from multiple contamination problems, all of which are triggered by stormwater runoff,” said Warners. Due to concrete, grass lawns and other surfaces that absorb very little water into the soil, when it rains, too much water is able to reach Plaster Creek. This excess water brings with it pollution such as fertilizers, E. coli, sediment, hydrocarbons and thermal pollution all of which damage the delicate aquatic ecosystem of the creek. Warners explained that a native meadow like this “holds the water back and allows more of it to percolate into the ground and not run off into the creek, lowering the volume of water reaching the creek.” Native plants, unlike turfgrass, soak up a lot of those excess nutrients through their dense root systems, meaning that water reaching the creek is not only lower volume but also cleaner.
Native plants are used because they are adapted to growing in those conditions without any help, explained Warners. “We don’t have to fertilize or use pesticides. The maintenance goes down and we use less chemicals.”
Sophomore students and Calvin sustainability coordinators Allie Groenenboom and Claire Pacer participated in the planting. “It was really cool to see so many members of the Calvin community participate in an awesome project,” said Groenenboom. Pacer shared that “I loved getting my hands dirty. I felt like I was actually having an impact on the environment. It was fun to get to hear so much from Plaster Creek Stewards about native plants and learn why they’re important.”
Klop sees this project as just the beginning. “There’s interest in expanding native planting projects across campus, especially in underused spaces like courtyards or areas that are difficult to mow and maintain.”
Obstacles remain in bringing more rain gardens and meadows to Calvin’s campus. According to Klop, “the biggest challenges are usually a combination of cost and communication. Native gardens often have a higher upfront cost for plants and preparation, but over time they save money because they require less watering and mowing” than traditional lawns.
