1. Sustainability at NIU
  2. Campus Initiatives

Landscaping and Restoration

Our Goals

NIU’s goals related to land management focus on protecting wildlife and habitats while increasing opportunities for education and research. The university will work to:

  • Use landscape management policies/strategies that minimize impact on the environment and meet campus needs while maintaining healthy ecosystems.
  • Restore native habitat and degraded natural areas and incorporate sustainable landscape designs.
  • Promote biodiversity on campus, including identifying, assessing and supporting habitats and species to help them thrive.
  • Increase spaces suitable for restoration- and native-habitat-based research to promote and integrate this work across academic disciplines.
  • Create campus committees to facilitate and oversee student-led restorations and other landscape management.
  • Provide opportunities to learn about the benefits of sustainable land management, such as signage at restoration sites and public forums.

Our Progress

NIU is committed to managing its grounds in a sustainable manner, including restoring native habitats. Ecological restoration is important for many reasons, including promoting biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and preserving ecosystem services such as clean air and water.

The East Lagoon is a beloved part of campus. It provides opportunities for relaxation and recreation, as well as hands-on learning about native wetlands. For several years, students, faculty and staff have collaborated with ENCAP, a local environmental consulting/planning firm, to restore lagoon shoreline to native habitat. These student-led projects strive to protect against further erosion, improve water quality, attract wildlife, and increase shoreline stability over time.

Illinois is called “The Prairie State” and DeKalb was historically prairie habitat. In the fall of 2024, a 1.7-acre section of the North 40 (behind Barsema Hall) was prepped for prairie restoration. During the following winter, Campus Sustainability spread a mixture of mesic prairie seeds. Over the next 3 to 5 years, this area will continue to grow and thrive. This pilot project will eventually lead to further prairie restoration across campus.

In addition to our prairie restoration efforts, we are also working to establish strong urban forestry on our campus. In 2025, NIU was awarded $475,000 for urban forestry efforts. More trees on campus means that we are reducing our heat island effects, improving energy efficiency, and supporting mental and physical health and wellbeing. This funding will result in a tree inventory, an Urban Forestry Management Plan, and the planting of 450 trees.

Our Partners

Our academic units, such as the Institute for the Study of Environment, Sustainability and Energy, and Campus Sustainability work together to provide education and engagement opportunities for students related to restoration and landscape management. These efforts not only improve our campus environment, but also create spaces for students to learn, research, and engage with the world around them.

NIU Grounds manages our outdoor facilities, including spaces that are being restored. Through the partnership between NIU Grounds and Campus Sustainability, we can dedicate more of our efforts to restorative projects.