Grounds and environmental
Our Grounds and Environmental Services team takes care of the outdoor spaces at UVic, making sure they're safe, clean, and welcoming for everyone. They look after things like the campus landscaping, green roofs, walkways, and watershed stewardship.
If you need help or want to report an issue, you can submit a request through FMIS.
For bird strike reporting, please email facman@uvic.ca
To report pest issues in buildings and grounds, please email facman@uvic.ca
For portable metal event sign rentals
For portable sandwich sign board rentals
What we do
- Maintain lawns and landscaping
- Care for green roofs
- Keep sports fields in good condition
- Manage campus trees and shrubs
- Maintain roads, sidewalks, and parking lots
- Take care of signs and parking areas
- Keep walkways and trails clear
- Manage irrigation and storm drains
- Protect natural areas
- Support campus development projects
- Control pests outside buildings
- Provide rental signs for events
- Maintain Finnerty Gardens
Pest management
We use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to control pests like insects, animals, and weeds. This approach focuses on prevention and uses natural methods whenever possible, instead of chemicals.
Our team monitors pests, sets action plans, and keeps records to make sure our methods are working. Pest management is performed partly by Grounds and Environmental Services and partly by external pest management contractors.
Learn more about UVic’s Integrated Pest Management Plan.
Snow removal and ice control response
During snowy weather, our goal is to keep campus accessible and safe. We aim to provide campus users with uninterrupted access to campus facilities and reduce risk of injury and damage.
We use rock salt sparingly to melt ice, especially considering our mild climate. This helps protect water quality and the environment.
Snow clearing maps:
Landscape, tree and watershed maintenance
UVic is dedicated to preserving and improving our natural areas. Garden waste is composted locally at Mitchel Brothers Farm and trees/branches are mulched onsite to help our gardens and trails thrive.
We also manage stormwater with features like rain gardens, bio-swales and green roofs, which help keep our water clean. These features are built into the campus planning and design processes.
Routine services of our Grounds and Environmental services include:
- Grass cutting
- Weed control
- Seeding
- Fertilizing
- Pruning
- Minor irrigation
- Mulching
- Irrigation, including drip irrigation
- Bio-swales, rain gardens and green roofs to manage stormwater run-off
- Environmentally friendly fertilizer and snow and ice control products
- Cleaning and repair of catch basins, sanitary and storm water drain inlets
- Planting drought-tolerant plants to minimize water usage
Grounds electric fleet vehicles and equipment
The UVic Facilities Management Department owns and uses a number of electric vehicles, which are also used by the Grounds and Environmental services team. Efforts to transition to electric versions of grounds equipment have also taken place. There are a number of electric hedge trimmers, lawn mowers, and leaf blowers.
CSAP Focus areas
- Reduce the quantity and monitor the quality of campus storm water that enters local drainage and stream networks.
- Minimize the impacts of invasive species through ongoing management and removal, prioritizing natural areas identified in the Campus Plan and supporting volunteer-led initiatives.
- Build a greater understanding and inventory of threatened and endangered flora and fauna on campus.
- Support improved public access, pedestrian management, restoration activities and nature-based learning opportunities in Mystic Vale.
- Develop new opportunities for land-based learning and sustainable land and water management on campus, such as qʷɫaʔəl | ḰȽO¸EL (Kwetlal |camas) harvesting, pit cooks, native plant gardens and local food systems.
- Facilitate new community-engaged research partnerships relating to land-based learning, Indigenous food sovereignty and the regeneration of local food systems.
Learn more about UVic’s Climate and Sustainability Action Plan (CSAP)