Grounds & environment
Our horticulture and landscaping staff, part of Exterior Services, take care of the outdoor spaces at UVic. Our duties include:
- pest management
- snow clearing
- maintaining lawns, landscaping and gardens
- maintaining roads, sidewalks, footpaths and trails
- taking care of signs and parking areas
- managing trees and shrubs
- protecting natural areas
Pest management
Details
- For
- The UVic community
- Cost
- No charge
- Team
- Exterior Services
- Priority
- Varies
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.
Our team monitors pests, sets action plans and keeps records to make sure our methods are working. Pest management is performed by our team and by external pest management contractors.
We set the priority for each request depending on the impact of the issue. Pest management is centrally funded.
Request pest control service
To report pests, create a new request using FMIS. In the form, choose:
- Location: a location where you've seen or heard evidence of pests
- Type: Repair
- Sub type: Pests / Rodents / Infestations / Other
Report pests
If you don't have access to FMIS, you can report an issue on the web.
Snow clearing
Details
- For
- The UVic community
- Cost
- No charge
- Team
- Exterior Services
- Priority
- High priority
During snowy weather, our goal is to keep campus accessible and safe. We aim to provide the UVic community with uninterrupted access to campus facilities and reduce risk of injury and damage. Extreme weather response is centrally funded.
If extreme weather conditions have you trapped or unsafe, call Campus Security at 250-721-7599.
Learn more about extreme weather response at UVic.
Grounds maintenance
Landscape, tree & watershed maintenance
UVic is dedicated to preserving and improving our natural areas. We compost garden waste and food scraps locally and mulch trees and branches to help our gardens and trails thrive.
We also manage stormwater with features like rain gardens, bioswales and green roofs, which help keep our water clean. These features are built into the campus planning and design processes.
Regular maintenance includes grass cutting, weed control, seeding, fertilizing, pruning, mulching and irrigation.
Report an grounds maintenance issue
Finnerty Gardens
Finnerty Gardens
We maintain Finnerty Gardens. The garden contains over 4,000 different trees and shrubs and more than 1,500 rhododendron and azalea plants, including 200 collected rhododendron species.
Accessibility
We are always working to improve accessibility at UVic. We:
- maintain paths to make sure they're accessible for wheelchairs and other mobility devices.
- maintain sidewalks, roads and bike lanes to keep pedestrians, cyclists, transit users and drivers safe.
- make sure it is easy for everyone to access and navigate campus.
Sustainability
UVic is dedicated to preserving and improving our natural areas. Sustainability and conservation are built into UVic's campus planning and design processes. Some of the strategies our horticulture and landscaping teams use:
- compost garden waste locally
- collect leaves from campus trees and the chips from the tree trimming to mulch shrub beds on campus to help with water retention and weed control
- use electric tools and vehicles where possible
- divert rainwater from storm drains to bioswales
- monitor water used for irrigation and reduce it when possible
Our focus areas are aligned with UVic's Climate & Sustainability Action Plan 2030
Policies
BP3105: Building and Grounds Usage
- Facilities Management is responsible for gardens, trees, lawns, trails, pathways and outdoor hard surface areas. Don't try to alter them. If something needs to be repaired or changed, contact us instead.
- Tents and temporary shelters are not permitted on UVic grounds without explicit permission from Facilities Management.
- Overnight sheltering is not permitted on UVic grounds without explicit permission from Campus Security.
- Pets and other animals aren't permitted on UVic grounds unless they're leashed or confined to a cage or vehicle. They're not permitted inside UVic buildings, even when caged or leashed. Certified service animals are welcome.