1.6 Land and Stormwater Management: Schoolyards include areas that are natural and help rain soak deep into the ground.

About

In recent years, the world has faced a persistent and growing threat of climate-related issues, including drought, flooding, heavy rainfall, snowfall, and ecological collapse. Compounding this, a 2024 WWF study found that the average size of wildlife populations has declined by 73% in the past 50 years (“Catastrophic 73% Decline”). Unsustainable land care practices further exacerbate these threats. Clear-cut, perfectly trimmed lawns are the established norm, but they are neither flourishing nor healthy (Ecological Landcare). The Minnesota school system is not immune to these effects. Problems such as excessive winter salt use, inefficient irrigation practices, and the use of non native plants have severely degraded the environment and increased management costs for schools. 

More specifically, these methods and others reduce water retention, compress soil, corrode concrete pathways, reduce air quality, harm wildlife, and pose serious health risks to students and staff. Schools can strengthen their disaster plans and overall operational efficiency by integrating soil health, chemical-reduction plans, biodiversity, sustainable maintenance practices, and water management into their day-to-day operations. 

Vision and Benefits

Through improved land and stormwater management practices, a school might envision a transformed, sustainable campus that fosters biodiversity and human health. Ultimately, by modeling care for the natural environment, schools effectively demonstrate to students the importance of managing outdoor spaces sustainably to enhance biodiversity, health, and beauty. Schools may begin their outdoor land and stormwater sustainability goals by practicing intentional learning and setting action-oriented goals with the assistance of our BPA’s. 

GreenStep firmly believes that every student and community deserves access to safe and inclusive outdoor spaces and vibrant green playgrounds. Following the GreenStep framework, schools might begin by slowly phasing out pesticides, fertilizers, non-native plants, and harmful maintenance tools, or, in new construction, by installing rain gardens, bird-friendly glass, and permeable surfaces. We envision that such actions will benefit schools by reducing operating costs, protecting facilities, fostering increased enrollment and community favor, improving the health and well-being of students and staff, protecting biodiversity, and ensuring ecosystem resilience. Many of these management systems have the added benefit of aesthetic prosperity, improving and regulating student mental health, and your school's visual appeal.  

Current Leaders in Land and Stormwater Management:

• Harbor City International School (HCIS), Duluth, MN - created artwork on Superior street to teach people about stormwater pollution as a part of their stormwater education program, and is an active participant in the Adopt-a-Drain program, cleaning pollutants from drains near their school.

• Henry Sibley High School, Mendota Heights, MN – Green Ribbon Schools 2015-2016: 23.51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions between 2008-2014, 58% reduction in irrigation water use, 10% of school grounds are ecologically beneficial with rain gardens and run off buffers, 75% of land is green space.

• Eden Prairie Schools – Green Ribbon Schools 2024: 55% of cleaning products meet Green Steel Standards, 18.8% of energy costs were saved through reduced water usage, and natural light fixtures were incorporated into 85% of classrooms.

• Forest Lake Area High School – Green Ribbon Award, 2019: 39% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and 4 million gallons of water saved over six years through rain detectors, programmable sprinklers, and retention pond projects.

• North Park Elementary School – Green Ribbon Award, 2018: 90% reduction of waste through composting programs, Installation of light motion sensors to reduce energy and protect animal species, a 1,800-foot edible garden and classroom made with recycled plastic, as well as a wildflower pollination garden, and hired a full-time agricultural specialist to manage garden systems.

• Heritage E-STEM Middle School – Green Ribbon Schools 2012-2013: Irrigation monitoring plan with seasonal and weather-based watering schedules; maintenance follows an eco-friendly pest management plan; students are taught about environmental stewardship through topics such as recycling, water quality, composting, gardening, prairie restoration, and refillable water bottles.

• Garlough Environmental Magnet School, West St. Paul, MN – Green Ribbon Schools 2012: 40% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption reduced by 26% through rainwater harvesting and use of grey water for surface irrigation practices, and 64% of yearly waste is diverted from landfills.

• Pilot Knob School, Eagan, MN – Green Ribbon Schools 2017: 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; 10% of school grounds are devoted to ecologically diverse spaces, including native plants such as perennials, evergreens, and deciduous trees; mulch is actively used to protect soil.

Implement Best Practice Actions in a Project

Select Best Practice Actions (BPAs) to work on and complete

Review the list of actions that can be taken to shift your district or school toward sustainable land and stormwater management. Start by documenting the practices already being done at the school. Choose the practices that best fit the school's opportunities and other considerations. For your reference, see the glossary provided under the resources section!

A. Assessment and Planning Actions BPA’s

Creating a management plan will help you stay organized, set informed goals, and prioritize objectives. Management plans offer numerous benefits, including increased efficiency and productivity by providing schools with the tools to manage funds and resources effectively, define evaluation criteria, and develop contingency plans. Trust us, you won’t regret it!

A.1 Conduct Baseline Assessment 

• As part of an overall land and stormwater assessment, conduct a baseline analysis of land and stormwater management and biodiversity, site history, and present property uses. This might be in the form of an operational audit. 

A.2 Establish Management Team 

• Allocate time and responsibilities to a person or team to regularly maintain data, management systems, and records.

A.3 Design and Maintain Land and Stormwater Plan

• Set a strategic plan to improve and maintain overall land and stormwater management and to track performance improvements (This can include written goals, regular inspection and maintenance of equipment, educational opportunities, etc.)

• Regularly compare current assessments and performance improvements against the original baseline assessment to note successes and oversights. 

  • Where possible, identify the success rate of specific BPA’s. A few examples of this include:

    • Looking at changes in utility bills to monitor electrical or water reduction rates.

    • Counting and categorizing plant species numbers as they grow/decline over time.

    • See here for more examples of data collection

• Measure educational impact through student and teacher surveys, classroom observations, and by observing learning artifacts.

• Design and follow a specific and robust biodiversity plan with a set timeline of goals, for example: “By 2030, 35% of plant species must be native pollinator plants.”

• As a resource, consider using B3’s templates and calculators. 

A.4 Design Issue Response Plan

• Write and implement a plan for identifying and responding to anomalies and/or setbacks discovered in land and stormwater management tracking and benchmarking. 

A.5 Write Up Cost Analysis Plan

• Set a budget and create a cost analysis plan that compares total project costs with the expected benefits of each BPA. Reference this analysis when assembling the overall management plan to achieve the desired cost.

B. Overall Performance and Impact

B.1 Establish a Performance Monitoring Practice with Baseline

• Looking at performance metrics for this best practice that are used at the school and other potential metrics, establish a baseline reference year and a regular practice (at least yearly) to monitor the performance of this best practice.

Performance Metrics to Consider:

• ADD TEXT

B.2 Track and Improve Performance

• Using the established baseline and performance monitoring practices, track performance improvements over time relative to baseline use. Where possible, identify the relationship between actions and overall impact improvements. 

B.3 Complete Performance Planning 

• Conduct an analysis of current performance and the impacts and set a strategic plan for how to transition the school over time to bold goals for ideal performance and identify the direct and indirect impacts considering environmental impacts, cost impacts, health, and educational benefits.
  
  

B.4  Implement Vision Backcasting

Gather the green team and representatives from staff, students, the community, and resource organizations to imagine how improved BPNAME could help us reach our fully sustainable vision for the district and its schools. Make this scenario engaging with sketches or models. Engage youth. 

C. Outdoor Soil and Lawn Health BPAs

Active soil and lawn engagement practices facilitate plant health, retain soil moisture, and encourage root growth. By promoting a natural, vegetative landscape, schools can mitigate the urban heat effects heavily attributed to turf fields, prevent erosion through deep-rooted plants, and create an authentic, engaging green aesthetic. Consider incorporating a few of the following BPA’s into your curriculum, such as composting, to instill environmental stewardship and educate students on the importance of reuse. 

C.1 Apply Mulch

• For applying mulch, see bullet point 2 under section C2. Maximize natural cover under Best Practices, section 1.5 Water Efficiency.

• Check to make sure that your mulch has no artificial coloring 

• When applying mulch around trees, do not apply mulch directly on the tree trunks

• Install mulch mown paths with wood chips, leaves, and other materials to create weed-resistant walkways that retain moisture

C.2 Feed Your Landscape

• Return leaves, grass clippings, plant trimmings, and other organic matter back to the landscape. This improves soil health and is completely free!

• Do not install woven barriers in your landscape. Despite their permeable and weed-preventing qualities, they harm long-term soil health. 

• Consider purchasing and using an outdoor tumbler compost bin.

  • For composting instructions, see bullet point 3 under section C2. Maximize natural cover under Best Practices, section 1.5 Water Efficiency.

C.3 Limit use of Heavy Machinery

• Avoid excess trimming and fertilizing.

• Plant species that require less watering or trimming.

• Do not mow wet grass.

C.4 Maximize Natural Cover 

• For native plant covering, see bullet point 1 under section C2. Maximize natural cover under Best Practices section 1.5 Water Efficiency.

  • Ensure that at least 50% of the plants are native to Minnesota.

• Replace synthetic and turf fields with natural ones.

• Consider using bee lawn seed mix as an eco-friendly alternative to turf.

• Add compost to the soil to help it retain water.

D. Stormwater Management and Conservation BPAs

Protect our wildlife and our right to clean drinking water by preventing soil and pollutants from entering school drains and traveling into streams and lakes. When it comes to rainwater runoff, remember to slow it down, spread it out, and soak it in! Possible approaches include using permeable pavement, installing rain gardens and rock gardens, and harvesting rainwater. Involve students to promote hands-on learning and water conservation.

D.1 Minimize Hardscapes

• Consider installing permeable pavements to increase infiltration. This can be done specifically under sloped surfaces to prevent water retention.

• Recycle old hardscape made of concrete and asphalt.

• Use recycled materials from previous projects to create new pathways and/or structures

  • If installing your own pathway from recycled materials, leave small slits or holes between blocks to increase permeability.

• Plant rainwater gardens beneath or near impermeable surfaces to capture and infiltrate stormwater.

• Place free drainage subbases under planting beds and patios to manage water and prevent surface pooling.

• Consider installing porous, water-filtering bituminous driveways made from recycled asphalt. 

• Install reflective surfaces wherever possible to increase albedo.

• You might consider installing bituminous driveways, which are made from recycled asphalt, can be made porous, and help melt snow without salting. 

D.2 Reduce or Redact Sloped Surfaces to Prevent Erosion

• Wherever possible, minimize sloped surfaces. 

  • Build a retaining wall or steps to hold back soil.

  • Use a cut-and-fill grading technique, which involves cutting and rearranging soil to level the area.

• Install erosion control blankets on sloped surfaces.

• Implement contour planting techniques on sloped surfaces to slow rainwater runoff and improve soil erosion.

• Plant deep-rooted plants. The roots will help break up soil and increase water absorption.

• Create a rock garden at the base of slopes to prevent excess water flow and reduce soil erosion. 

• Since large rock quarries can generate dust pollution and waste large amounts of water, we recommend placing rocks in secluded areas with extra care and consideration.

D.3 Minimize Water Sedimentation 

D.4 Practice Xeriscaping - a sustainable, water-conserving gardening practice

• Schools should design their landscape to eliminate or reduce the need for irrigation.

• Choose climate-appropriate flora, i.e., drought-tolerant native plants such as honeylocust or butterfly weed.

  • Use the MPCA Plants for Stormwater Design in the Upper Midwest

• Replace turf and bare lawns with mulch, rocks, and deep-rooted plants.

• Do not overwater.

• Only water when necessary.

• For best practices in watering and irrigation, see section C3. Water efficient land care Practices under Best Practices Section 1.5 Water Efficiency.

D.5 Harvest Rainwater

• For best practices in watering and irrigation, see section C4. Alternative irrigation under Best Practices section 1.5 Water Efficiency. 

• Consider installing rainwater tanks on rooftops or against a supported wall.

• Use captured rainwater for irrigation.

• Integrate rainwater harvesting into the school curriculum.

D.6 Implement Water Conservation Gardening Techniques

• For best practices in watering and irrigation, see section C3. Water efficient land care Practices under Best Practices section 1.5 Water Efficiency 

E. Landscape Pollutants BPA’s

To ensure a healthy school environment, schools must eliminate the use of synthetic landscaping chemicals. There is a significant link between these substances and numerous health risks such as cancer, hormonal disruptions, and neurological disorders (Ecological Landcare). One of the most prominent and easily manageable risks arises from the use of road salt. There is a growing problem of salt contamination in Minnesota's vast lakes, affecting freshwater ecosystems, aquatic life, and drinking water. Additionally, salt degrades soil structure, causes drought, and damages public and private properties through corrosion. Due to Minnesota's extreme climates, salting is sometimes unavoidable, but schools can salt strategically by planning and implementing efficient snow emergency procedures as outlined below.

E.1 Train Property Maintenance Staff on Principles of Smart Salting 

• Certify Staff on Smart Salting following MPCA’s Smart Salting Training Program

• For more information, look at MPCA’s Smart Salting Property Management Manual

• Distribute the following information to staff and maintenance workers

  • Quantity does not equal quality when it comes to salting

  • Salt only works on thin ice or light snowfall

  • When temperatures drop below 15°F, salt is ineffective 

  • Scattering salt on already frozen ground is ineffective 

• Consider hosting your own smart salting training by contacting the MPCA @ smartsalting.pca@state.mn.us

E.2 Practice Smart Salting 

• Look at MPCA’s Smart Salting for Roads Manual 

• Look at MPCA’s Smart Salting for Parking Lots and Sidewalks Manual

• Track and document annual salt use

• Consider using steel or aluminum snow shovels, or use electric snow blowers 

• Spread salt evenly on the ground rather than in clumps

• Consider mixing salt with water to ensure even distribution

• Cover and store salt indoors and on impervious surfaces to prevent contamination

• Follow the Low Salt Design Guidance Manual

• Utilize horizontal drainage (stop meltwater sprawl) 

• Utilize vertical drainage (stop meltwater sprawl)

• Outsmart the wind 

• Introduce new pavement alternatives 

• Ensure plow access for snow removal 

• Store salt safely 

• Consider snow farming 

• Use the sun  

• Plant salt-tolerant vegetation - Look to the MPCA Plant Selector 

• Minimize the footprint of salted surfaces 

E.3 Phase Out Use of Pesticides and Fertilizers

• Phase out the use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, and salt 

• Practice organic pest management techniques 

• Regularly monitor crops 

• Create a reference identifying which animals are actually pests and which are beneficial or “neutral” to your landscape

• Practice nonsynthetic insect control

  • Install pheromone traps to catch insects

  • Practice companion planting 

  • Plant trap crops

• Introduce predators of the pest species into your landscape

• Use biodegradable mulch. It prevents weed growth and limits pest habitats

E.4  Minimize Nutrient Pollutants 

• Track your progress by using passive sampling strips to test your runoff for contaminants

• Place signs reminding people to dispose of their waste properly

• Look out for construction debris, automobile fluids, paint, fertilizer, pesticides, chlorides, oil, grease, grass clippings, leaves, pet waste, sanitary waste, and de-icing products

• Follow our eco-friendly lawn care BPA’s under F. Maintenance Practice BPA’s

• Rake up leaves and sweep up grass clippings in and around your property. You can use these to help feed your soil and plants as well!

• Be sure to clean up any oil leaks or spills before they enter your drains

• Place waste and recycling bins in easily accessible spots to prevent littering

• Maintain and implement a parking lot sweeping program to ensure that impermeable surfaces do not accumulate pollutants

• Consider installing one or more dog waste stations on and around your property

• Create a plan to have your maintenance crew clean out your drains weekly

• Consider gathering students to participate in the Adopt a Drain Program for a more hands-on learning experience

F. Biodiversity BPA’s 

Biodiversity is a critical element of land management. Human activities increasingly threaten wildlife ecosystems, but adopting responsible biodiversity practices can enhance species diversity, increase species variety, and encourage ecosystem resilience. Biodiverse practices can improve air quality, mitigate climate change, and enhance mental and physical well-being for students and educators, while offering unique, hands-on educational opportunities. As your school's biodiversity grows and you take steps to ensure the safety of reptiles, amphibians, insects, and birds, your school’s ecological population will increase significantly. Therefore, it is important to ensure animal safety protocols are in place. For example, regulations limiting translucent structures, walkways, and windows will help prevent confusion or harm to birds that cannot perceive glass as a solid obstacle. 

F.1 Educate Students on Biodiversity

• Create interactive and visually engaging signage to help students identify different plants, animals, and gardens 

• For outdoor classrooms and gardening practices, see Best Practice 3.2 Outdoor learning 

F.2 Remove and Replace Invasive Plants and Plant New Native Plants

• Replace at least 70% of non native plants with native plants

• Plant new native species over bare or flat terrain 

• Plant native species that provide shelter for beneficial animals

• Plant native species that provide food for birds and other animals

• Plant pollinator plants to support bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, among others

• Reminder to research and find seasonally diverse plant types  

• For native plant covering, see bullet point 1 under section C2. Maximize natural cover under Best Practices section 1.5 Water Efficiency.

F.3 Create Pollinator Habitats

• Do not use plants or trees previously treated with neonicotinoids, as neonicotinoids are a form of insecticide that targets insects.

• Ensure that at least 35% of plants are insect-pollinated to ensure that insects such as bees and butterflies have an abundant amount of safe food sources

  • For a list of Minnesota-specific insect pollinator plants, trees, and vines, see page 70 of B3’s guidelines  

• Create insect shelters and leave natural features like dead wood or leaf piles in place to boost insect biodiversity 

• Incorporate a variety of water sources, i.e., birdbaths or ponds, into your outdoor design

F.4 Design Ecological Green Corridors: Connect Habitats Within Urban Structures 

• Wherever possible, create strips of vegetation and trees between or beside built environments and infrastructural landscapes such as roads, sidewalks, or pathways

• Create a network of spaces for insects, animals, and plants to move in between, improving activity and migration between landscapes 

  • GreenCorridors can be as small as a singular tree or bush, as long as it improves habitat fragmentation and genetic diversity

• Plant trees or shrubs in the place of metal or wooden fences to create a living fence. Another option for fencing is to use reclaimed or composted wood 

• Trees can be planted as windbreaks to reduce noise, prevent soil erosion, and regulate the climate

• Use this as an educational opportunity for students to talk about how your schoolyard participates in larger wildlife transit systems

• Plant self-sustaining urban micro gardens 

F.5 Enhance Reptile and Amphibian Habitat 

• Leave or create piles of leaf litter, logs or tree stumps, rocks, and brush piles to act as habitat and breeding sites for reptiles and amphibians

  • Consider integrating reptile habitat making into the curriculum. Observing and creating reptile habitats provides students with valuable, hands-on learning experiences 

• Minimize mowing in nesting sites during warmer months

• If applicable, keep trash and runoff out of shallow, wetwater environments like ponds to protect turtle habitats

• Ensure certain areas are sheltered for reptiles and amphibians during the hotter months to provide shade

F.6 Implement Bird Safety Practices  

• Collect and create a catalog of bird species and bird diversity. Go the extra mile by working directly with an organization such as Audubon MN to categorize and systemize different species    

• Generate high biodiversity by creating environmental habitats that attract insects for birds to feed on. Look at section E.4 Insect Pollinator Habitats for more information

• If your school site has no direct access to any body of water, build a fountain or bird bath for birds. Consider adding a solar aerator, water wiggler, or pond spitter to attract birds and discourage predators 

• To support bird safety during nighttime migration, look below at BPA F.5 Limit Light Pollution 

• Avoid building transparent-sided walkways, such as skyways 

• Place bird-safe film over transparent or translucent surfaces on the exterior of your building

• Another option is to engage students through hands-on learning by allowing them to paint and decorate transparent surfaces and windows 

• Monitor the safety of your built environment by making use of Audubon's Bird-Safe Building Guidelines

G. Maintenance Practices BPA’s

Did you know that intense or overly bright lighting can disorient and confuse animals? It disrupts their natural sleep cycles, eliminates safe hiding areas, and interferes with migration patterns, particularly for birds. By tracking light pollution, schools can prevent ecological disruption and interference with bird migration and conserve electricity. We strongly encourage that your maintenance employees are well-equipped and informed on sustainable maintenance practices. A well-structured maintenance plan can improve costs, maximize efficiency, reduce toxins, protect ecosystems, improve soil quality and water quality, and reduce noise pollution.

G.1 Practice Grasscycling

• Practice Mulch-Mowing by leaving grass clippings on the lawn rather than trashing them to feed and improve soil health

• Practice spot removal, a low-impact landscaping method done by targeting small areas of concern rather than the entirety of the landscape

G.2 Electrify Lawncare Equipment

• For electrification of lawncare equipment, see section C. Electrification BPA’s under best practice section 1.2 Clean Energy

• Reduce noise pollution from lawn mowers and other equipment 

G.3 Use Water Efficient Outdoor Cleaning Practices

• For the best water efficient outdoor cleaning practices, see section C5. Water efficient outdoor cleaning under best practice section 1.5 Water Efficiency

• Install irrigation sensors to enhance water efficiency and avoid unnecessary watering

G.4 Use Eco-Friendly Maintenance, Products, Tools, and Practices

• Phase out old cleaning products for new, eco-friendly, and non-toxic products such as biodegradable soap

  • You might research and use a mix of water and baking soda as a natural patio, sidewalk, and tool cleaner, for weed control, or as a natural insecticide 

  • Schools can also consider using diluted vinegar to dissolve dirt and water stains on sidewalks or to prevent and discourage mold growth. Remember, vinegar will not kill large weeds or intense mold. 

• Consider spending a bit more money buying well-made, long-lasting gardening tools so they last longer

• Buy Green Seal’s Green Cleaning Products

• Properly care for your tools to avoid needing replacements

• Avoid buying tools and hoses made from plastic or other toxic materials

• Try buying tools made with steel or FSC-certified wood. An FSC ensures that your wood products come from responsibly managed forests. 

• Purchase peat-free potting soil to save carbon-rich bogs, which play a large role in carbon sequestration

• Practice soft washing to avoid soil erosion and excess pressure on plants

• Consider buying a steel watering can for gardening

  • This is also a good opportunity for students to participate in hands-on gardening practices

G.5 Limit Light Pollution: 

• Use warmer colored lights where possible

• At night, use the lowest light level required 

• Consider automatic motion sensor lighting for both indoor and outdoor spaces

• Consider using solar lighting or energy-efficient LED lights in place of incandescent light bulbs

• If the building is in use, close all blinds at night 

• If the building is not in use, remember to turn off all interior lights 

• Research and make note of Minnesota bird migration seasons and times to inform your school's lighting schedule. Take a look at Audubon's Lights Out Bird Friendly Factsheet here

• Meet non-residential dark sky light guidelines when installing new light fixtures or programming light schedules:

  • Ensure all outdoor lighting has a controller, switch, or building automation system to ensure lights are off when daylight is available

  • Minimize uplighting by installing shielded fixtures that direct illumination downward

  • Track and ensure compliance with the required lumen output and uplight/glare limits on table A, table B, and table C

G.6 Donate Unwanted Maintenance Equipment 

• Donate old, reusable equipment and materials to nonprofit organizations or schools outside your district.

• Through donation, teach students how to actively give back to their community

• Drop off broken lawnmowers to scrap metal recyclers to reduce landfill waste

G.7 Train your Maintenance Employees

• Train your maintenance employees using this professional land stewardship how-to guide

Submit Annual Review

The annual review for this best practice includes

• Confirming that Best Practice Actions are still active. (Eg, are programs still in operation and working? Are event or time-based actions repeated each year?)

• Amending the documentation with any changes

• Adding any lessons learned from the prior year to share with others.

To submit the annual review, send in the BP 2.2 Datasheet with the updated calendar year in the update column to reflect which BPAs are still active.

GreenStep Advisor

• Contact mngreenstepschools@gmail.com for assistance

Online Resources:

• See links in text above for resources relevant to specific actions, also see resources consulted or cited for sources.