Garden project to make UMass greener

AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) - UMass Amherst already has one permaculture garden, and now students are creating a second one to increase the university's sustainability.

Students are creating the new garden on the Southwest Residential Hall Campus to provide fresh vegetables and herbs for the cafeteria there. The project is also teaching them a lot about agriculture and sustainability.

Originally, this piece of land was barren sand and poor grass, but the students are transforming it with mineral-rich soil and compost. They are preparing it for the spring season, when they will harvest a working garden there.

Chief Sustainability Coordinator Ryan Harp told 22News that they are actually recycling storm debris in this garden. “We're also using all downed trees in the storm recently. Those wood chips from those trees to put on this mulch. Super local, super abundant resources and it's all happening right here,” Harp said.

Harp told 22News that the skills these students are learning will help them get jobs, since more and more companies are looking for ways to become sustainable and green.