With level 4 water restrictions in place in Armidale, UNE had to turn its taps and sprinklers off, impacting our usually lush campus.
One of the high-profile gardens at risk of succumbing to the drought is the Body Donor Memorial Rose Garden located near the Pat O’Shane building.
To prevent the roses from dying, staff and students from the Faculty of Medicine and Health teamed up to each adopt a rose. They are now using recycled water to water the roses.
Faculty Engagement and Analytics Officer Susan Birchall, who suggested the adopt-a-rose initiative, hopes to similarly inspire staff and students across campus.
“My intention was a small service that everyone could become involved with. Perhaps we could motivate others across the University to engage similarly and in consultation with FMS. Ours is but one of a few memorial gardens at UNE.”
In addition to an ongoing mulching program, UNE’s Facility Management Service is using water from Lake Madgwick and Lake Zot to water high profile areas such as memorial gardens on campus. The dams are fed by hardstand runoff from the central area of the campus and can be used despite restrictions. Signage is also being made up to show where irrigation using dam water is happening.
The Body Donor Memorial Rose Garden is a symbol of UNE’s appreciation to the donors and their families. It is an active recognition of the unique gift that people have contributed to the advancement of medical knowledge.
The Faculty consulted with FMS on the amount of water each rose needs at this time of year. Adopted roses can be identified by a ribbon tied to its stem