Landscaping & Grounds
The Landscaping & Grounds Department supports the university community by maintaining a diverse, sustainable, and healthy campus landscape. We enhance campus aesthetics, promote passive recreation, and ensure safe, high-quality turf for athletic programs through responsible plant care, preservation, and water conservation.
The vision is to cultivate a vibrant and resilient campus environment that reflects the university’s commitment to sustainability, wellness, and excellence in outdoor spaces.
UNC maintains Tree Campus USA Status
The Campus of University of Colorado has maintained a Level I accreditation by the ARBNET Arboretum Accreditation Program sponsored by Morton Arboretum since March 28, 2014. Tree Campus USA, a national program launched in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation, honors colleges and universities and their leaders for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and staff in the spirit of conservation.
Summer Employment Opportunities: Join the University Grounds Team
Looking for a summer job that builds your resume, keeps you active, and makes a visible impact?
The University Grounds Team is hiring student employees to support peak seasonal maintenance across our scenic 260-acre campus in Greeley! As a member of the Grounds Crew, you’ll help maintain the campus landscape, athletic fields, and outdoor spaces. Your work will support sustainability, safety, and campus pride during the busiest season of the year.
Skills That Go Beyond the Job
This opportunity offers more than just a paycheck—it’s a chance to develop essential soft skills that employers value in every industry:
- Teamwork & Collaboration: Work effectively with a diverse group of peers and professionals to achieve shared goals.
- Communication: Strengthen your ability to listen, ask questions, and express ideas clearly in a professional setting.
- Problem-Solving: Learn to think on your feet and adapt to changing conditions in a dynamic outdoor environment.
- Time Management: Prioritize tasks and meet deadlines while balancing responsibilities.
- Accountability & Reliability: Build a reputation for dependability, consistency, and follow-through.
- Initiative & Leadership: Take ownership of tasks and grow your confidence in leading small projects or decisions.
Apply for positions via Handshake.
Campus Snow Removal
One of our goals is to provide a campus environment that does not pose a risk to the UNC community, and we strive to remedy and/or remove any potential hazards on the campus ground.
The Department of Landscaping & Grounds is responsible for snow removal duties at the UNC Campus. These duties include operations of snow brooms, plows, sand spreaders, front-end loaders, skid-steers loaders, as well as basic hand shoveling, snow-blowers, and the application of chemical ice melt products.
We utilize various weather websites to track storms and to provide information to Grounds personnel and the UNC Police. This allows for better planning and preparation to respond to any particular storm front. The UNC Police will notify the Manager for Landscaping & Grounds of snow conditions on campus by phone at any given day and hour.
Snow removal operations are divided between West, Central Campus and East Campus. During any particular snow event, our department performs snow removal duties during a 3am- 11am daily shift or until snow removal efforts are complete.
Snow Removal Priorities
Priorities are based on an Orange, Green and Blue code system: In the event where heavy snow accumulations occur during university business hours, snow removal efforts will be focused on select sidewalks and building access points (Orange Priority). This is to enable crews to maintain at least one clear path to each building. See the Snow Removal Plan priorities section for details.
Parking Lots
Priorities have been established on the same Orange, Green and Blue code system. For larger snow amounts a contractor will be utilized to supplement our staff.
Special Events
Landscaping & Grounds is also responsible in assisting with special events and conference programs preparation.
We track the university calendar for events on campus and ensure snow removal efforts are made prior and during events, such as theatre, music performances, athletic events or conferences, banquets, receptions, etc.
Xeric & Community Gardens
Community Garden
For over 15 years the University of Northern Colorado has offered 24 individual garden plots for rental to community members, non-profits, students, faculty and staff. Each plot has a dedicated water supply maintained by the university grounds maintenance staff. Garden debris is hauled away in the fall and returned in the spring to provide free compost. Situated in the Xeric Garden against the backdrop of Nottingham Stadium, the gardens provide a place to relieve stress, hone your gardening skills, and meet new people. To apply please read the community garden user agreement and submit your application. Applications will be accepted from March 15-May 1.
Seed Packet
Xeric Garden
The Xeric Demonstration Garden is located at 17th Ave and Reservoir Road, east of Judy Farr.
This 5-acre site provides an opportunity for the community to learn how to save water in their own landscapes through good landscape planning and irrigation design.
The emphasis is on selection of native and low-water use plants and drip irrigation are prevalent in this demonstration garden.
Wheat in Xeric Garden
Contact Us
General Inquiries
Sarah Boyd
Manager