Grounds

Mission Statement: It is the Mission of the grounds crew of North Seattle College to maintain the grounds of the campus in a manner which:

• ensures student, visitor, and employee safety,
• supports the teaching and learning mission of the college,
• provides sustainable stewardship of the living elements of the campus landscape

Campus Description: (Note: all acreages and distances, below, are estimates only)

The 65 acre campus of North Seattle College is divided into three Zones.

Zone 1, or Core Campus, (covering 20 acres) includes all campus buildings and the planted areas around and between those buildings. Zone 1 plantings are a mix of native and non native plants designed to reflect the natural look of the northwest. The plants soften the impact of the concrete, metal, and glass architecture. It should be noted the campus, designed by Mahlum and Mahlum, is one of the better examples of New Brutalist design, and was inspired by the work of Arthur Erickson. The landscape design was by Wm. Tuefal, with original plantings by Thomas Berger and the later updates by the Thomas Berger Partnership.

Zone 2, Parking, (covering 15 acres) includes campus parking lots and the planting areas within and immediately adjacent to these lots. There are 2 Visitors Lots, North Visitors and South Visitors and 6 other lots named for the compass directions: West Lot, North Lot, North East Lot, East Lot, South East Lot, South Lot and South West Lot.

Zone 3, Greenbelt, (covering 30 acres), comprised of approximately 2 to 3 acres of wetlands and 27 acres of uplands. The Bartonwood Sanctuary, at the north end of the campus, was named after a founding Science Faculty member. The Sanctuary and greenbelt contains both remnants of historic wetlands and restored wetlands that feed the south branch of Thornton Creek. A Campus Trail System, approximately (1.5 miles ) long, meanders through the greenbelt extending south from the Sanctuary, along the east side of campus, next to the I-5 freeway, and across the south end of campus.

All parts of the Campus landscape are available to the teaching mission of the college and many parts of Zones 1 and 3 have been included in curriculum from the Sciences, through Humanities, Social Science and Physical Education. Student projects, Service Learning and volunteer activities occur throughout the year, in support of the wetlands, the trail system and reforestation of Greenbelt habitat enhancement sites.