Vanderbilt Plant Operations’ groundskeeping department and the Sustainability and Environmental Management Office have donated five dumptruck loads, or 35 tons, of wood chips to Tennessee State Parks to be used on walking paths at Radnor Lake State Natural Area.
These wood chips were the result of downed tree limbs and tree maintenance on campus and needed to be removed to prepare for fall and winter leaf composting. Instead of sending the waste to the local landfill, the material found a beneficial re-use at a local park. It also saved the university $1,000 in avoided landfill fees—a good reminder to reduce, re-use and recycle whenever possible.
The project was a collaboration among Vanderbilt Plant Operations, the Vanderbilt Sustainability and Environmental Management Office, Waste Management and Tennessee State Parks.
