Sustainable Athletic Fields

Colby’s outdoor competition center, constructed in 2017, was built following the principles of  sustainable landscape design. The design blends the new athletic fields with the surrounding woods, while the pedestrian paths connect to the existing trail network. The project used all native plant species, including the sod on the two natural grass fields. This is the first project at Colby to pursue SITES certification for a sustainable landscape. The SITES framework supports the protection of ecosystems and promotes awareness of the services provided including carbon sequestration, stormwater management, and flood risk reduction. This project also supports human health by encouraging physical activity both on and off the fields, promoting social interaction, and providing quiet outdoor space to connect with nature.

Some of the strategies used within the SITES framework include:

• Irrigation automatically adjusts to precipitation and evaporation rates
• Reused soil and stone from the site
• Water runoff is filtered through catch basins beneath the fields
• Water bottle filling station reduces the amount of recyclables used on site
• Organic matter from routine field maintenance is composted and reused at the community garden on Washington Street
• All of the electricity used on site (and on the Colby campus) is certified green electricity
• The selection of native plant species reduces the need for irrigation, mowing, and synthetic pesticides and fertilizer
• Preferential parking is provided for low emission vehicles
• Bike racks support alternative transportation on campus