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Orchard project underway in IU Kokomo Sustainability Meadow

KOKOMO, Ind. — There’s something new growing in Sustainability Meadow.

Indiana University Kokomo’s Student Sustainability Council, together with faculty and community volunteers, planted 20 apple trees in the ecological restoration site as part of a long-term plan to increase campus biodiversity.

Andy Tuholski, director of the Office of Sustainability and assistant professor of political science, said the pollinator orchard project is a component of a five-year Green Horizons Initiative, with the goal to create “a dynamic, living space that supports pollinators, native wildlife, and campus engagement.”

The trees, which include Golden Treat, Gala, Fuji, Yellow Delicious, and Braeburn apples, are planted between the parking garage and the campus beehives, providing a food source for honeybees.

“Over time as these produce fruit, they are going to attract our bees, and the taste of the honey will change,” Tuholski said.

James Panyan, B.A. ’24, and co-owner of Grow with Gordon, oversaw the planting and landscaping, noting they chose a variety of types so they can cross pollinate. He planned to include plants that deer don’t like, along with a bamboo barrier to protect the new trees from being a snack for the campus deer.

“This is going to be trees, wood chip mulch, bushes, and ground covering to make it a whole system,” he said. “Right now, it looks like plants on display. What we want is a functioning ecosystem that can support itself.”

Grayson Arndt, a junior from Marion, was among the volunteers.

“It’s a good thing to do,” he said. “Planting trees helps our environment, and who doesn’t love apples?”

A political science major, he’s secretary of the Student Sustainability Council, and enjoys being involved in projects like planting, removing invasive species, and creating new ecological spaces.

“I want to leave a lasting impact on campus,” he said. “We’re trying to make this a more environmentally friendly space. Trees are a huge part of our life, because they clean carbon dioxide from the air. Having trees is important.”

Tuholski said the pollinator orchard project expands on an effort that began three years ago with planting of five apple trees. It was funded by the NIPSCO/NiSource Charitable Foundation through its Environmental Action Grant, which the campus received in April.

The area will be used as a living classroom, including a beekeeping demonstration in September. Volunteers will remove invasive plants along the Kokomo Creek bank to clear a path to it, then add deep-rooted plants and rocks to the bank to act as a sponge and prevent flooding.

“This gives our biology classes access to the creek to collect water samples and do inventories of native plants and invasive plants,” he said. “We want to make this campus as biologically diverse as we can.”

Cleaning out the creek also will improve water flow and ecosystem functionality.

“We’re excited about the long-term impact this work can have, not just for campus sustainability, but for student learning and community outreach as well,” he said. “Our goal is to add to the biodiversity of these ecological restoration areas, and to get students and community volunteers involved.”

The pollinator orchard grant was one of 23 Environmental Action Grants awarded by Northern Indiana Public Service Company LLC (NIPSCO) and the NiSource Charitable Foundation for 2025. Now in its 10^th year, the grant program has provided about $700,000 in funding support for nearly 170 projects with an emphasis on environmental education and restoration across northern Indiana.

Education is KEY at Indiana University Kokomo.