The University of Texas at Dallas
IN-48: Innovation B

In fall 2021, The Office of Sustainability launched its brand-new UTD Eco Hub, which is a hive for student leadership for sustainability on campus and in our community. The facility features about 20,000 square feet of high-quality soil, built with the compost that was on site from the compost operations at the location, and an apiary where students can participate in the care for the honeybees while learning from UTD’s experts, Dr. Scott Rippel and Dr. Christina Thompson. The farm is guided by principles of organic farming, including the avoidance of harsh pesticides and herbicides. We grow produce in twelve sections, each dedicated to a different seasonal plant family. Before a new growing season, the plant families are assigned to a new plot in a process called “crop rotation,” which ensures that the soil microbiome maintains its diversity and reduces the depletion of any one macronutrient over time. The Eco Hub also practices a technique called “cover cropping,” which is the practice of growing crops that are typically not intended for eating, usually for the purpose of improving soil health. Cover crops serve a variety of different purposes like increasing nutrients, boosting organic matter, killing weeds, and breaking compaction. In fall 2022, we experimented with four different kinds of cover crops to increase nitrogen in the soil and to reduce soil compaction: daikon radish, winter rye, hairy vetch, and Austrian winter peas. We will use the results of soil tests taken before and after cover cropping to determine which cover crops are best suited for our needs. Crop rotation and cover cropping are part of a regenerative agriculture approach, which encourages farmers to work with the land to solve agricultural issues. The UTD Eco Hub is intended to be student led, with the primary focus of the microfarm being food production for food insecure communities through the Comet Cupboard and other North Texas Food Bank Partner Agencies. We also expect that the Eco Hub will become an area for students interested in sustainability issues to convene, provide service, build community, and provide education and outreach to peers. The Eco Hub is proud to be a registered North Texas Food Bank Partner Garden, USDA People’s Garden, and an American Heart Association Teaching Garden.