14-Occidental College: UEPI Native Garden

Welcome to our garden, a former lawn transformed into a thriving, drought-tolerant landscape. Proposed by student Graham Luethe ’26 and guided by UEPI Program Directors and professors Sharon Cech and Rosa Romero, the project was implemented by students in UEP 247 with support from Oxy’s Sustainability Office, Facilities, and community partners. Featuring student-designed interpretive signs, the garden showcases California native ecosystems — oak woodland, riparian, and chaparral — while using hügelkultur berms and stormwater swales to conserve water, restore ecology, engage students, and advance Occidental’s Climate Leadership Pledge.