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Mountaintop Discovery GardensA student-led garden plan

Planning phase. An independent plan; nothing is funded or built yet. Not an official project of, or endorsed by, Lehigh University. What “planning phase” means

Plan summary

Mountaintop Discovery Gardens: plan summary

Planning phase. An independent plan; nothing is funded or built yet. Not an official project of, or endorsed by, Lehigh University. Version 1, 20 October 2026, based on the plan PDF v3 and the project website. Every location, size and dimension is preliminary and unverified.

What it is

A student-led plan for a garden on Lehigh University's Mountaintop Campus. It would pair native Pennsylvania pollinator meadow with edible demonstration beds, an outdoor classroom, a rain garden, compost and rainwater collection. It would start as a 0.5–1 acre pilot. It could grow only if Lehigh sees value and suitable land exists, and only with site permission, soil and utility studies, funding and a year-round maintenance plan.

Where

A desktop review found three possible study areas on the plateau: about 7 acres of open lawn or meadow in all. None has been surveyed, offered or given site permission.

  • Area 1, East Summit Lawn (about 3.2 acres), beside Iacocca Hall, with mixed slopes and a gentle terrace.
  • Area 2, Central Circle Green (about 1.7 acres). It appears to be the event lawn beside Building C. About 1 acre would stay open for events; only its edges might change later, if Lehigh agrees.
  • Area 3, West Lawn or meadow (about 2.1 acres). Lehigh reports a 2021 lawn-to-meadow conversion on the Mountaintop without saying where; satellite data suggest this area (unconfirmed). It would be kept as is.

The illustrated pilot, about 0.74 acre, appears to fit Area 1's gentle terrace, east of Iacocca Hall (to be confirmed). No tree removal is proposed. Lehigh facts were checked only through search results.

The pilot

The pilot, about 190 × 170 ft (32,300 sq ft) with optional items, would include:

  • Native pollinator meadow and borders, including mown margins: about 18,400 sq ft.
  • A deer-fenced edible garden, about 80 × 50 ft, with 6 accessible raised beds.
  • A 6 ft accessible loop, about 550 ft long.
  • An outdoor classroom with 24–30 seats, about 40 × 30 ft.
  • A rain garden, about 55 × 24 ft.
  • A compost and tool yard, about 20 × 30 ft.
  • Two quiet seating areas, and a water point with a bottle filler and cistern (connection to be confirmed).
  • Optional: an unheated high tunnel (about 20 × 48 ft), picnic shade, a native berry hedge and a seed nursery.

Who it would help, and how

Students could grow food and monitor biodiversity, such as pollinator counts and bird surveys. Classes and visiting groups could use the outdoor classroom.

Preliminary accessibility guidelines: accessible routes 6 ft clear, firm and stable, targeting at most 5% running and 2% cross slope. Accessible raised beds would be about 24–30 inches high, with 5 ft of turning space. Qualified reviewers would check these against the 2010 ADA Standards and applicable codes.

Later ideas, not in the PDF: the garden would aim to be free to visit and use, subject to Lehigh's access rules. Visitors would need accessible restrooms nearby, including all-gender and family rooms; where is an open question for the university.

Planet and nature first

  • Meadow over lawn. Most of the pilot would be meadow: less mowing, and habitat for pollinators and birds.
  • Rain garden and cistern. These would slow runoff and store rainwater for drip irrigation.
  • Compost. Enclosed, rodent-resistant bins would close a small food-waste loop, with no meat or dairy. Later idea, not in the PDF: sorting points for recycling, compost and reuse.
  • Dark skies. No lighting by default would keep night skies and wildlife undisturbed.

These are expected benefits; none has been measured.

Food safety

The Mountaintop is a former industrial research site, so soil would be tested before any food is grown. A later idea, not in the PDF: if results ruled out in-ground growing, food would grow only in raised beds of clean, documented soil.

Later ideas, not in the PDF: harvests could be shared with established food programs that agree to accept them, under a written food-safety protocol. Surplus could go to a shared Hub, if one opens nearby. Neither has been discussed with any food program or university office; both would need the university's written permission.

Phases (indicative) and long-term ideas

  • Phase 0 (0–6 months): seek Lehigh's review; confirm area, utilities, soils, accessibility and permit path; name a sponsor; baseline biodiversity survey.
  • Phase 1 (Year 1): the pilot core.
  • Phase 2 (Years 2–3): optional items; review pilot use and upkeep.
  • Phase 3 (Years 3–6): only with site permission, studies, funding and upkeep: an orchard of about 0.5 acre (about 47 trees), a summit meadow, pollinator edges at Area 2 and an interpreted meadow at Area 3.
  • Phase 4 (Years 5–10): only with site permission, studies, funding and upkeep: teaching greenhouse as a separate capital project with utility service.

After a pilot review, this could grow to about 6 acres across three areas. The greenhouse would be about 30 × 72 ft. The larger garden, orchard and greenhouse would each need site permission, soil and utility studies, funding, and a year-round maintenance plan.

What it needs

  • The university's written permission to use a study area.
  • A sponsor and owner, and a faculty advisor.
  • Soil tests, and the locations of water, power and drainage.
  • Zoning, permits, an accessibility review and insurance.
  • Year-round care. A proposed split: a student garden club, a program home, Facilities or a grounds contractor, and paid summer intern(s) if funding is found.
  • Funding. Costs are not yet estimated.

Reuse it anywhere

A later idea, not in the PDF: another campus or town could copy the method and its checklists. Land, owners, permits, laws, climate and plants must be checked locally. The aim is to repeat it across Pennsylvania, the US and the world; nothing elsewhere is chosen or funded.

Next step

Shared with university offices for feedback. Next: hearing whether a garden fits the university's plans and whether any study area could be considered.

Sources