An award-winning landscape

The secret behind USD’s renowned beauty lies with its Grounds Maintenance team

Mayella Vasquez / Asst. Feature Editor / The USD Vista

It is still dark out as Assistant Grounds Manager Ernie Salazar makes his way to the University of San Diego. As the sun is rising, he preps his foreman for the day ahead. They discuss what to trim, fix, and plant. The rest of the team arrives by 6:30 a.m., and soon, USD’s Grounds Maintenance team is at work all around the campus.

Under Salazar’s direction, the Grounds Maintenance team is in charge of the upkeep of facilities and gardening. Salazar has been in the landscaping industry for 45 years, working at USD for 22 of those years.

“I started a gardening business when I was 20,” Salazar said. “I got an Associate’s degree in landscape technology, became a certified landscape contractor, and am qualified in pesticide application.”

Salazar’s office is behind Copley Library and next to the Skip and Cindy Hogan Tennis Center. He keeps his workspace organized, with weather reports, work schedules, and pictures of the school on his bulletin board. He also keeps upcoming projects on file.

“New construction is changing our landscape,” Salazar said. “Our responsibilities as gardeners change with it.”

For example, there are plans to work on a new landscape for the Skip and Cindy Hogan Tennis Center. Other future projects include working on the USD Softball Complex and putting in a new putting green for the golf team.

Salazar recognizes the extent of the work that goes into maintaining diverse greenery.  

Currently, USD is home to 164 different species of plants. USD’s online plant inventory explains that trees serve different purposes on campus. Some plants are for erosion control. While some trees are grown on campus for shade, others accent the landscape. Tree compatibility is important because USD is home to trees from many different regions, such as the Chinese evergreen elm from East Asia and the fern pine from East Africa. 

Maintaining healthy turf is another responsibility, as the school’s sports teams need grass that can endure sporting events. Torero Stadium’s grass has impressively survived seven seasons of football, soccer, and rugby. Salazar credits the hard work of the Grounds Maintenance team for this impressive feat.

“We get the work done because we have a prompt team,” Salazar said. “Our employees have a lot of experience, ranging to 40 years at USD.”

Being The Princeton Review’s Most Beautiful Campus in 2018 is a great source of pride for Salazar, as the award recognizes his hard work paying off. 

“It is an honor to work on one of the most beautiful campuses in the United States,” Salazar said. “Being able to be part of this campus and make something that I and others can enjoy is my favorite part of the job.”

Even though the landscape is a leading contributor to USD’s beauty, water usage in San Diego is a large concern. According to a compilation of research done by USD’s School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES), water consumption in San Diego County increased in residential areas alone from 84 gallons per capita in 2017 to 91 gallons in 2018. This increase is partly due to a statewide lift on water restrictions in 2017.

However, the USD website states that, in 2016, water usage at USD was at its lowest in 25 years. USD also uses weather-based sprinklers that automatically adjust to local weather patterns. Reducing over-watering and being responsive to dynamic weather conditions are two benefits of this system. General construction also reduces gardening labor and water usage. For example, the Learning Commons is no longer a green area that has to be maintained.  

Salazar shared his thoughts on the future of landscaping and the importance of water conservation. 

“We are in Southern California, so we don’t get as much rain as other parts of the country,” Salazar said. “On campus, we try to save water by removing unnecessary grass and shrubs whenever we can without taking away from the school’s beauty. We don’t want to just have gravel and dirt, we need balance.”

Salazar is planning to retire soon, and intends to stay at USD for the rest of his career. Once he retires, he wants to travel around the United States with his wife.  

However, Salazar is committed to his work until then, and wants to ensure his legacy will live on after he leaves.

“I think our maintenance and landscaping is better than Balboa Park’s,” Salazar said. “I want to keep working until I feel like I can pass the baton.”

Salazar’s love for his job radiates off his person. He suggests visiting the Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice to see his favorite tree, the African tulip tree, which is in bloom.

“I always leave thinking it was a good day,” Salazar said. “Be honest, that’s all you have to do. Find a job you want to be there for.”