As part of the Campus Landscape Enhancement Project, an
Urban Forest (PDF [Portable Document Format File] ) was established along University Drive. The forest is a densely planted area, reminiscent
of a Texas creek bed. More than 5,000 trees and shrubs were planted, many of them native
to Texas. The varieties include Afghan Pines, Bur Oaks, Caddo Maples, Cedar Elms,
Chinquapin Oaks, Magnolias, Pond Cypress and Shumard Oaks. The Urban Forest is set in
a natural riparian corridor running through campus.
Cottonwood Creek also runs through campus. The West Fork of Cottonwood Creek runs along
the west side of campus, through University Village. It ultimately joins other waterways
at White Rock Lake, part of the Trinity River watershed.
Sustainable Grounds
UT Dallas is a campus that is comprised of buildings, greenspace, and natural landscaping features that includes many diverse species of flora and fauna. Through efficient and strategically planned watering, our Facilities Management team ensures that our campus landscape is healthy and visually appealing. Efficiency in campus irrigation minimizes water loss and waste. At any time, if you see a broken sprinkler on-campus, please contact Facilities Management.
UTD has three different plant-specific areas highlighted on our
Sustainability Map (PDF [Portable Document Format File] ).
- Wildflower Areas are designated areas to sustain a natural area for native wildlife.
- Pollinator Areas are designated areas for only native plants to North Central Texas for native wildlife.
- Monarch Waystations denote their program designation. However, they are native Pollinator Areas as well.
With more than 6,700 trees on campus, and as the recipient of $50 million dollars
for landscape enhancement, The University of Texas at Dallas is committed to maintaining
our fabulous landscapes. To demonstrate that commitment, the University has been recognized
by the Arbor Day Foundation as a Tree Campus Higher Education®,
a program that helps campuses establish and maintain healthy community forests.
Pollinator Habitat
UT Dallas sits in Texas’ Blackland Prairie. The Blackland Prairie region is a strip of dark, rich soil encompassing much of Dallas and following the I-35 corridor. It’s known for its black, fertile soil which is very suitable for farming and grazing. The soil was so desirable that the Blackland Prairie is now one of the most endangered ecoregions in the United States with less than 1% of original prairie remaining. Facilities Management has established No-Mow Zones in several locations across campus to encourage native prairie grasses and flowering plants to grow and provide habitat to native pollinators.
Pocket Prairie
A spider climbs up the stalk of a Texas Plume, Ipomopsis rubra.
The UT Dallas restored pocket prairie, established in 2023, is another representation of the Blackland Prairie ecoregion on campus. This restoration project is a living, breathing ecosystem supporting native pollinators and other wildlife, as well as serving as an educational ambassador for the preservation and restoration of the Blackland Prairie. You can see live updates of the flora and fauna observed at the prairie on iNaturalist.
A Firewheel, Gaillardia pulchella.
Monarch Waystations
The UT Dallas main campus has registered multiple locations in the Monarch Watch program; a national research project dedicated to support and enhance monarch butterfly conservation. As of October 27, 2025, there have been 54,235 Monarch Waystation habitats registered with Monarch Watch. UT Dallas proudly maintains 4 of these!
Eco Hub
The facility features a number of projects including Luna Farm, an apiary where students can participate in the care of honeybees while learning from UTD’s experts, Dr. Scott Rippel and Dr. Christina Thompson, owl boxes, and living laboratory projects, including an experimental soil quality sensor led by Dr. Shalini Prasad and her lab.
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