Campus as Forest: Catalyzing Regenerative Development in Higher Education

Regenerative development enhances ecosystems beyond the conditions of nearby healthy habitats, bringing new life to something that has been depleted. The goal is to enable the environment to thrive as a result of human interaction, enabling mutual conditions for nature and community to co-evolve as one. Yet the central challenge remains: how do we achieve regeneration at scale? Aspiring to be the “model for regeneration and the new standard for higher education sustainability,” Catawba College is bringing regenerative development across its ~300-acre Salisbury, North Carolina campus, stimulating education, environmental stewardship, and campus life. Through its “Campus as Forest” Vision, the College seeks to cultivate a campus that functions as a living-learning laboratory, one that integrates community, ecology, education, and innovation into a unified, place-based regenerative roadmap. In this moderated discussion, leaders from Catawba College, HOK, Ecometrix Solutions Group, and Biomimicry 3.8 will outline their integrated, whole systems approach to implementing regenerative strategies at scale. From Catawba’s recently completed “Campus as Forest” Framework and Regenerative Campus Landscape Plan to ongoing LEED, WELL, Passive House, and Living Building Challenge capital projects, and campus-wide decarbonization efforts, presenters will demonstrate how a Positive Performance Methodology leads to measurable and replicable positive design strategies across the campus. Panelists will highlight how ecosystem modeling reveals the past, present, and projected ecological dynamics of a place, equipping teams to craft regenerative strategies and make informed decisions. Community engagement is essential to Catawba’s regenerative transformation, empowering students, faculty, staff, leadership, and the public to understand regeneration and participate in co-creating a thriving campus. By building broad coalitions and embedding shared stewardship across academic, operational, and community spheres, the College amplifies its impact far beyond campus boundaries, aligning daily actions with a broader mission to cultivate lasting, nature-positive change.