6.3.5 Water-conscious planting

Srinakharinwirot University (SWU) plants landscapes to minimise water usage, including the use of drought-tolerant plants. The University's agricultural experts determine the planting patterns and tree species for each area, taking into account the climate, soil conditions and water requirements. The University has more than 5,068 trees on campus, and drought-tolerant species well adapted to hot climates are used widely. These water-conscious landscapes were in place by 2025.

Drought-tolerant Plants Used on Campus

Drought-tolerant species used across the campuses include Ratchaphruek (golden shower tree, Cassia fistula), Ta Bak (Lagerstroemia spp.), bougainvillea, yellow trumpet bush (Tecoma stans) and Fukien tea (Carmona retusa). At Ongkharak Campus, native and drought-tolerant species such as sea mango (Cerbera odollam) are used in landscaping to reduce irrigation demand. The photographs below show drought-tolerant trees, including rows of Ratchaphruek (golden shower trees), along campus roads and in green areas of SWU Ongkharak.

Source: https://greenuniversity.swu.ac.th/swu-ui-green/water

Irrigation That Minimises Water Use

Landscaped and green areas are maintained by contracted landscaping companies. At Ongkharak Campus, trees and outdoor areas are watered with water pumped from the canals within the campus instead of tap water (13,944 m³ in 2025; see SDG 6.4.2), while gardens within faculty areas are watered with tap water by gardeners assigned to each building. At Prasarnmit Campus (101 rai), lawns are watered by sprinklers using water pumped from Saen Saeb Canal, and gardens and general trees are hand-watered with tap water, with stake sprinklers in some areas. Irrigation is adjusted during the dry season so that water is used only when necessary.

Green Areas and Permeable Surfaces at Ongkharak Campus

At Ongkharak Campus, green areas cover about 52.6 hectares (328.6 rai): 11.80 ha of tree cover (7.69% of the campus) and 40.77 ha of grass and small plants (26.56%). Permeable pavements reduce runoff, and besides the forest and planted vegetation, 264,651.93 m² of ground surface (17.24% of the campus area) supports water absorption (SWU Sustainable University Performance Report, Academic Year 2025, UI GreenMetric evidence WR.1 and 4.7, pp. 155 and 166). The maps below show forest vegetation (117,997.97 m²) and planted vegetation (407,743.51 m²) at Ongkharak Campus, from the University's green university data.

Source: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hVGrDvbj9BgNzyuM_Hj4kS-o5aaPH4lJ/view