Nature of Grounds, 2025

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Nature of Grounds is a multimedia project that explores the hidden history of the University of Virginia and its Pavilion Gardens, the concept of nature connectedness, and the intersection of race and the environment. This ongoing collection of resources seeks to make the Pavilion Gardens more physically and psychologically accessible by increasing the UVA community’s awareness of these spaces and their oppressive history. This project affirms that nature is for all, striving to create an environment, both on Grounds and in the broader societal landscape, where everyone can equitably access and connect with the natural world. While these placards capture only a small part of the history of these spaces, they serve as a call to action with the ultimate goal that a permanent version of educational signage be installed in the Pavilion Gardens to ensure the complete history of these landscapes is acknowledged and remembered.