Native grass meadows are part of the landscape on the campus of Milton Hershey School, where they provide habitat for a variety of wildlife species, especially ground nesting birds, the group that contains the greatest number of species of special concern in Pennsylvania. Uncommon birds that may be sighted in campus meadows during migration include Meadowlarks, Grasshopper sparrows, and Boblinks. Meadows also help control rainwater runoff because their vertical growth and extensive root systems absorb rain, keep runoff in the landscape instead of sending it directly into campus streams, reduce downstream flood potential, and direct water to underground aquifers that store it and slowly release it into streams, lessening drought severity by keeping streams flowing. They also offer a low-cost alternative to mowing grass, reducing annual maintenance budgets to a sum 30 times less per acre by converting from turf to meadows, with established meadow maintenance generally consisting of an annual mowing or controlled burn. Most important to Milton Hershey School’s mission, the meadows also serve as excellent teaching tools for academic staff helping students achieve scholastic standards.