Appalachian State University
OP-9: Landscape Management

Excluded land includes biopreserve, natural areas (Gilley property, Homespun Hills, etc), building footprints 45 acres, parking lots, distance campus.

Efforts are made to avoid the use of pesticides by improving plant health, selection of pest-resistant plant materials, and appropriate horticultural practices. Landscape services follows a four-tiered IPM plan. Landscape Services Plant Health Care Specialists scout for pests and pathogens as needed using life cycles, degree days, and population thresholds to pinpoint the most effective time to treat affected plants. Using IPM allows Landscape Services to use the most effective environmentally friendly product on stressed plants this completely does away with unnecessary blanket applications .

The organic landscape management program used on campus places an emphasis on soil biology and soil health. ASU Landscape Services conducts regular soil tests to determine site requirements and makes necessary adjustments with organic amendments. Campus produced compost is regularly applied to turf and garden beds within the organically managed sites. Landscape Services staff make applications of compost tea to turf on a regular schedule to improve soil biology and turf health. Strategies to eliminate the use of pesticides in these areas include: mechanical removal of weeds, the use of organic insecticides, removal of infested plants and replacement with the right plant for the location, protecting beneficial insects, and adjustment of action thresholds for pests.

Landscape Services attempts to use as many native trees, shrubs, and perennials as possible. All submitted landscape plans are reviewed by the landscape services department to insure native plant material is used wherever possible. The native plants selected are the ones best suited for adaptability to the climate, watering needs as well as helping with the IPM program campus-wide. Invasive species are no longer planted and will be phased out as money and resources allows.

Stream restoration projects and mitigation ponds include: Durham Park creek restoration, Hill Street mitigation pond, Central Dining creek restoration, and mitigation pond installation, Varsity Gym creek restoration, and mitigation pond installation, Good Night Brothers creek restoration, Beasley Broadcasting creek restoration. These creek restorations are sections of Boone Creek which eventually flow into the North Fork of the New River. Two mitigation ponds were also formed when Greenwood lot was made. Restoration in 2014 includes the stabilization of the banks, formation of retention ponds, the removal of exotic invasive plants, and the planting of native plant species, along the North Fork of the New River that borders our intramural fields.

Brush and limb clean-up debris are chipped up on-site and utilized on nature trails across campus. Some wood chips are also used as a bulking agent (a carbon source) for Appalachian's in house compost operation. The majority of grass clippings are left in place once grass is cut, which is considered 'grass-cycling'. Grass clippings will quickly decompose, returning valuable nutrients to the soil.

Snow season, in a normal year, runs from November through the following April. Snow and ice is removed as aggressively as possible, since safety is our number one goal. We use ice melt both on the roads, sidewalks, and steps. We use rock salt on the major roads and Snow Plow Magnesium chloride on the sidewalks and steps.

Note: The area comprising "campus area" in this case includes properties off of the main campus but still located within driving range of campus. These areas are used for study, classes, and or housing. Examples include The Dark Sky Observatory, The Blackburn-Vannoy Farm, University Hall, The Water Treatment Plant, etc.