| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.14 |
| Liaison | Bremen Leak |
| Submission Date | July 10, 2024 |
Brigham Young University
OP-9: Landscape Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.09 / 2.00 |
Bremen
Leak Associate Director Sustainability & Continuity |
Total campus area:
Figures required to calculate the total area of managed grounds:
| Area (double-counting is not allowed) | |
| Area managed organically, without the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides | 30 Acres |
| Area managed in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that uses selected chemicals only when needed | 290 Acres |
| Area managed using conventional, chemical-based landscape management practices | 0 Acres |
| Total area of managed grounds | 320 Acres |
A brief description of any land excluded from the area of managed grounds:
The footprint of buildings and impervious surfaces such as parking lots are excluded from the roughly 600 acres that make up central campus and the roughly 39 acres that make up the Missionary Training Center.
Percentage of grounds managed organically:
A brief description of the organic landscape management program:
Areas treated organically—without inorganic fertilizers or chemical pesticies, fungicides, and herbicides—include the stadium east hillside, Wymount Terrace hillside between upper and lower Wymount, south and west campus stream and trail, Hinckley Center hillside, Helaman hillside along Campus Drive and 450 East, and the Materials Handling Area. BYU's native plant garden, south of the Risk Management Building, is also treated organically. The Y Mountain Trailhead, though excluded from the land area described above because it falls outside of the boundary of main campus, is also managed organically.
Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an IPM program:
A copy of the IPM plan or program:
A brief description of the IPM program:
- Action thresholds: Before applying pesticides we determine if the pest population merits the use of pesticide or if it can be controlled through other means (i.e., mechanical or cultural).
- Prevention: We use plant varieties that are resistant to known pests, use cultural best practices to keep plants as healthy and pest-resistant as possible, and use mechanical controls to minimize pest problems.
- Monitor: We monitor for pests and identify them so that management decisions about control can be made before pest populations reach the action threshold.
- Control: If further control is necessary, we determine the best method of control that preserves plants and does the least harm to the surrounding environment. We choose effective, low-risk pesticides first and apply them in such a way as to minimize off-target application.
The university's pest/pesticide/fertilizer lead continues to refine and improve these procedures as needed.
A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:
All plants are either native to Utah or specific for climate zones 2 through 5 and defined as water-wise. Utah State University's Center for Water-Efficient Landscaping list and the Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management standards list are used for plant selection decisions.
A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
BYU is committed to responsibly using its water resources. In the past two decades, the university has reduced its culinary water consumption by two-thirds, even as its building footprint has grown. In 2005, BYU received the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner’s Water Conservation Award, and it continues to make improvements, such as installing smart irrigation systems that reduce water usage by 30 percent, conducting regular water audits, and installing water-wise landscaping, including drought-tolerant plants and mulch made of campus green waste—food scraps, grass clippings, and wood chips that reduce water usage in flowerbeds by 30 percent. In response to the drought, BYU’s water master monitors stream flows and reduces outflows—BYU’s allotted secondary water—accordingly, from as little as 20 percent in spring to as much as 100 percent in late summer, letting campus lawns go dormant during dry spells. In a capstone project led by soil and turf professors, groundskeepers, and students, BYU installed a cold weather hybrid turf in its football stadium, resulting in a 66 precent water savings.
A brief description of the institution's approach to landscape materials management and waste minimization:
Landscaping is designed to incorporate local plant and hardscape materials. Mulch helps with weed control, reduces erosion, and provides airspace and water-holding capabilities for green areas across BYU’s roughly 300 acres of maintained landscape. This mulch is produced on campus from BYU's own food waste, grass clippings, and other green waste.
A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:
Landscaping is designed to reduce heat islands. Planting, trimming, and raking is often done by hand, reducing emissions. Electric chain saws and hedge shears are now commonly used, and other electric yard tools will be adopted in the future.
A brief description of other sustainable landscape management practices employed by the institution:
Outdoor lighting is designed to reduce light pollution. BYU uses select landscaping and outdoor furnishings that can be maintained without toxic chemicals.
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable landscape management program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.