Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 46.81
Liaison Stephanie Del Rosario
Submission Date Sept. 11, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

California State University, Fullerton
OP-10: Landscape Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.87 / 2.00 Greg Keil
Building Trades Manager
Physical Plant
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures required to calculate the total area of managed grounds::
Area
Total campus area 236 Acres
Footprint of the institution's buildings 23 Acres
Area of undeveloped land, excluding any protected areas 0 Acres

Area of managed grounds that is::
Area
Managed in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Plan 186 Acres
Managed in accordance with a sustainable landscape management program that includes an IPM plan and otherwise meets the criteria outlined 0 Acres
Managed organically, third party certified and/or protected 0 Acres

A copy of the IPM plan:
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The IPM plan :

Practice is always to monitor for pest activity and then:
1. Set threshold based on pest type/activity and amount of pest damage to plant(s).
2. Practice is to maintain helthy plants through solid best management practices.
3. Control mehods will be utilized when threshold indicates necessity and always with least toxic means possible.


A brief summary of the institution’s approach to sustainable landscape management:

See protected areas description below.


A brief description of how the institution protects and uses existing vegetation, uses native and ecologically appropriate plants, and controls and manages invasive species:

The Institution's practice is to incorporate native plant use into any new construction and to make use as a priority when conducting renovations. Native and drought-tolerant plant selections and designs are to respond to the Governor's call to reduce water consumption by 20%, and to incorporate all necessary strategies of rainwater retention and low water usage throughout the institution.

Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary (TWS), located in Modjeska Canyon and owned and operated by Cal State Fullerton, is a 12 acre nature preserve adjacent to the Cleveland National Forest. This area is considered a "biological hotspot" by conservation biologists as it contains 2,000 of the 7,000 species of plants native to California, many of which are rare or important to the habitat. Over the past several years, TWS has has worked diligently to eradicate non-native plants from its gardens and has replaced them with native plants. CSUF interns are currently assisting TWS in the process of compiling an "Herbarium," which is a collection in pressed flower/ plant specimens of all of the native species within the area. Currently, there is only one other "Herbarium" in California, located at UC Riverside. Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary is collaborating with UC Riverside to share this valuable information. Since the Santiago Canyon Fire of 2007, TWS has been collecting valuable data relative to water quality and the return of native plants and birds to the area. This data is available for research projects. Lastly, thanks to a Boy Scouts Eagle Project, TWS has a native plant greenhouse where we propagate and sell native plants for use in our own gardens and to encourage others to use them in theirs.


A brief description of the institution’s landscape materials management and waste minimization policies and practices:

Fullerton Arboretum employs thermophilic composting in windrows to divert organic waste generated through grounds maintenance. Seventy-percent of Fullerton Arboretum’s green waste is diverted from landfills through on-site composting and mulching. By diverting the green waste of three local companies/oranganizations, Fullerton Arboretum manages to offset the disposal of materials that are difficult to compost or use as mulch. In an effort to offset those materials that are sent to the landfill, Fullerton Arboretum accepts organic wastes from three local companies/organizations. Horse manure and spent barley are incorporated into our compost piles. Woodchips are used both as a carbon source for compost piles and as mulch throughout the arboretum grounds. Fullerton Arboretum diverts approximately 480 cubic yards of organic waste from landfills through these practices. The total volume of Arboretum-generated green waste to landfill each year is 470 cubic yards, with a total volume of green waste diverted from the the landfill each year is 480 cubic yards. This offers a net waste diversion rate of about 10 cubic yards, approximately net waste diversion is zero.


A brief description of the institution’s organic soils management practices:

n/a


A brief description of the institution’s use of environmentally preferable materials in landscaping and grounds management:

n/a


A brief description of how the institution restores and/or maintains the integrity of the natural hydrology of the campus:

The campus utilizes various forms of bioswales, which include rock, grass, and vegetated swales in recent and future design and renovation areas. To date, the campus has renovated approximately six (6) landscaped areas from turf to vegetated and rock swales.

Reduction of water consumption is a state-mandated practice due to recent droughts. Rainwater retention through naturally-occurring hydrologic features on campus has recently become an adopted design practice. Additionally, campus stormwater infrastructure and management are being incorporated into campus beautification and landscape management strategic planning.


A brief description of how the institution reduces the environmental impacts of snow and ice removal (if applicable):
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A brief description of any certified and/or protected areas:

Although the Fullerton Arboretum is not an official entity of the university, a Bodhi Tree was planted and blessed by the Dalai Lama at a day-long event on June 28, 2000, on property leased to the Fullerton Arboretum by Cal State Fullerton. The Bodhi Tree is sacred in Buddhism, a non-theistic religion that is more of a philosophical way of life. he tree was ceremonially planted Sept. 13, 2000, by a group of Cal State Fullerton faculty who represented the five major world religions: Radha Bhattacharya, director of the Center for Economics Education, represented Hinduism; retired professor and current lecturer Benjamin Hubbard, Judaism; late professor Robert McLaren, Christian; professor of multicultural education Nawang Phuntsog, Buddhism; and former lecturer in comparative religion and director of the Islamic Society of Orange County in Garden Grove, Muzammil Siddiqi, Islam.

This ceremonial and historical event served as a dedication and promoted recognition of the Fullerton Arboretum as a geographical space, and has protected it for long term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem education and cultural values.


Is the institution recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree Campus USA program (if applicable)?:
No

The website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable landscape management programs and practices is available:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.