California State University, Fullerton
OP-9: Landscape Management

Land excluded from the area of managed grounds includes building footprints, parking lots, impervious surfaces and the Arboretum.

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 healthy plants through solid best management practices. 3. Control methods will be utilized when threshold indicates necessity and always with least toxic means possible.

We use compost, bio-solids, and organic fertilizer in these areas when needed. We no longer use fungicides on turf that is located on campus. The use of a weed torch to control weeds is an alternative to the use of herbicides if applicable. Preventative cultural measures and practices are used to curtail the use of fertilizer and chemical treatments. These cultural practices include but are not limited to aerification, verticutting, mulching, use of weed barriers, and water management. Mechanical control of weeds is also performed (i.e. hand pulling weeds).

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. The campus also eliminates invasive species and non-drought tolerant species. 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.

The campus uses wetting agents, topdresses turfgrass with mulch and sand, an applies mulch to planters. The campus also 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 hydro-logic features on campus has recently become an adopted design practice. Additionally, campus storm water infrastructure and management are being incorporated into campus beautification and landscape management strategic planning.

Green waste is hauled off campus. The campus will be developing a composting program for both pre-consumer and post-consumer waste.

The campus has reinstalled 2 acres of turf to eliminate heat islands from mulch and rock beds.

The campus uses drought tolerant pants, wetting agents for water retention, and DG installation in non-turf areas.