College of the Atlantic
OP-9: Landscape Management

N/A.

COA does not use any inorganic fertilizers, chemical pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides in it’s ground management. We compost leftover materials from our kitchen and waste from grounds management (grass clippings, weeds, leaves, etc.) to use as fertilizer. We generally ignore the presence of most “pests". If there are harmful insects, such as hornets or wasps, the area they are in will be isolated and the nest will be left alone so it can freeze in the winter.

The south end of campus has mature woods, characterized by native evergreen species, which provides wildlife habitat and a sense of wilderness on campus. Succession, invasive species, and existing wetlands are managed to preserve the integrity of this area. The campus’ shoreline and roadside are characterized by a diversity of species (native as well as invasive), and these areas are managed to foster the growth of native species. Appropriate non-native introductions may be used in certain parts of the campus in conjunction with campus improvements—provided they meet hardiness and compatibility requirements. In selecting plants for permanent gardens and plantings, native species or species that are low maintenance, disease and deer resistant, and non-invasive are used. Systematic manual removal of invasive species is ongoing throughout campus, in accordance with the campus landscape plan.

The ocean frontage of the main campus is protected under the State of Maine/Town of Bar Harbor municipal shoreland zoning ordinance. All vegetation 75 feet back from the normal high water mark along the shore frontage is managed according to a point system, which is designed to keep natural vegetation to hold the soil from eroding and to maintain the aesthetic character of the shoreland zone. We also maintain a buffer along both sides of the one small stream that flows across the property. We maintain small bioswale areas to absorb runoff. Our parking areas and campus paths are made of sand and gravel to allow natural infiltration of water. We have a wetland of about 1/4 acre in size that is left in a natural state to allow for water infiltration and habitat protection.

All landscape debris including grass and leaves is composted on the campus in designated piles. Materials that are very difficult to compost, such as large stumps, are burned on campus to eliminate trucking off. Landscape material is produced and reused on site as much as possible (for instance, wood chips from branches, gravel, and stone). When plants are thinned or divided, they are donated to faculty, staff, and students for their home gardens.

The College of the Atlantic campus has extensive lawn and tree cover and there is no 'heat island' effect. We do not have paved areas in the interior of campus around our buildings.

Many of the pathways and areas around buildings are shoveled by hand. Driveways are plowed, and we use a snowblower for some of the larger pedestrian paths. We do not dump snow into the ocean or the small stream crossing our campus and we do not have a 'snow dump'; rather snow is piled or pushed off the drives and allowed to melt close to where it fell. In extremely icy conditions we use the most environmentally friendly salt mixture that we know of, Dynamelt.