Dallas College
OP-9: Landscape Management

The total area of campus boundaries includes parking lots (167.4 acres) and buildings (130.5 acres) that do not have landscaping management.

The Dallas College Integrated Pest Management practices are at the local level based on previous organizational structure and practices. The IPM practices include a spectrum of needs and objectives that support sustainability goals for Tree Campus USA Program and working with the Texas A&M Forest Service and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department Urban Biology Program to manage invasive species and diseases that are priority for the State of Texas such as the Emerald Ash Borer, Oak Wilt caused by the fungus Ceratocystis fagacearum, and invasive fire ants that invade the community gardens and pollinator gardens on campuses.

Dallas College does not have an IPM Plan document, but does have Tree Campus Planning documents that list how to manage specific pests by using a combination of biological, cultural, physical/mechanical, and chemical management tools.

Dallas College works with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department for management of specific species at some campuses, including migratory Canadian geese, local native bobcat and coyote populations, and invasive species such as Chinese Privet. Dallas College works with the Texas A&M Urban Forest Service to assist with managing specific plant diseases such as Oak Wilt and invasive animal species that destroy plants such as the Emerald Ash Borer.

Several Dallas College campuses have storm water retention or bioretention ponds to help control campus flooding and capture rainwater to create lakes on campuses. The lakes provide reclaimed water for irrigation needs, while also providing habitat to migratory birds, native reptiles, amphibians and fish. Other campuses utilize rain gardens, terraced green roofs and rainwater capture systems. El Centro Campus has two rooftop greenhouses with a rainwater catchment tank. Richland Campus has two inground cisterns for rainwater capture. Eastfield Campus, Cedar Valley Campus, Mountain View Campus and North Lake Campus have rainwater collection barrels placed at the community garden or pollinator garden as demonstration, some water needs, and to educate students, employees and community members about small-scale rainwater harvesting.

Dallas College landscape management practices include green waste composting. Several campuses have green waste compost from plant debris and trees limbs. The compost provides soil and mulch to other areas on campuses. Student volunteers use the mulch for service activities in the Brookhaven Windmill Garden and Tree Campus USA tree planting events.

Dallas College plants trees every year across the campuses to enhance shade and wind break and reduce building heat absorption. Dallas College has five campuses certified as a Tree Higher Education Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. This initiative supports conservation of the urban tree canopy across the county and helps to increase the tree canopy over time.