Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 61.30
Liaison Scott Morgan
Submission Date Aug. 30, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Evergreen State College, The
OP-9: Landscape Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.03 / 2.00 Sam Alfieri
Sustainability Analyst
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total campus area (i.e. the total amount of land within the institutional boundary):
1,008 Acres

Figures required to calculate the total area of managed grounds:
Area (double-counting is not allowed)
Area managed in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that uses a four-tiered approach 0 Acres
Area managed in accordance with an organic land care standard or sustainable landscape management program that has eliminated the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides in favor of ecologically preferable materials 5 Acres
Area managed using conventional landscape management practices (which may include some IPM principles or techniques) 300 Acres
Total area of managed grounds 305 Acres

A brief description of any land excluded from the area of managed grounds (e.g. the footprint of buildings and impervious surfaces, experimental agricultural land, areas that are not regularly managed or maintained):

Roughly 703 acres of campus is unmanaged forest land.


Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an IPM program:
0

A copy of the IPM plan or program:
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A brief description of the IPM program:

Minimal use of non-native species, herbicide and pesticides is all part of standard practices at Evergreen. No formal IPM policy has been adopted.

Chemical applications in buildings require the approval of Evergreen’s Environmental Health and Safety Coordinator. Evergreen contracts with a state approved pest control contractor who practices Integrated Pest Management. In all cases of chemical use, the least toxic method should be employed. Evergreen Campus Master Plan, Volume 2, page 72


Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an organic program:
1.64

A brief description of the organic land standard or landscape management program that has eliminated the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides in favor of ecologically preferable materials:

The Organic Farm is Certified Organic by USDA, and has been certified Salmon Safe since 2008. In order for the farm to receive Salmon Safe certification, the farm must demonstrate the following:

-Work diligently to protect riparian areas
-Maintain appropriate water use
-Reduce erosion
-Practice integrated pest management
-Sustainable and ethical animal management
-Biodiversity conservation in accordance with both Salmon Safe and Organic certifications.


A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:

Evergreen Campus Master Plan, Volume 2, page 37:

13. Site development and landscaping design shall strive to promote awareness and appreciation of the rich variety of environments on campus by emphasizing and enhancing natural features.

Landscape Plantings
14. The basic concept for all landscape plantings shall be simplicity of expression and compatibility with existing vegetation.
15. Campus Core landscaping shall allow the native forest to penetrate into the Core to some degree while every effort shall be made to create a landscape compatible with the structural quality of the Core. Native trees shall be allowed to remain in defined areas. (Also applies to Policy 6.)
16. Cluster area landscaping shall serve to visually integrate facilities with the surrounding vegetation as much as possible.
17. Landscaping practices in the area of parking lots shall serve to emphasize and preserve existing vegetation to the greatest extent possible.
18. Plantings along roadways shall be compatible with surrounding native vegetation. Roadway approaches to areas of formal plantings will be landscaped in a manner that will visually enhance the transition.

http://www.evergreen.edu/sites/default/files/TESC%20Master%20Plan%202008%20Volume%20II.pdf


A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:

Located within a commonly wet climate, Evergreen seldom irrigates lawns or athletic fields. Rain water runoff is spread through rain gardens, bio-swales, and natural wetlands.


A brief description of the institution's approach to materials management and waste minimization (e.g. composting and/or mulching on-site waste):

Yard waste and downed limbs are mulched when intruding into developed space on campus. The mulch is spread along forest boundaries and/or used on forest paths. Downed trees within the developed spaces are relocated as down woody debris within the forest. Downed trees within the forest are left alone.


A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:

Heat islands are seldom a concern in the local climate. However, a student-originated project replaced a concrete courtyard between dormitories with grass and gardens in 2014.


A brief description of other sustainable landscape management practices employed by the institution (e.g. use of environmentally preferable landscaping materials, initiatives to reduce the impacts of ice and snow removal, wildfire prevention):

Snow removal tends to be a necessity only once every two or three years. The grounds crew uses a non-salt de-icer and sand.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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