Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 68.11
Liaison Jean-Michel Champagne
Submission Date Feb. 10, 2021

STARS v2.2

HEC Montréal
OP-9: Landscape Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Jean-Michel Champagne
Sustainable Development Officer
Infrastructure - Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total campus area:
3.40 Hectares

Figures required to calculate the total area of managed grounds:
Area (double-counting is not allowed)
Area managed organically, without the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides 1.68 Hectares
Area managed in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that uses selected chemicals only when needed 0 Hectares
Area managed using conventional, chemical-based landscape management practices 0 Hectares
Total area of managed grounds 1.68 Hectares

A brief description of any land excluded from the area of managed grounds:

The total number of hectares indicated represent the gross campus area. Net ground surface is 1.68 hectares (area excluding parking, roads and building). Total Campus area is 3.4 hectares.


Percentage of grounds managed organically:
100

A brief description of the organic landscape management program:

For the purpose of landscape management, no fertilizer, pest control product or fungicides are used anymore unless required to control a major pest issue. Mechanical technique, such as manual week removal, or pruning to eliminate pests or control diseases, are preferred. Grass accounts for a small part of campus landscape - most of HEC's landscape is covered by a forest or garden.

HEC Montréal is managing its land in accordance with the four-tiered approach. In last resort, if mechanical or passive pest control mechanism was ineffective, pest control activities are conducted only when the presence of the pest is detected, using homologated pesticide in accordance with the Québec Code de gestion des pesticides. No HEC staff uses regulated pest control products except the one identified as low impact pest control products for weed control. Hazardous pest control product, such as mice or insects biocides, is used only when other non-artificial means, such as prevention and engineering improvement, failed to prevent pest. Ash trees are also identified and submitted to preventive treatment for emerald ash borer. Infected ash trees are rapidly eliminated in accordance with local regulation.
HEC Montréal is closely monitoring the health of its trees with the help of an engineer. Trees are pruned regularly, and sometimes stabilized with cables, to ensure they grow healthy without causing a nuisance to building. Any tree that dies are cut, removed from the site if infected by parasites or attacked by a disease that can spread to other trees, and replaced by at least three new saplings of specie recommended by our engineer.


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

Due to the location of the campus and the environmental sensitivity related to Montréal’s Mont-Royal, HEC is managing its natural feature in the most natural, ecosystems way. Specifically, the Cote-Sainte-Catherine building is built directly in a part of the Mont-Royal forest, and tree protection was integrated in the building design and shape. A specialized gardener is hired to ensure the trees and plants maintenance is done in a way to protect and reproduce the natural local ecosystem.


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

Outdoor irrigation system have been decomissionned, and grass is no more watered. Areas where grass was not receiving enough rain to survive have been renovated to replace grass by mineral arrangement. Manual irrigation is used to help newly planted trees or to water gardens when rain is not sufficient.


A brief description of the institution's approach to landscape materials management and waste minimization:

Very limited waste is produced by the landscape management activities - most of dead leaves are left on our forest floor, but a small part is still discarded when contaminated by too much waste (ex. cigarette filter)


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

Landscape management does not require a lot of energy; most operations are conducted manually, and the maintenance team uses a small-scale tractor with adapted tools to perform most tasks (moving materials, emptying garbage bins, snow plowing and application of sand/salt, etc.). Future efforts will be made to replace gas powered tools with more eco-friendly tools, but due to their light use, tools are used for an extensive period of time before being replaced.


A brief description of other sustainable landscape management practices employed by the institution:

During the long Canadian winter, de-icing material is carefully procured to ensure the most effective mixture is used to melt ice in pedestrian alleys. Salt with additive, such as beet juice and blue dye, are preferred - they require less application to obtain safe conditions, and dye helps operator to control applications and avoid overspreading.


Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable landscape management program 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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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.