| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 79.01 |
| Liaison | Lindsay Walker |
| Submission Date | Feb. 14, 2023 |
Humber College
OP-9: Landscape Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Lindsay
Walker Sustainability Manager Facilities Management |
Total campus area:
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 | 16 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 | 16 Hectares |
A brief description of any land excluded from the area of managed grounds:
The area of managed grounds was calculated with the help of Humber’s AutoCAD technician, using the Archibus database of Humber’s grounds. The managed grounds are comprised of lawn area, vegetative area, and green roof area. A small portion of the Humber Arboretum ground managed jointly by Humber college was included.
The building footprint, parking lots, permeable concrete at both the North and Lakeshore campuses was excluded from the area of managed grounds.
Percentage of grounds managed organically:
A brief description of the organic landscape management program:
Humber became a designated Bee Campus in the Fall of 2021. Humber's Facility Management Grounds Maintenance team contracted certified arborist, Pests-Aside Tree and Garden Care, who recommended a tree oil to manage both Lakeshore and North campus’s landscape. Although this product is not OMRI-listed or does not follow with IFOAM-endorsed standard, this product aligns with the NOFA Standards for Organic Landcare, which allows “horticultural oil sprays (dormant, suffocating and summer oils) derived from petroleum distillates.” As a result, we consider our landscape management practices organic to control insects and diseases, provided there are no effective alternatives and we do not use pesticides. Pests-Aside Tree & Garden Care insists that this landscape oil is the best and only reasonable option considering the type of pests and plants we have. As such, all areas on campus are managed organically and helped achieve our Bee Campus certification.
The College has a garden and greenhouse that uses organic gardening techniques. Plants are raised without the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers and biodegradable waste is composted. Student chefs are also brought into the space to learn, and they use some of the herbs in their culinary courses.
The lawns and vegetative areas that surround both the Lakeshore and North campus are managed without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides.
The green roofs do not use any chemical fertilizers or pesticides. The gardens were planted with the intention of being completely self-sustaining, with little to no maintenance.
Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an IPM program:
A copy of the IPM plan or program:
A brief description of the IPM program:
A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:
The parking lots at Humber College North Campus were landscaped following the City of Toronto's Design Guidelines for 'Greening' Surface Parking Lots. Among the 200 trees and 1,000 shrubs installed, three-quarters were selected from the guide's Native Species Planting List.
Humber College has its own Facility Management Grounds Maintenance team and is led by an experienced arborist. The team takes care of Humber’s grounds daily, including all existing lawns, plants, shrubs and trees. In May 2021, the team applied for Toronto’s Urban Forestry Grants and Incentive Program and received the Greening Partnership Grant. This grant supported Humber’s initiative as a “Bee City Campus” where more than 42 trees and 510 shrubs species were planted at our North campus. All selected trees and shrubs were native to Ontario or Canada, which include Ohio Buckeye, Sassafras, Paper Birch, and Eastern White Pine. These shrubs and trees have been carefully selected to enhance bee habitats, add to our exiting canopy, and help us to further reduce our environmental footprint. Besides making our campus more aesthetically pleasing, this initiative is expected to support endangered pollinators in their work and have medicinal and cultural meanings to our Indigenous Community.
A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
Humber uses native plants to reduce the need for watering. In fact, Humber does not have any permanent irrigation systems at all. Some floor beds are watered as needed during the summer by a mobile truck, but nothing is permanent or automatic.
A brief description of the institution's approach to landscape materials management and waste minimization:
A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:
A brief description of other sustainable landscape management practices employed by the institution:
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable landscape management program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.