Indiana University Bloomington
OP-9: Landscape Management

in Campus Area we are using only Vegetated Grounds, 1,791.22. This figure excludes 578 acres of impervious surface (calculated using GIS, from the Sustain IU Environmental Quality and Land Use Working Group and CPF Space Planning Figures) from the total area of managed grounds. This includes: building footprints, curbs, sidewalks, parking lots, and roads.

We include in this figure total between crew zones, Griffy Reserve, and Golf Course.

Athletic fields and the Golf Course are largely contracted spaces thus we consider these grounds as “conventionally managed.”

Of the vegetated grounds, 844.72 acres are managed organically, meaning the use of fertilizer and chemical pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides are not used. Also included in the acres that makes up the core campus footprint is “Griffy Woods,” a 185 acre parcel that is managed as part of the IU Research and Teaching Preserve. The mission of the Preserve is to “provide natural field settings for research and teaching that complement existing facilities and infrastructure at Indiana University.” In keeping with the mission, organic management and maintaining the ecological health/integrity is paramount to the Preserve’s success.

Additionally, Hilltop Garden and Nature Center is approximately 4 acres and is maintained organically. Two 10-acre urban woodlands sites are maintained by a team of students, faculty, and professionals who work to remove invasive species and reintegrate native species. These sites serve as a model for the importance of urban green space and the services provided by woodland environments.

IU's Organic Landscape Program is led by the Sustain IU’s Environmental Quality and Land Use working group, which consists of students, faculty, and staff operations that are interested in responsible stewardship of the campus landscape. The group is co-chaired by IU's Landscape Manager. The guiding documents for the Environmental Quality and Land Use Working Group and Landscape Services can be found here: https://sustain.iu.edu/commitment/environmental-quality/index.html.

During the summer of 2019, two undergraduate students completed a tree inventory of all free-standing trees on the “core campus.” Collaborating with Sustain IU and Landscape Services’ team of arborists, the students collected the condition, GPS coordinates, size, species, maintenance needs, and other valuable notes of interest on over 12,000 trees and stumps. Using this recent inventory and a previously performed tree inventory of 2016, undergraduate and graduate students have further collaborated with Sustain IU, the Environmental Quality and Land Use Working Group, and Landscape Services staff to summarize the current status of the tree community, analyze trends, and develop a strategic tree planting plan for the future. We plan to continue updating and re-inventorying free-standing trees on a regular basis moving forward so that Landscape Services can efficiently manage our Woodland Campus. In addition, Landscape Services staff collaborated with graduate classes in the O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs in order to survey woodlots on campus and analyze trends within woodlots and free-standing trees. Their analysis has informed how we can reduce and prevent invasive species presence on campus.
Landscape Services is also collaborating with Sustain IU and the Environmental Quality and Land Use Working Group to re-design mulched landscape beds to incorporate more native and sediment stabilizing plants that shade out weeds naturally. This approach will facilitate the reduction of herbicide use on campus. In addition, Landscape Services is working to reduce the number of mulched landscape beds in order to reduce the need for upkeep and use of herbicides.

Wetland areas are closely monitored and maintained. Drainage areas are protected from run off during construction projects. Storm drains are protected with sediment bags to prevent sediment loading of waterways.

Our mowers are equipped with mulching blades. Leaves and organic debris are composted at our nursery and then re-utilized on campus. Some tree waste is re-processed and utilized by outside vendors. We are in the process of upgrading our composting facilities in order to more efficiently produce organic fertilizer and break down organic debris from campus.

Campus Division (steward of the IUB landscape) has reduced irrigation on the campus interior, reduced mowing on the campus perimeter, and implements storm water management best practices in all new construction. A new SMART irrigation system has been installed at the IU Pfau Golf Course, which will decrease the time involved in maintaining an irrigation system as well as reducing water and fertilizer use.

IUB stopped utilizing sand several years ago because of sediment loading in waterways. We are still looking at environmentally friendly ice melters. We are now utilizing salt brine technology on campus which is reducing our salt use by approximately 25%. IUB has not yet found a cost efficient replacement for salt, but it is used more carefully than in the past.