| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.16 |
| Liaison | Scott Doyle |
| Submission Date | Oct. 25, 2022 |
Ithaca College
OP-9: Landscape Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.13 / 2.00 |
Scott
Doyle Director Energy Management and Sustainability |
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 | 20 Acres |
| Area managed in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that uses selected chemicals only when needed | 0 Acres |
| Area managed using conventional, chemical-based landscape management practices | 280 Acres |
| Total area of managed grounds | 300 Acres |
A brief description of any land excluded from the area of managed grounds:
368.76 acres of the natural lands are used exclusively for research and recreation.
Percentage of grounds managed organically:
A brief description of the organic landscape management program:
This area consists of low mow turf that is not treated for weeds or pests using any chemicals, nor is it fertilized.
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:
There is not a formal policy, but Facilities Grounds employs Integrated Pest Management techniques and turf management practices to greatly minimize use of pesticides and fertilizers.
A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:
For the co-designed landscape plan for the LEED Platinum-certified Peggy R. Williams Center, the contracted landscape architect, Trowbridge and Wolf, specified the use of only native plants. We use native plants as often as possible, and have recently transitioned from annuals and non-native species to colorful perennials.
A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
The college has only one installed irrigation system, and only sets up portable irrigation in the summer to irrigate our other athletic fields to help minimize injuries to our student-athletes. Campus lawns do not receive any sort of irrigation, and our plant and flower beds are watered using mostly reclaimed water.
A brief description of the institution's approach to landscape materials management and waste minimization:
Groundskeeping waste is composted, although exact numbers for tonnage are not available. We also maintain 25 bio-retention structures to help filter storm-water runoff. The college composts all of its yard waste and owns it own screen plant for which it uses to create planting mixes out of the compost. The college has not outsourced any soils for the past three years since acquiring the screen plant. The college also chips all of the branches and downed trees to create mulch to be used for trails within the Ithaca College Natural Lands.
A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:
IC has installed four green-roofs to reduce the heat-island effect and also rely heavily on native plantings. We continually plant shade trees throughout the campus to provide shade, including in all of the islands of our parking lots. We have three areas that we have employed porous pavement. We also build windbreaks out of shrubs and trees. We attempt to use plants that are drought tolerant and also require little maintenance. All of the walk lighting on campus has been converted to LED and we are in the process of addressing our street lighting.
A brief description of other sustainable landscape management practices employed by the institution:
Ithaca College used environmentally-friendly ice-melt in areas immediately surrounding buildings. We also use the more environmentally-friendly bulk salt, "Clear Lane," for all other areas of campus. We use a fleet of rotary brooms to remove smaller accumulations of snow to help further minimize the need for salt.
For those areas where we use fertilizer, we use only polyon, time-released fertilizer which is applied using a small calibrated machine to minimize over spray and the total amount used.
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.