Lewis University
OP-9: Landscape Management

The land excluded from the area of managed grounds are the footprint of buildings and agricultural land that is not managed by the university.

Lewis University has a system where only trouble areas are spot treated, there is not weekly service that applies chemicals regularly on campus. Lewis is also using an integrative pest management (IPM) solution instead of the traditional pesticides. This again reduces the amount of harmful chemicals being used on campus. The IPM system was set in place after designating multiple buildings on campus at LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) standards.

During the winter months you may notice a lack of blue salt around campus, and instead see a purple colored solution. This system uses beet juice as ice control rather than the chemically treated salt. Beet Juice is an organic and environmentally sensitive solution to ice control that the campus has been using since 2007.

The institutions IPM plan includes the decreased usage of chemicals in order to control pests including invasive species. In place of these harsh chemicals, the University has begun the planting of an increased variety of native species and only using chemicals on small areas on the campus green space when required to spot treat areas.

Great care and planning is involved when planting species on campus. The Grounds Supervisor is responsible for researching the appropriate types of plants to be used on the one hundred plus acres protected under the Sustainability Landscape Plan. To control invasive species on our nearly 3 mile Burnham Nature Trail, an event is put together each year on Earth Day where students, faculty and staff members gather on the trail to remove the invasive species by hand. Learning the importance of native species they also come back together on Arbor Day to plant native species in the removal area. On the other areas protected under the Sustainable Landscape Plan, native plants are used to choke out invasive species which also reduces the need to water the area and saving another precious resource. The compost is also used in these areas to keep the soil healthy.

Due to the proximity to the habitat recovery conservation zone of the Hines Emerald Dragonfly, Lewis University is committed to storm water management practices. Rain gardens and bioswales can be found in multiple locations on campus, including five parking lots. Three large rain water collection sites are on campus, that water is then used for irrigation purposes. The first collection site holds 2,000 gallons the second holds 1,000 gallons and the final site holds 500 gallons. Native plants are also planted on campus to capture storm water. There is also a large collection base on campus known as The Glen that will hold storm water in order to avoid being sent to a storm drain. The Glen is capable of holding 7,000 gallons in its collection basin.

An on site landscape organics collection is in place adjacent to our University Greenhouse. Different organic materials are collected and placed in the compost block such as grass clippings and smaller branches and plantings. When larger trees are removed for construction projects or fall during a storm, the tree is then chipped and used as mulch on the Burnham Nature Trail on campus. All of these materials are used to the highest potential and diverted away from the landfill each year. Each spring campus flowers are also grown in the greenhouse, reducing the material needed when growing and transporting flowers to campus from another location.

The grounds staff uses beet juice as a de-icer around campus during winter months. This is done in order to reduce the amount of salt used on campus protecting the sensitive natural areas around the campus. Liquid beet juice is sprayed in some areas and a granular combination of beet juice and rock salt is used around campus as well.