LIU Post
OP-10: Landscape Management

When contacted by affected campus individuals, we will visit and assess the conditions and develop an action plan. We will monitor and identify pests on a case-by-case basis ensuring the proper response. Our primary goal is to eradicate pests by implementing controls without utilizing pesticides or other harmful measures. An example of this is having Canadian geese relocated by means of a certified company that employs the use of sheep dogs. A wood-chip mulching program is in place to suppress weed growth in all landscaping beds. To prevent pest infestation in buildings we make sure all building windows are fitted with screens. We also try to keep pests away from buildings by making sure areas around the building are kept clean and that garbage is removed on a regular basis. The Department of Facilities Services at LIU Post has received a pesticide agency registration in Category 7A-Structural and Rodent Control from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). Facilities Services use of pesticides will be in accordance with all federal, state and local regulations. If necessary, we will arrange for a NYSDEC certified exterminator to address any unusual situations that may arise at LIU Post.

LIU Post is nationally recognized as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the nation. The scenic campus is famous for its magnificent formal gardens, rolling green lawns and 4,000 trees -- some among the largest on Long Island. A 40-acre portion of the campus is designated as an arboretum, which features more than 125 trees (some very rare). Therefore, in maintaining the natural beauty of the campus, LIU Post does everything it can to sustainably manage its natural landscapes. This is done by protecting and using existing vegetation, practicing organic soil management, utilizing environmentally preferable materials, maintaining the integrity of the natural hydrology, and by composting and mulching our landscaping waste.

Native plants are encouraged and invasive plants are removed to the extent possible. For example, LIU Post has removed Norway Maple seedlings in woodland areas. Native plants on campus are there naturally or are introduced as part of a landscaping plan for a given area. Some examples of these plants are Mayapple (Podophyllum Peltatum), Marsh Marigold (Althra Palustris), Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia Virgunica), Bayberry (Myrica Pennsylvanica), Sweet Fern (Comptomia Peregruna), and Spice Bush (Lindera benzoin).

All mowers used on campus at LIU Post are equipped with mulching decks. These mulching decks grind up grass clippings and deposit them on lawn surfaces. By reintroducing these clippings to lawn areas, we are returning nitrogen and other nutrients back to the soil. All leaves are also collected and windrowed. The windrows are turned until the leaves turn into compost. The compost is then used when trees and shrubs are planted. We also have community gardens on campus where we introduce this compost to the soil. We also use the woodchips as mulch in established beds in order to keep weeds down and to enrich the soil. Composted horse bedding from the stables on campus are also used in a similar fashion.

The native soil on campus is preserved most importantly by stipulating in construction contracts that it has to remain on campus for re-use on the site after the project is finished. Any excess soil from large projects is to be stockpiled on campus to be used as needed for repair of areas where soil is disturbed due to trenching and excavating that occurs as the result of normal maintenance of the campus infrastructure, which is always ongoing. Turf areas are mowed with recycling mowers, which return clippings to the soil, thus no clippings are ever collected. And in the fall, some leaves are collected and some are mulched with the recycling mowers during the final cuts of turf areas.

At LIU Post, we use a mulch that is a byproduct of the horse stables on campus and it is produced as follows: When horses are in their stalls in the stables, the floor is covered with wood shavings called bedding. The horse’s waste gets absorbed and mixed with the wood shavings over time as the horse moves about in the stall. When the old bedding is replaced, it is taken to a “cooker” or “fermenter." This is a structure in which the bedding material is placed and air and a certain amount of water is forced into the bedding material. This results in naturally occurring aerobic bacterial activity which increases the temperature of the bedding material to about 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The bedding material stays in the fermenter for 5 to 7 days, during which time any weed seeds and pathogens that may have been present in the bedding, are killed by the high temperatures. Odors normally associated with animal wastes are also largely eliminated by this sterilizing process. When the bedding material is taken out of the fermenter, it is run through a screener which makes the material even in consistency. It is then stock piled in the open pending its use. Because of its rich deep brown color the material can be used as an ornamental mulch in planting beds, or as an organic additive that can be rototilled into soil that needs improvement before planting. We also use wood chips that are produced both on and off campus. The chips are piled in the open and are separated to some degree in fresh chips and aged woodchips which eventually decompose into humus. Fresh wood chips are used where weed suppression or erosion control is needed such as in less prominent beds, trails and also as moisture conserving mulch around newly installed plantings. Old woodchips are mixed with soil and used as backfill in planting holes around the rootball.

Soils on mowed areas on campus can become compacted by foot traffic over time, resulting in more run off during heavy rainfall. Periodically, these areas are aerified in order to alleviate the compaction and to help rainwater infiltration, thus lessening run off. Gypsum and lime are also used to improve the permeability of these soils. Fencing is also used to steer foot traffic away from sensitive areas. During construction projects, storm drains are protected from silt with hay bales. Three recharge basins or sumps on campus are accepting excess surface runoff water so that it can be recycled back into the ground water table. Artificial field surfaces in the stadium help reduce the demand for irrigation.

LIU Post is monitored 24/7 by the Department of Public Safety. If conditions start to deteriorate due to snow or ice, the Grounds & Custodial Departments are notified and respond on a sliding scale based on the conditions. We apply a deicer product on roadways that is treated with a by-product from fermentation to make it more effective. This allows us to use less product in a more efficient manner. We also use snow boxes in the removal of snow in the parking lots. This allows us to clear areas in a quicker and more efficient way than with traditional plowing.

Although not officially protected, a 40-acre portion of the campus is designated as an arboretum which features more than 125 trees (some very rare). Each tree is labeled with interesting horticultural facts and origin information. The trees are located along a self-guided walking trail that encircles the campus' main academic buildings.