Montana State University
OP-9: Landscape Management

Experimental agriculture lands are excluded from the area of managed grounds.

The IPM plan is used to guide decisions for all plant and animal pests. Other elements in this section are further defined and guided by the Tree Care Plan and the landscape specifications (4) all of which are attached.

Preserve, protect and enhance are the primary goals for existing vegetation (see tree care plan). The use of natives or bio-climatically adapted plants is preferred and reviewed as part of MSU's plan review process. Use of these plants increases the diversity of the landscape and increases the educational plant palette platform. Invasives are not intentionally planted on campus and managed in accordance with our IPM philosophy.

Sitting at the headwaters of the Missouri River drainage MSU is among the first users of water in this drainage. As such we must minimize our impacts both in terms of quantity used and quality of water introduced or returned to the watershed to preserve the ability of downstream users to do the same. In the past 5 years MSU has taken 13 acres of buildings and grounds off the direct storm water system using infiltration and retention methods as an alternative. MSU is a co-permittee on the City of Bozeman's MS4 permit and is required to report annually on storm water to the State Department of Environmental Quality. Water use reductions are fully covered in the Water use section of this submittal.

All green waste is composted or re-used on campus. Planting pots are re-used or returned to vendors for re-use. Wood chips are re-used as mulch or as a bulking agent for our composting operation.

Use of mulch to reduce water use and water pumping load.
Tree rings (same as above plus reduced weedeater use and subsequent damage)
Use of Native and/or bio-climatically appropriate plants (reduced resoiurce use over time)
Perennials versus annuals for flowers (less resource use)
Use if gravel or mulch buffer strips along building edges reduce weedeating and provide access for other building maintenance.
Mowing strips to reduce use of weedeaters
Irrigation controlled by Maxicom computer system
Irrigation design-separate shrub and turf zones and matched precipitation rates
Fescue or fescue blend turf versus bluegrass to reduce water and water pumping.
Mulch mowing-don’t pick up clippings

Edible Landscapes-We plant vegetables annually for all campus to harvest. Berry and tree fruit crops are harvested and used by our dining hall kitchens as well as the MSU community. A "Food Forest" planting has begun on the west side of the Animal Bioscience building.

MSU has developed native landscaping near Tietz hall to reduce watering, mowing and water runoff from a steep hillside. This is one example of efforts to reduce energy associated with mowing and water use. Others include detention areas and random areas across campus in planters, building edges or around art.

We have several areas (Mandeville buffer and south field house parking islands) that we mow only 2-3 times each year. Additionally we mow high (3” or so) to preserve water and moderate soil temps.

Snow removal operations are best described as risk management. MSU uses mechanical brooms whenever possible to remove snow. This reduces the build up of packed snow and ice typical with blade operations reducing the need for ice/pack mitigation. Primary mitigation of ice/pack uses 1/8 - 3/8" golf chips. Ice melt products are used only as necessary and typically only at building entrances.
No mow zones along water courses and detention areas improve water quality (chemicals and temperature). No fertilizer within 50' of water.
Recognized Bee Campus 2018 - pollinator friendly planting schemes and maintenance