Pennsylvania State University
OP-9: Landscape Management

Managed acreage was computed as total campus acreage, minus impervious (the building footprint, roads, sidewalks/walkways, and parking lots, etc)

Organic management practices are used in Hort Woods, a remnant wood lot that has been designated as a Heritage Tree Grove, and in some portions of the Arboretum. The exact acreage of organic could not be readily computed but is small - thus we report zero here.

A detailed description of the landscaping IPM program can be found in the linked document.

Although the use of native plant species in landscaping is not prioritized across the entire university, there are efforts to prioritize sustainable behaviors in landscaping through reducing water usage, using soils made from natural composting methods on campus, etc. In addition, there are efforts for certain areas of campus to be dominated by native species. For example, the University's Office of the Physical Plant has recently made an effort to remove invasive species from an area called Hort Woods, in North Campus, and began reintroducing native plant-life in the area. The Arboretum Ecological Restoration Group organizes work sessions in which volunteers help to stop the spread of nonnative shrubs such as honeysuckle, privet, and multiflora rose in the understory of the Hartley Wood, an historic woodlot in the Arboretum. These efforts have now been extended into other areas of the Arboretum in Big Hollow.

Penn State has conducted an inventory of trees on its University Park campus, and has set forth a Physical Plant policy to "identify, acknowledge, and protect" irreplaceable trees on campus. To that end, "Heritage Trees" and "Heritage Tree Groves" have been designated; these are defined as trees/groves with "exceptional historical, cultural, and/or aesthetic value because of their age or their association with an important event/person". Once so designated, Heritage trees/ groves are given special consideration by grounds maintenance staff to ensure that they are protected. More information about Penn State's trees can be found here: http://www.lorax.psu.edu/

The University's storm water program promotes the use of conservation design practices that preserve and use natural critical hydrologic areas to minimize the impact on the environment. Penn State monitors more than two dozen storm water facilities continuously and makes changes or improvements to them as required. The University is always installing new and innovative facilities to reduce the quantity and improve the quality of runoff from its campuses.

The University uses bioretention as a method of treating storm water by pooling water on the surface and allowing filtering and settling of suspended solids and sediment at the mulch layer, prior to entering the plant/soil/microbe complex media for infiltration and pollutant removal. Rain gardens or bioretention techniques are used to accomplish water quality improvement and water quantity reduction.

The UP campus currently has six buildings with green roofs: the Forestry Building, the vegetable cellar, the Dickinson School of Law, the Health Services Building, the Millennium Science Complex, and the HUB student union. The Penn State Center for Green Roof Research in the College of Agricultural Sciences is located on the UP campus.

A Drought Contingency Plan has been developed by the Office of Physical Plant. The plan outlines steps to take under increasing drought pressure as conditions move from drought watch, to drought warning, to drought emergency.

Leaves, grass clippings, plant debris, brush and logs are collected from campus landscape maintenance. The leaves and plant debris are composted and the brush and logs are ground and manufactured as mulch. The mulch and compost is used in campus landscape maintenance and for research projects; any excess compost is sold to the public.

The wood from Elm trees removed on campus due to disease or failing health is salvaged and repurposed into furniture and other products that are sold. OPP partners with the Alumni Association on this project. It results in a much higher value reuse of the wood than converting it to mulch. Proceeds from the sale of products are split between OPP and the Alumni Association. OPP’s share goes to the Tree Replacement Endowment which is used to purchase and plant new trees on campus.

Penn State has a comprehensive landscaping design strategy. Design techniques include:
Planting trees for the purpose of providing shade, planting windbreaks to slow winds near buildings, green roofs and minimizing paved areas. On-campus composting and chipping is utilized to reduce greenwaste hauling. Stock is purchased from local growers as appropriate to minimize energy used for transportation.

The Office of Physical Plant (OPP) has been piloting the use of non-mow practices in select areas of campus. This practice has reduced the university’s carbon dioxide emissions and overall mowing costs, while providing habitats for local wildlife and stormwater protection. Pollinator habitat has been established in some of these areas. https://news.psu.edu/story/574527/2019/05/15/campus-life/landscape-architecture-students-propose-designs-planted-meadow

OPP exercises judgment when applying salt for winter deicing and anti-icing materials in an effort to provide for public safety, yet considers the environmental impacts of the materials used. For example, OPP is switching to the use of brine as a fully liquid application for roads and parking lots to provide more controlled application to the target surfaces, again reducing total use of salts, and corresponding impact to plant growth and ground water.

Landscape maintenance has started to use electric hand held power equipment (weed whackers, blowers, trimmers, etc.) as well as larger mowers in its operation, reducing noise and pollution. These batteries will be charged using solar panels reducing the electric demand. They are also replacing gas carts with electric vehicles when applicable.