Pomona College
OP-10: Landscape Management

Pomona's Sustainable Operations and Maintenance Standards state that outdoor pests shall be managed in a way that protects the surrounding environment and human health. To minimize use of chemicals and prevent pests from becoming a threat, Grounds must inspect and monitor outdoor facilities, sanitize and manage pest attractants, engage in structural maintenance, and evaluate the need for pest control. If the need for chemical controls is established, Grounds can only use substances in targeted locations on targeted species. All substances must meet San Francisco's Tier 3 hazard criteria for a least toxic pesticide, and if cleaning products are used, they must be in accordance with the College's Green Cleaning Standards. Pesticides are acceptable only if they are used in self-contained baits and placed in inaccessible locations. Indoor management of pests follows similar procedures. The EPA IPM guidelines are equivalent, as Pomona's Standards require evaluation, targeted application, prevention, and guidelines for the selection and application of pest control substances.

Pomona College has committed to sustainability. What might this mean for landscape and open space design? First, designers must consider sustainability both in terms of renovation projects as well as new construction. Sustainability, as suggested above, is a critical issue that must become an integral part of the design process. Sustainable landscape design may assess basic and practical issues, which include evaluating the use or application of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides; reducing or eliminating portions of planted areas to conserve water; use of the most efficient irrigation systems; and establishing composting programs for organic wastes. But a complete and workable definition of sustainability for Pomona College must also address what has been described as “aesthetic sustainability.” This includes visual appeal and harmony, combined with ecological integrity, issues of human well-being, and place identity. Considerations of aesthetic sustainability at Pomona College include recognition that the value of historic, mature landscapes such as those of Marston Quadrangle must be balanced with desires to solve current dilemmas such as reduction of water use. There must also be a recognition that newer is not necessarily better, and that the most sustainable landscape may be the one that already exists. This is quite clear in the more undisturbed regions of the Wash, but is equally true of the edges of Marston Quadrangle. Composed of traditionally high water use plant material such as coast redwood and camellias, the maturity of this landscape causes it to be classified as a relatively low water use zone. Truly sustainable landscape design balances a variety of resources, including water, stormwater runoff, historic value, and aesthetic character. A sustainable landscape cannot conserve one resource, while ignoring others. Water conservation, for instance, is a critical issue for Southern California. However, water use reduction should not occur at the expense of the beautiful and usable spaces that make Pomona the “College in a Garden.” We must preserve historical landscape character and work toward ecological sustainability at the same time. The positive environmental effects of landscapes, including oxygen production, solar control, heat mitigation, and stormwater runoff control and filtration must be maintained and maximized. In addition, sustainability efforts at Pomona College should always be an educational process for the campus community and for visitors. Wherever appropriate, landscape design should incorporate interpretive graphics describing sustainability efforts. When considering issues of sustainability in designing projects at Pomona College, site specificity and context must be at the forefront of design decisions. Sustainability must coexist with existing, mature, and historic open spaces. Whether designing new spaces or renovating older ones, understanding maintenance issues should be considered an integral part of the design process. The project designer must proactively engage the college’s Office of Facilities and Campus Services, which includes the Grounds, Maintenance, Planning, and Sustainability Departments, from the earliest phases of design. This will provide the campus staff with the opportunity to share with the designer their special requirements and institutional knowledge as well as standards specific to Pomona College. Issues such as material selection, initial planning densities, equipment limitations, etc., can be shared and mutually agreed upon early in the design process. At the same time, the design intent and long-range aesthetic expectations can be agreed upon and later codified for use by maintenance staff in the future. The Office of Facilities and Campus Services is the source for all campus standards with regard to irrigation, site lighting, and site furnishings and is an invaluable resource for points of communication with other campus departments and organizations. Once the project is complete, it shall be the responsibility of the project designer to provide written guidelines for specific maintenance requirements and expectations as discussed above.

The Pomona College Open Space and Landscape Guidelines, approved in May 2010, identify "the use of California native plants and their cultivars whenever appropriate" as a major design issue for sustainability in the College landscape. The College has been systematically increasing the variety and extent of drought-tolerant and native vegetation throughout the campus. The campus also contains a dedicated natural preserve known as "the Wash" with a variety of species of native flora.

All green waste from campus operations is either composted on-site or picked up by the City of Claremont, where it is composted and used as mulch.

Pomona College no longer purchases or uses synthetic fertilizers on our grounds. All fertilizers used on campus are organic. Additionally, 90 acres of the Pomona College campus are managed completely organically, meaning we do not use chemical pesticides or herbicides. This area includes the Wash (natural non-irrigated native landscape dominated by native oak trees), the Pomona College Organic Farm, and Trails End Ranch (natural chaparral and oak woodland riparian located in the Claremont foothills).

Porous/ permeable substances are used in hardscape planning.

The campus implements stormwater management techniques which include bioswales, retention ponds, CHCments, and stormwater diversion infrastructure.

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In 1905 The Wash, a 40 acre run-off area for floods from the nearby mountains, was purchased and protected from development. This property is immediately adjacent to campus and houses the Pomona Organic Farm and some athletic fields on the periphery. In 2011, Trails End Ranch was purchased, including more than 50 acres of almost pristine chaparral, for a new field station and to preserve an important piece of natural landscape from future development. The property is 3.9 miles from campus and adjacent to natural lands owned by the County of Los Angeles and the Claremont Wilderness Park.