Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 60.66
Liaison Enid Cardinal
Submission Date March 30, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Rochester Institute of Technology
OP-9: Landscape Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 2.00 Enid Cardinal
Senior Sustainability Advisor to the President
Office of the President
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total campus area (i.e. the total amount of land within the institutional boundary):
1,235.98 Acres

Figures required to calculate the total area of managed grounds:
Area (double-counting is not allowed)
Area managed in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that uses a four-tiered approach 207.43 Acres
Area managed in accordance with an organic land care standard or sustainable landscape management program that has eliminated the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides in favor of ecologically preferable materials 0 Acres
Area managed using conventional landscape management practices (which may include some IPM principles or techniques) 0 Acres
Total area of managed grounds 207.43 Acres

A brief description of any land excluded from the area of managed grounds (e.g. the footprint of buildings and impervious surfaces, experimental agricultural land, areas that are not regularly managed or maintained):

460 acres of the campus is made up of buildings, roads, parking lots and sidewalks. 180 acres are protected wetlands, 197 acres are in crop production by a 3rd party, and the remaining acreage is forested, riparian or grassland.


Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an IPM program:
100

A copy of the IPM plan or program:
---

A brief description of the IPM program:

Institution’s grounds are developed and maintained in accordance with an integrated pest management plan that adheres to the following four-tiered approach:
1) Set action thresholds
2) Monitor and identify pests
3) Prevention
4) Control

Our landscape management program is totally driven by cultivative prevention and monitoring. Our action thresholds are driven purely by plant health.


Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an organic program:
0

A brief description of the organic land standard or landscape management program that has eliminated the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides in favor of ecologically preferable materials:
---

A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:

In the last four years the use of native plants has become a much larger factor in the designs of our new landscapes. Additionally, native plantings are included in new construction projects as part of sustainable sites credits of LEED.


A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:

Water management is an important consideration at RIT. In the developed areas of campus green infrastructure such as green roofs, eco swales, rain gardens and permeable pavement are some of the approaches employed. The University also works to restore the health of impaired wetlands on campus.


A brief description of the institution's approach to materials management and waste minimization (e.g. composting and/or mulching on-site waste):

All organic matter is stockpiled in our Landscape management area. Once or twice a year we have a contractor come in with a grinder and grind the material for us. The resulting mulch is used throughout campus and in the community garden.


A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:
---

A brief description of other sustainable landscape management practices employed by the institution (e.g. use of environmentally preferable landscaping materials, initiatives to reduce the impacts of ice and snow removal, wildfire prevention):

The campus practice is to mechanically remove as much snow as possible. Ice control products are used solely for the purpose of controlling ice, not to remove snow. Additionally, ice melt systems have been installed at the entryways of several new buildings, significantly reducing the amount of salt used.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
---

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.