| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 50.52 |
| Liaison | Alicia Hodenfield |
| Submission Date | Feb. 18, 2021 |
Sonoma State University
OP-9: Landscape Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.02 / 2.00 |
Allan
Goff Director of Landscaping Landscaping |
Total campus area:
Figures required to calculate the total area of managed grounds:
| Area (double-counting is not allowed) | |
| Area managed organically, without the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides | 0.66 Acres |
| Area managed in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that uses selected chemicals only when needed | 4.90 Acres |
| Area managed using conventional, chemical-based landscape management practices | 263.44 Acres |
| Total area of managed grounds | 269 Acres |
A brief description of any land excluded from the area of managed grounds:
Everything is included.
Percentage of grounds managed organically:
A brief description of the organic landscape management program:
Since we use 100% reclaimed water for irrigation, we use limited inorganic fertilizer due to high nutrient content in the reclaimed water.
Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an IPM program:
A copy of the IPM plan or program:
A brief description of the IPM program:
The purpose of this integrated pest management (IPM) plan is to guide the use of environmentally sensitive pest management strategies and least-toxic control methods at Sonoma State University to enhance the health and safety of campus landscape users and protect the environment.
The goals of the IPM program at Sonoma State University are:
1. Protect human health and the surrounding environment by employing a range of preventative strategies and using least-toxic products for pest control and eradication.
2. Inspect and monitor pest populations to enhance control strategies.
3. Minimize the quantity and toxicity of chemicals used for pest management.
4. Minimize environmental impacts by using species-specific pesticides and targeting application areas carefully.
5. Establish clear criteria for acceptable circumstances in which using a pesticide other than a least-toxic pesticide is necessary; toxic pesticides shall only be used when there is a threat to public health and safety, or to prevent economic or environmental damage, and only after other alternatives have been implemented and are shown to be ineffective.
6. Provide campus landscape users with advanced notice of IPM activities involving the use of a pesticide other than a least-toxic pesticide.
One of the characteristics of an IPM approach that makes it so effective is that the basic decision-making process is the same for any pest problem in any location. The strategies and tactics may change, but the steps taken to decide if and when treatment is needed and which methods to use are the same each time. The Sonoma State IPM program is built around the following components:
• Monitoring the pest populations and other relevant factors
• Accurate identification of the pest
• Determining injury and action levels that trigger treatments
• Timing treatments to the best advantage
• Spot treating the pest (to minimize human and other non-target organism exposure to pesticides)
• Selecting the least disruptive tactics
• Evaluating the effectiveness of treatments to fine-tune future actions
A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:
The landscape department of the university is dedicated to adopting Reclaimed water for Irrigation, Indigenous to area drip system and opting California native and drought tolerant plants.
A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
The University uses reclaimed water for irrigation and the domestic water is pumped through campus wells and supplied through to all the academic buildings and housing.
A brief description of the institution's approach to landscape materials management and waste minimization:
The CSU Sustainability Policy calls for Sonoma State University to reduce its solid waste disposal rate by 80 percent by 2020, and then move to zero waste by reducing the amount of waste sent to the landfill to zero. The campus recycles everything from food waste to computers to office furniture. Some of the programs include a collection of rainwater, E-waste & Green waste recycling programs, and Organic recycling.
A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:
We are in the process of working with the landscape architect and a design plan is being implemented. The goal is to shift to low maintenance, saving time, fuel and energy.
A brief description of other sustainable landscape management practices employed by the institution:
We have an ongoing preventive maintenance program that addresses flood controls and fire prevention.
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable landscape management program 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.