Stanford University
OP-9: Landscape Management

The footprint of the campus's buildings and impervious surfaces is approximately 1,164 acres, per Stanford's GIS map layers, which has been excluded from the totals above. In addition, 4,908 acres of Stanford's land has been preserved as undeveloped oak woodland. Some undeveloped areas include Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve, the campus arboretum, and small oak groves across campus.

Stanford first launched an IPM program in 1997 through Buildings & Grounds Maintenance (BGM). By taking an IPM approach, the Grounds department attempts to use the most environmentally sound methods for controlling pests that negatively impact the health of plant life on campus. Every attempt is made to find the most innovative and least toxic way of controlling pests, using chemicals only as a last resort. Goals of the IPM Program at Stanford include: -- Reduce pesticide use and associated exposure risks -- Reduce the cost of pest control on campus -- Minimize harm to the environment -- Improve long-term plant protection -- Train and educate staff members about the Grounds IPM program Monitoring for pests and beneficial insects on Stanford plants is one of the main approaches used by the Grounds department as part of our Integrated Pest Management program. For more information, including examples of alternative pest control methods and horticultural articles on Stanford's IPM program, please visit http://bgm.stanford.edu/groups/grounds/ipm.

Native plants are prioritized in landscaping for maintained areas across campus, and Stanford places special care upon preserving native trees that need to be relocated during the course of construction projects. An article describing the Stanford tree transplant program is available here: http://news.stanford.edu/news/2013/march/tree-transplant-program-031413.html. In 2015, the Applications Support team in Lands, Building and Real Estate assisted the Grounds department in developing a tree inventory application to allow grounds crews to easily map the locations of trees and monitor tree health on iPads. The automation of the tree inventory process has already saved grounds crews significant amounts of time in conducting their annual tree inventories. Extensive Facility Design Guidelines and Landscape Design Guidelines address policies and recommendations for native planting and avoidance of invasive species. A Waterwise Demonstration Garden was also created on campus to educate the community about native plantings and alternatives to traditional residential landscaping. More information on each of these guidelines and programs can be found at the links below. http://lbre.stanford.edu/sem/sites/all/lbre-shared/files/docs_public/Landscaping_Design_Guidelines.pdf http://lbre.stanford.edu/architect/sites/all/lbre-shared/files/docs_public/UA-CPD_Landscape%20Design%20Guidelines_V1p1.pdf http://bgm.stanford.edu/groups/grounds/special/waterwise

All in all, Stanford has reduced its total water consumption by 47% since 2000, largely thanks to improved irrigation strategies. Stanford’s irrigation responds to site conditions using data collected from an on-site weather station with an automated Maxicom Irrigation Controller that conserves 20% more water than conventional irrigation methods. Non-domestic water sourced from Stanford’s Searsville and Felt Lakes is used to irrigate at least 80% of the campus landscape. Swales and detention areas planted with native vegetation are integrated into new project landscape designs. Since the inception of the California drought in 2015, Stanford has redoubled its efforts to reduce irrigation, especially in areas that rely on potable water for irrigation, such as the residential Faculty Staff Housing area. Within that area, Stanford limited irrigation with potable water to two days per week, in accordance with statewide restrictions. Those requirements can be found in a letter from Provost Etchemendy to faculty/staff residents in June 2015: https://news.stanford.edu/2015/07/02/water-conservation-campus-070215/. Stanford Utilities also offered various classes to residents on topics including Weather-based Irrigation Controllers (basic functionality and the benefits), Water Conservation 101 (in partnership with the Bay Area Water Supply & Conservation Agency), as well as supporting BAWSCA’s landscape classes throughout the spring and summer. Stanford Utilities sent out monthly bill inserts to single-family residents with messaging and information on programs geared towards water conservation and efficiency. Efforts have also been made to reduce non-potable water used for irrigation. For instance, many of these areas were intentionally "browned out," in 2015, with signage explaining the water savings initiatives. Particular water-saving success stories came from the Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER) and Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE). DAPER reduced irrigation at the Stanford golf course and golf practice facility, transitioned to turf fields, and removed ornamental lawns in favor of drought tolerant plants. These efforts led to a reduction in the department's potable water use by 27% and non-potable water use by 26% compared to 2013 levels. In 2015, Stanford Residential & Dining Enterprises (R&DE) also overhauled their entire irrigation system, which included upgrading 90 irrigation controllers to centrally controlled weather-based models, installing flow sensors and/or master valves (to automatically shut off leaks), and installing thousands of efficient sprinkler heads and nozzles. So far, R&DE has seen a 46% reduction in water consumption, which is estimated to save over 33 million gallons of water. R&DE also conducted a turf study in 2015-16 that evaluated the size, slope, shape, usage, sprinkler head count, and amount of shade present in each of the turf areas surrounding Student Housing. A team of interns evaluated over 800,000 square feet of turf throughout graduate and undergraduate student housing space and found that 4% of that turf could be removed or replaced with drought-resistant plants. The team is also studying the quantity and flow rates of sprinkler heads in each area to estimate water savings from turf removal and determine if any areas are currently being over-watered. Additional outdoor water-saving strategies are discussed in the Water Use credit.

Grounds-keeping waste, including grass trimmings, is actively composted at Stanford. General yard waste is collected by the Grounds Department and picked up by PSSI, the university's waste management contractor, and taken to an off-campus facility from which the university is allowed to backhaul a portion for use on campus. Yard waste from Faculty/Staff Housing also serves this purpose. Brush collected by the Grounds Department is ground into mulch and used throughout the campus. Stanford also practices "grasscycling" by leaving cut grass on the 140 acres of campus turf areas.

Trees are consciously placed to provide shading and cooling for buildings and pavement with an emphasis on deciduous trees along the southern and western building exposures.