Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 53.78
Liaison Lisa Mitten
Submission Date March 8, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

State University of New York at New Paltz
OP-9: Landscape Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.83 / 2.00 Gary Buckman
Director
Facilities Operations
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total campus area (i.e. the total amount of land within the institutional boundary):
209.70 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 4.25 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 162.25 Acres
Area managed using conventional landscape management practices (which may include some IPM principles or techniques) 13.50 Acres
Total area of managed grounds 180 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):

The footprint of buildings have been excluded.


Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an IPM program:
2.36

A copy of the IPM plan or program:
A brief description of the IPM program:

The Office of Environmental Health and Safety follows IPM practices for the ponds at SUNY New Paltz and cares for a border collie, Augie, who chases away Canada Geese, reducing the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus from geese feces that enter the campus ponds.


Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an organic program:
90.14

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:

The use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides is prohibited on all areas of campus, with the exception of athletic fields.


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

To support plant health, the ground department adds their own compost and mulch to new and existing beds. They water new plantings every day during the summer. They make their own compost from landscaping materials.


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

The grounds department mulches beds to hold in moisture and uses gater bags for newly planted trees.

The Office of Environmental Health and Safety follows IPM practices for the ponds at SUNY New Paltz and cares for a border collie, Augie, who chases away Canada Geese, reducing the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus from geese feces that enter the campus ponds.


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

The grounds department composts yard waste on-site.


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

The grounds department mulches to reduce weeding.


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 grounds department recently invested in electric pole saws, hedgers, mowers and weed wackers. This equipment is quieter and has no fumes compared to the gas-powered equipment they replaced.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.