| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.35 |
| Liaison | Trevor Ledbetter |
| Submission Date | May 2, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Arizona
OP-9: Landscape Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.76 / 2.00 |
Benjamin
Champion N/A Office of Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Total campus area (i.e. the total amount of land within the institutional boundary):
393
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 | 197 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 | 12 Acres |
| Area managed using conventional landscape management practices (which may include some IPM principles or techniques) | 82 Acres |
| Total area of managed grounds | 291 Acres |
If the total area of managed grounds is less than the total campus area, provide:
The footprint of buildings was excluded from the area of managed grounds.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program
67.70
If reporting an IPM program, provide:
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A brief description of the IPM program:
The University practices an Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM) modeled after that outlined by Maryland Department of Agriculture. It has been informal in the past, but is currently being formalized in written policies and procedures. Unless safety and health consideration dictate otherwise, it is based upon action thresholds rather than periodic application of pesticides and herbicides. Grounds and custodial personnel monitor conditions for various pests, and report issues to management. The situation is evaluated, and a decision is made by management if action is required, and at what level. Safety and health issues are central to those decisions, as are risk of infrastructure damage.
An example is that grounds personnel will periodically check random plots and perform a grub-worm count. If a specific threshold is exceeded, appropriate pesticides will be applied. If not, no application is made at that time.
In the case of wasps, they are removed immediately if they pose a sting risk to students, staff, faculty or visitors.
In regard to mosquitoes, a proactive-preventative program is practiced. Any body of standing water or continual dampness is treated with VectoBac in addition to maintenance actions taken to eliminate or minimize standing water and dampness whenever possible.
Regarding bees, action is only taken if the bees pose a safety hazard or have established a hive in an inappropriate place, such as a swarm in a high traffic area. The area is roped off, and the contractor removes the bees during low-traffic hours.
Weeds are treated on an as-needed basis, rather than a periodic basis.
Various licensed contractors are used for specific aspects of the program, including indoor pesticide application, bee removal, and mice removal. These contractors are selected on the basis of IPM practices. Material Safety Data Sheets are on file for all pesticides used.
Organic Program
4.12
If reporting an organic program, provide:
Turf on about 12 acres of Mall turf (out of a total 48 acres of turf,exclusive of athletic fields) was fed (monthly) compost tea generated on
campus in a large tank. The compost tea reduced the amount of annually applied pelletized organic fertilizer applied to those grounds.
Pelletized organic fertilizer was aplied to other campus turf.
Optional Fields
The University manages campus vegetation in accordance with the Mission and guidelines of the Campus Arboretum, the details of which are referenced on the web pages under "Source".
A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
Please see the Comprehensive Campus Plan section on sustainability (http://www.pdc.arizona.edu/resources/documents/ccp_sustainability.pdf).
A brief description of the institution's approach to materials management and waste minimization (e.g. composting and/or mulching on-site waste):
Greenwaste is collected separately from campus landscaping activities and diverted to two composting entities. In Fy14-15, about 93 % (598.55 tons) was picked up by a commercial vendor (Fairfax Companies) for composting. The remaining 7% (47.75 tons) was delivered to the Compost Cats facility operated at the San Xavier Cooperative Farm,on the Tohono O'odham Reservation south of Tucson. Compost Cats is a student-run operation that receives greenwaste from the university, herbivore manure from the local zoo, and food wastes from the Student Union and local restaurants and composts them using farm equipment supplied by the Coop Farm. The finished compost product is donated to the farm's foodbank for their backyard gardening program, to local schools for organic gardening activities, and the remainder is sold to the public by the bag or in bulk quantities for pickup. Compost Cats is the City of Tucson's official composting service. City trucks pick up compostable wastes from local businesses, restaurants and schools and deliver it to the facility.
A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:
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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 website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Updated: February 2016
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.