| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.47 |
| Liaison | Sally DeLeon |
| Submission Date | Feb. 28, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Maryland, College Park
OP-9: Landscape Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.02 / 2.00 |
Karen
Petroff Assistant Director, Arboretum/Horticultural Services Arboretum & Landscape Services |
Total campus area (i.e. the total amount of land within the institutional boundary):
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 | 827.59 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 | 17 Acres |
| Area managed using conventional landscape management practices (which may include some IPM principles or techniques) | 0 Acres |
| Total area of managed grounds | 844.59 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):
Impervious surfaces (parking lots, streets, parking garages, and the footprint of buildings) were excluded. Experimental agricultural land at Research and Education Centers around the state were also excluded.
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:
Maintenance practices are developed with acknowledgement of the heavy use the landscape receives for recreational and academic purposes. Plant health is emphasized over pest control, and an environmentally sensitive system of integrated pest management is used to keep pest populations below acceptable thresholds. Recycling of organic material helps to build better soils and better plant health, and compliments Maryland’s goal of using minimal pesticides.
Since January 2011, staff members from all different departments have volunteered to adopt specific areas on campus in order to reduce chemical use in those areas. Any staff member interested in reducing chemical use is encouraged to volunteer. Maryland also holds large-scale student volunteer activities, such as weed removal to control pests. The volunteers include sororities and fraternities, sports teams, clubs and court ordered volunteers.
Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an organic program:
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:
17 acres of land around the Clarice Smith Center for the Performing Arts are maintained using organic methods without any application of inorganic fertilizers, chemical pesticides, fungicides or herbicides.
A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:
University of Maryland strives to plant a minimum of 50% native plants in new landscape installations throughout the grounds. No planting of known invasive species occurs and the Maryland DNR’s Do Not Plant list is honored. Volunteer groups are utilized for invasive control and removal projects. The arboretum and botanical garden are invaluable resources for Maryland's flagship campus. The native plant gardens are used to document, understand and learn about current and regionally important forces of nature and man. The gardens also serve to increase public environmental literacy for a sustainable future. The plants in our native gardens have been established from seeds collected by volunteers from construction-threatened populations in our region.The resulting plants provide a bank of locally valuable Maryland plant species and ecotypes and seed is collected and used to enhance managed meadows on campus. Native grasses and wildflowers are locally adapted to provide food and shelter for a variety of wildlife including migratory birds, insect pollinators, frogs and turtles. The Sun Garden is a prime example of one of Maryland’s native plant gardens. It displays grasses, flowers, shrubs and trees that survive with a lower level of supplemental watering and fertilizers.
A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
All new construction projects comply with regulations on installation of Environmental Site Design practices for management of stormwater. A current accounting of stormwater management facilities has logged 152 discreet facilities and their individual maintenance requirement, and a Coordinator oversees maintenance activities. Volunteers, staff and contractors are utilized for maintenance activities such as trash and sediment removal, pruning and replanting of bioretention facilities and seasonal maintenance.
A brief description of the institution's approach to materials management and waste minimization (e.g. composting and/or mulching on-site waste):
University of Maryland recycles all grass clippings on site through mulching lawn mowers. Leaves and other yard waste are composted through the City of College Park every fall and where practical, mulched directly into turf grass areas. Leaves and mixed debris, including weeds and branches, are collected on campus and taken to an offsite area for recycling. Maryland uses offsite composting because there is not enough land on campus. However, the Department of Building and Landscape Services receives some of the compost generated offsite back to use for landscaping on campus.
A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:
Several buildings on campus have green roofs and one building has a green wall to reduce heat gain.
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 University of Maryland uses ice removal material that is as environmentally benign as possible and available to meet the goal of a safe and accessible campus.
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.