University of Pennsylvania
OP-9: Landscape Management

All of campus is included in the managed grounds.

The University of Pennsylvania tries to manage all grounds using guidelines that responsibly implement best practices in organic campus management, including 100% native/adaptive plant selection, compost tea applications for lawn and meadow growth, on-campus leaf composting and reapplication as bedding cover, and use of natural predators (such as lady bugs to control an aphid population); however, only Shoemaker Green and Penn Park are the only grounds on campus managed completely with organic land standards.

The broadcast use of synthetic pesticides and herbicide applications is prohibited. All site work is carefully studied to provide the best environment for our plant communities which results in little to no pest infestations, and landscape / tree protection protocols are strictly enforced as part of capital project standards.

Penn prioritizes the use of native plant species in landscaping. The University Landscape Architect always tries to plant as many native plants as possible, as they are adapted to our region and tend to grow well here. They improve our natural ecosystem, tend to require less water and low maintenance, and provide food and habitat for pollinators and other wildlife. We regularly maintain and restore native perennial planting beds across campus with the gardeners on staff supported by landscape contractors.

In 2013, Penn completed a campus-wide "Stormwater Masterplan" to promote ecologically-responsible stormwater management practices. Infiltration is a primary stormwater management strategy at Penn, with the use of permeable paving and sand bedding for unit pavers common. To minimize the use of potable water for irrigation, Penn has an extensive system of on-campus underground cisterns, including a 300,000 gallon underground cistern that captures and reuses all stormwater that falls on Penn Park, Penn's 24-acre public park and recreation/athletics center, and a 30,000 gallon cistern at Penn's Shoemaker Green. In addition to these underground cisterns there are a number of others which include: the New College House lawn, two at the Singh Center for Nanotechnology, Perry World House, the Morgan Building, three at the Annenberg Center, and two at Penn Law. Water collected in cisterns is used for irrigation, and prior to storms is released at a controlled rate into the City's combined stormwater sewers to help manage stormwater surge. Penn's new landscapes incorporate soil moisture sensors to limit unnecessary irrigation during wet periods. In compliance with Philadelphia Water's stormwater requirements, all of Penn's capital projects that disturb 15,000 sf or more are required to manage the first 1.5" of rain on-site, doing so though a combination of cisterns, bio-swales, rain gardens, and green roofs. At Penn, green roofs are used to absorb stormwater and support rooftop green amenities. There are over two dozen green roofs on Penn's campus. In compliance with Philadelphia Water's stormwater requirements, all of Penn's capital projects that disturb 15,000 sf or more are required to manage the first 1" of rain on-site, doing so though a combination of cisterns, bio-swales, rain gardens, and green roofs. At Penn, green roofs are used to absorb stormwater and support rooftop green amenities. There are over two dozen green roofs on Penn's campus.

Penn's Urban Park and landscape management team prioritize reuse and waste minimization. Penn stockpiles stone paving materials, granite curbs, and unit pavers in a landscape reuse yard to facilitate reuse in campus landscapes. The front garden of Penn's Civic House, Penn's student volunteer center, for example, exclusively used 100-year old granite curbs salvaged from Penn's campus as pavers and benches in its landscape design. To reduce the use of fertilizers on campus, the University collects and composts leaves. Some of the leaves are used after a season of curing as top dressing for gardens and plaza plantings every spring. The remainder of the leaves are mixed with water and cured, then used as compost tea (natural fertilizer) which is broadcast on lawns and meadows, reducing the need for inorganic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides while boosting soil organic activity. As part of the "Ecological Stewardship Landscape Plan," Penn's consultants measured soil bio-activity at representative campus landscapes to evaluate soil health.

As part of Penn's commitment to sustainability, landscape is designed to incorporate native plants that require less maintenance and use less water. In addition, 37 green roofs, installed on over 10 different buildings, contribute to building related energy reduction goals. The use of shade trees adjacent to south-facing facade, is prioritized to reduce summer heat gain inside buildings. Penn actively manages an extensive street tree program to ensure shading on public walkways, campus paths, and sidewalks, to reduce Philadelphia's urban heat island effect. Campus standards are for street trees to be planted in integrated trenches, not pits, with permeable cobble paving in the tree zone to encourage rainwater infiltration, healthier soils, and more robust development of deep root networks.

Penn follows a Tree Care Plan that is updated yearly. This plan is developed to document ongoing practices and establish a successful, healthy, and beautiful urban forest. The West Philadelphia Penn campus is recognized as a Level 2 Arboretum under ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program. The Arboretum curates and manages a diverse collection of trees, focused on preserving and sustaining the urban forest for the well-being of the community, environmental benefits, research and educational opportunities. Penn’s campus is an urban forest with more than 6,500 trees in its collection, over 240 species of trees and shrubs, ten specialty gardens and five urban parks. The arboretum designation recognizes the importance of Penn's overall landscape stewardship, highlights of which include: * promoting proper species selection and planning for age and tree species diversity throughout the entire tree population; * selecting native and adaptive species to aid in creating healthy plant communities and habitat for wildlife; * developing preventative care, protection, and maintenance plans for high‐value trees on campus and, whenever possible, other trees on campus that could be adversely affected by construction activities; * creating and implementing a regular tree replacement strategy in keeping with the overall campus tree strategy; * incorporating policies and recommendations from local and national agencies, including but not limited to: Greenworks Philadelphia, Philadelphia Planning Commission's Complete Streets Guidelines, Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR) standards, Philadelphia Street Tree Ordinance, Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES), and the ANSI A300 Tree Care Standards and associated Best Management Practices; * establishing a stronger connection between students and staff to the campus and the surrounding neighborhood through outreach and engagement strategies in partnership with the Penn Sustainability Office, allowing the Penn community to become stewards of their environment, to be educated regarding the importance of trees and different tree species, and to value and respect trees and urban forests. To reduce plant and tree damage during the winter, Penn uses EnviroMelt, an environmentally-friendly ice melter, and uses the steam loop to heat pavement at several critical service access-ways to eliminate the use of ice-melt chemicals.