Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 74.80
Liaison Gioia Thompson
Submission Date March 2, 2020

STARS v2.2

University of Vermont
OP-9: Landscape Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.77 / 2.00 Mike Dubois
Ground Manager
Ground Service
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total campus area:
4,315 Acres

Figures required to calculate the total area of managed grounds:
Area (double-counting is not allowed)
Area managed organically, without the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides 210 Acres
Area managed in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that uses selected chemicals only when needed 334.60 Acres
Area managed using conventional, chemical-based landscape management practices 430.94 Acres
Total area of managed grounds 975.54 Acres

A brief description of any land excluded from the area of managed grounds:

Approximately 3,339.5 acres are excluded from the managed grounds, including 2,194.4 acres of natural areas that are unmanaged, 19.2 acres that are managed by an outside entity, 168.5 acres of experimental agricultural land, 773.7 acres for forestry research, 20 acres for student life (Outing Club Cabin), 2 acres for geologic research, 113.2 acres of undeveloped land/forest not included in the natural areas, and 48.5 acres of gift/investment property


Percentage of grounds managed organically:
21.53

A brief description of the organic landscape management program:

(The 210-acre Proctor Maple Research Complex produces certified organic maple syrup. PMRC is a certified organic maple operation through Vermont Organic Farmers (NOFA) In order to achieve this certification, the operation is inspected by a third-party certifier to ensure cultural practices are in place that foster a healthy, diverse forest ecosystem, that synthetic materials are not used in the production of syrup/sap, and that the operation adheres to a specific set of tapping guidelines, forest management, and syrup production practices.
https://nofavt.org
PMRC is also a certified Aububon Bird-Friendly maple operation https://vt.audubon.org/conservation/working-lands/landing/bird-friendly-maple-project


Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an IPM program:
34.30

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

University of Vermont IPM Principles

1. We base our pest management program on preventative, non-chemical and cultural measures for control. These controls begin with selecting healthy, zone hardy, pest resistant species with a focus on proper planting techniques and maintenance practices.

2. When applicable, physical barriers are placed to prevent plant pests from doing repeated damage. Examples include bands around trees to discourage gypsy moth defoliation, wraps around trunks of young trees to prevent damage from rodents or other animals and boulders or planting beds for turf protection.

3. UVM Grounds staff monitor for pests as they patrol and work on campus, reporting pest activity to Grounds Management. Environmentally friendly or target specific materials are chosen to bring the amount of pest to an acceptable level.

4. Dormant horticultural oils or insecticidal soaps may be applied to manage insects on ornamental plantings when the level of damage threatens plant heath or aesthetics.

5. Trees and shrubs are mulched annually with cedar bark, which aids in water retention, blocks weeds, and acts as an insect repellent (through the natural oil and strong fragrance). Most weeds in tree and plant beds are manually pulled and discarded.

6. High quality lawns and athletic fields are aerated to relieve compaction with over seeding and mowing at their optimal heights to ensure health and vigor. Soil nutrient balance is maintained through the use of non-phosphorus, organic fertilizers. Irrigation is used in limited areas and monitored for correct water usage. Health turf lessens erosion and storm runoff.

7. Many annual flowerbeds are being replaced over time by more sustainable mulched perennial flower beds.

8. UVM maintains an inventory of all campus trees. This inventory, together with our knowledge of the University landscape is used to monitor for insects, disease and environmental stresses and aids us in our maintenance efforts.

The link that describes the IPM program: https://www.uvm.edu/physicalplant/integrated-pest-management-ipm-plan.


A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:
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A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
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A brief description of the institution's approach to landscape materials management and waste minimization:
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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:
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Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable landscape management program is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

There was no response from managers of numerous parcels of off-campus land that are actively “managed” so the assumption is that these are “conventionally managed” with pesticides and chemicals even though that may not be true.


There was no response from managers of numerous parcels of off-campus land that are actively “managed” so the assumption is that these are “conventionally managed” with pesticides and chemicals even though that may not be true.

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.