University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
OP-10: Landscape Management

Action Plan: • Maximize the use of locally sourced, native plant material that is well suited for the local environment. Such plant material will require less fertilizer, irrigation, or pesticide. Emphasis should be placed upon perennials rather than annuals. • Utilize the widest genetic base among individual species. • Eliminate existing invasive exotic species. • Include endangered, rare species to the extent possible. • Include useful plants (e.g., pest deterrents, nitrogen-fixing plants, edibles and medicinals) for pedagogical and practical purposes. • Reduce turf area and monocultures in favor of diverse native ground covers, tree canopies, understory trees and shrubbery. • Maintain and update the campus tree inventory on an annual basis. Continue to participate in Tree Campus U.S.A.

This institution uses prairies, where applicable, to reduce the need for watering and pesticide/herbicide applications. We have installed a sample prairie along our river to reduce runoff and will look into more if the project is deemed attractive along with useful. This campus has begun yearly applications of gypsum in an effort to break up the clay particles allowing the top dressings of compost to permeate the subsoil. Our hope is to increase the nutrient content of the soil reducing the need for inorganic fertilizers.

The Campus Sustainability Plan adopted in 2008 notes that the campus has a history of educational plantings, including native prairie, and for the extensive riverfront to retain and encourage native trees and vegetation. The campus riverfront includes a state trail and Shapiro Park. For policies, the plan recommends: 1) increasing the planting of native species, and removal of invasive non-native species; 2) creation of more native prairie plantings. Native tree preference is also stated in the Campus Tree Care Plan developed in 2010 for a successful Tree Campus USA application

The Campus Sustainability Plan adopted in 2008 notes that the campus has a history of using mulching lawnmowers, mulching leaves into turf areas in the fall, and chipping wood landscaping refuse to make mulch for campus shrubs and flower beds. In 2009, the Sustainability Office and Facilities Management co-funded the purchase of a compost tea machine to produce organic fertilizer. Starting in 2011, yard waste is diverted to the campus biodigester, from which solids are sent to a commercial composter.

We are in our second year of using Titan Gold (institution produced compost) to top dress the existing turf in our worst soil area. The soil is heavy clay making for a poor stand of grass with runoff and nutrient problems. We have begun a program of aerifying in the spring followed by a gypsum application. Then we top dress with our Titan Gold and allow nature to work the compost in. We follow the top dressing with an application of compost tea adding the needs microbes to the soil. Come fall we do another aerification and heavier top dressing of compost, believing the snow and freeze and thaw of winter will do its part in working the compost into the clay. The belief and hope is an improved soil, leading to a healthier stand of grass, needing less inorganic fertilizers and herbicides.

The wood mulch used on this campus comes either from trees we remove ourselves or a company that grinds the wood that would normally go to landfills. We use our own locally produced compost in all top dressing and new installations.

Action Plan: • Maximize the use of locally sourced, native plant material that is well suited for the local environment. Such plant material will require less fertilizer, irrigation, or pesticide. Emphasis should be placed upon perennials rather than annuals. • Utilize the widest genetic base among individual species. • Eliminate existing invasive exotic species. • Include endangered, rare species to the extent possible. • Include useful plants (e.g., pest deterrents, nitrogen-fixing plants, edibles and medicinals) for pedagogical and practical purposes. • Reduce turf area and monocultures in favor of diverse native ground covers, tree canopies, understory trees and shrubbery. • Maintain and update the campus tree inventory on an annual basis. Continue to participate in Tree Campus U.S.A.

The Campus Sustainability Plan adopted in 2008 notes that the campus has a history of using an environmentally safer ice melting chemical treatment on sidewalks. The campus also maintains an excellent snow removal team, and recently upgraded the plow tractors used to clear walkways -- good mechanical removal of snow is our main strategy for minimizing the need for ice melting chemicals. Sand is used in parking areas, and the university uses a street sweeper to clean up sand and keep it from entering stormwater runoff.

The University manages a state trail along the riverfront.