| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 60.76 |
| Liaison | Brad Spanbauer |
| Submission Date | March 4, 2022 |
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
IN-20: Grounds Certification
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 0.50 |
Brad
Spanbauer Campus Sustainability Officer Campus Sustainability Office |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Does the institution own and/or manage land that is currently certified under the following programs? (at least one positive response required):
| Yes or No | |
| ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation | --- |
| Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program (ACSP) | --- |
| Bee Campus USA | --- |
| Demeter Biodynamic | --- |
| Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Forest Management standard | --- |
| International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green List Standard | --- |
| National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitat Program | Yes |
| An Organic standard or Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) endorsed by IFOAM | --- |
| Salmon-Safe | --- |
| Sustainable Sites Initiative (SITES) | --- |
| Tree Campus USA (Arbor Day Foundation) | Yes |
| An equivalent program approved by AASHE | Yes |
A brief description of the institution’s third party certified land holdings:
UW Oshkosh’s 180+ acre Oshkosh campus is located in Wisconsin’s Fox River Valley and hosts over 1,600 trees from about 100 different species. University Facilities Management staff apply a variety of approaches to manage the campus landscape.
We aim to purchase plants from local sources but also encourage resilience by utilizing a wide genetic base within species.
Native prairie and woodland landscaping is installed whenever possible across campus, reducing the area of turf grass.
Native plantings include:
A grove of native bur oak trees north of the Arts & Communication Building
Prairie plantings along Halsey, next to the tennis courts, and along numerous pathways across campus.
Woodland plantings have been replacing small patches near academic buildings that are shaded by mature trees and are difficult to mow.
Using plants that are adapted to Wisconsin’s geology and climate reduces the need for irrigation, mowing, and other inputs. It also provides food and habitat for native birds and pollinators. Conscious landscaping has earned UW Oshkosh a Monarch Waystation designation by the butterfly conservation group Monarch Watch and wildlife-friendly habitat certification by the National Wildlife Federation!
In addition to herbaceous plants and forbs on campus, UW Oshkosh has many native, ornamental, and fruit trees. An interactive campus tree map shows the location and species of campus trees. The University has been awarded Tree Camps USA designation each year since 2010 for its continued efforts to preserve and plant new trees on campus. The universities two access campuses have also both earned Tree Campus designations prior to merging with the Oshkosh campus.
We advocate conservation-positive landscapes by including endangered, threatened, rare, and endemic taxa and providing food, habitat (including artificial structures like bat and bird houses), and water for wildlife. To this end we limit our use of pesticides as much as possible and use organic fertilizers when necessary and possible, including compost developed from our own anaerobic digestion facility. Existing invasive and exotic species are removed via attrition and replacement with native plantings as resources permit. Exceptions may be made for:
Academics (e.g., pedagogy and research)
Recreational turf areas (unless native turf grasses are available)
“Working landscapes” (e.g., vegetable gardens, orchards)
Historical/cultural gardens (avoid invasive species)
Replacing lost functional ecological elements where native plants are no longer possible
We aim to purchase plants from local sources but also encourage resilience by utilizing a wide genetic base within species.
Native prairie and woodland landscaping is installed whenever possible across campus, reducing the area of turf grass.
Native plantings include:
A grove of native bur oak trees north of the Arts & Communication Building
Prairie plantings along Halsey, next to the tennis courts, and along numerous pathways across campus.
Woodland plantings have been replacing small patches near academic buildings that are shaded by mature trees and are difficult to mow.
Using plants that are adapted to Wisconsin’s geology and climate reduces the need for irrigation, mowing, and other inputs. It also provides food and habitat for native birds and pollinators. Conscious landscaping has earned UW Oshkosh a Monarch Waystation designation by the butterfly conservation group Monarch Watch and wildlife-friendly habitat certification by the National Wildlife Federation!
In addition to herbaceous plants and forbs on campus, UW Oshkosh has many native, ornamental, and fruit trees. An interactive campus tree map shows the location and species of campus trees. The University has been awarded Tree Camps USA designation each year since 2010 for its continued efforts to preserve and plant new trees on campus. The universities two access campuses have also both earned Tree Campus designations prior to merging with the Oshkosh campus.
We advocate conservation-positive landscapes by including endangered, threatened, rare, and endemic taxa and providing food, habitat (including artificial structures like bat and bird houses), and water for wildlife. To this end we limit our use of pesticides as much as possible and use organic fertilizers when necessary and possible, including compost developed from our own anaerobic digestion facility. Existing invasive and exotic species are removed via attrition and replacement with native plantings as resources permit. Exceptions may be made for:
Academics (e.g., pedagogy and research)
Recreational turf areas (unless native turf grasses are available)
“Working landscapes” (e.g., vegetable gardens, orchards)
Historical/cultural gardens (avoid invasive species)
Replacing lost functional ecological elements where native plants are no longer possible
Documentation affirming the certification(s):
---
Website URL where information affirming the certification(s) is available:
Optional Fields
---
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
https://www.arborday.org/programs/tree-campus-higher-education/#recognizedSection - click on WI - UW Oshkosh is listed
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.