Western Kentucky University
OP-9: Landscape Management

For a description of our IPM and sustainable landscaping program, please visit: https://www.wku.edu/sustainability/grounds.php

The Office of Sustainability has a Community Garden and edible front yard, both of which demonstrate best practices in sustainable land-use. These include hugelkultur, no-mow front yard, bees, raised beds, and in-ground garden plots. The garden does not permit the use of any chemicals or destructive practices on this property, and encourages sustainability and biodiversity.

We do not store or apply any pesticides in house and we implement several programs including but not limited to; planting and maintaining very diverse micro-habitats and ecosystems that encourage high populations of predatory insects that feed on invasive pests, we even purchase live lady bugs to help combat aphids, mites and adelgid infestations. In addition to maintaining biodiversity, we use organic fertilizers that contain natural plant auxins and live microbes which inhibit the growth of broadleaf weeds and minimize fungal growth on turf grass. The most effective method of controlling weeds on our campus lawns, has been to establish and maintain healthy and vigorous turf. We achieve this goal through methods such as mowing height, smart irrigation, implementing an aggressive organic fertilizer regimen and over-seeding with the appropriate turf in the appropriate areas. Over the past several years we have been able to steer away from the overuse of dangerous chemical pesticides and moving in the direction of organic based naturally occurring compounds, which promote healthy turf and limits weed growth naturally.

"A proactive problem solving approach to our numerous and historic storm water issues will result from the communication, coordination and cooperation between grounds, maintenance, building services and PDC. By recording the data, monitoring our corrective efforts and being apprised to approaching weather conditions.Many of the existing ground level storm drains have been subject to contamination such as leaves, mulch trash and other materials. One way to help minimize this is to enhance the run-off channels and create deliberate swales for the storm water to flow through.

Every year when trees need to be trimmed or cut down they are ground and taken to the University farm and reused as mulch. Addtionally each year we collect and grind leaves from the campus then reuse the following spring for compost in our annual and perrennial landscape beds.

An informed irrigation system allows the landscape staff to conserve water and, consequently energy use. All outdoor lighting is high efficiency, reduced wattage lamps.

Over the past 3 years we have been using less calcium chloride and have moved toward using more Cryotech CMA® solid commercial deicer. this is granulated calcium magnesium acetate, a patented chemical formulation from dolomitic lime and acetic acid. It is identified as a low corrosion, environmental alternative to road salt by the U.S. Federal Highway Administration. CMA is used worldwide to answer environmental concerns such as pollution, soil contamination of heavy salts and solve problems associated with corrosion and concrete spalling.