| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 54.15 |
| Liaison | Leslie North |
| Submission Date | March 3, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Western Kentucky University
OP-9: Landscape Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.00 / 2.00 |
Total campus area (i.e. the total amount of land within the institutional boundary):
Figures required to calculate the total area of managed grounds:
| Area (double-counting is not allowed) | |
| Area managed in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that uses a four-tiered approach | 0 Acres |
| Area managed in accordance with an organic land care standard or sustainable landscape management program that has eliminated the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides in favor of ecologically preferable materials | 0.21 Acres |
| Area managed using conventional landscape management practices (which may include some IPM principles or techniques) | 206.77 Acres |
| Total area of managed grounds | 206.98 Acres |
A brief description of any land excluded from the area of managed grounds (e.g. the footprint of buildings and impervious surfaces, experimental agricultural land, areas that are not regularly managed or maintained):
Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an IPM program:
A copy of the IPM plan or program:
A brief description of the IPM program:
For a description of our IPM and sustainable landscaping program, please visit:
https://www.wku.edu/sustainability/grounds.php
Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an organic program:
A brief description of the organic land standard or landscape management program that has eliminated the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides in favor of ecologically preferable materials:
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.
A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:
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 brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
"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.
A brief description of the institution's approach to materials management and waste minimization (e.g. composting and/or mulching on-site waste):
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.
A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:
An informed irrigation system allows the landscape staff to conserve water and, consequently energy use.
All outdoor lighting is high efficiency, reduced wattage lamps.
A brief description of other sustainable landscape management practices employed by the institution (e.g. use of environmentally preferable landscaping materials, initiatives to reduce the impacts of ice and snow removal, wildfire prevention):
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.
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.