| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.56 |
| Liaison | David Blodgett |
| Submission Date | March 13, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Babson College
OP-10: Landscape Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.62 / 2.00 |
Steve
Tolley Assistant Director, Ground, Building Services & Sustainability Facilities Management & Planning |
Figures required to calculate the total area of managed grounds::
| Area | |
| Total campus area | 361 Acres |
| Footprint of the institution's buildings | 18 Acres |
| Area of undeveloped land, excluding any protected areas | 234 Acres |
Area of managed grounds that is::
| Area | |
| Managed in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Plan | 0 Acres |
| Managed in accordance with a sustainable landscape management program that includes an IPM plan and otherwise meets the criteria outlined | 83 Acres |
| Managed organically, third party certified and/or protected | 26 Acres |
A copy of the IPM plan:
The IPM plan :
Definition
Integrated Pest Management is a systematic approach to managing pests which focuses on long-term prevention or suppression with minimal impact on human health, the environment and non target organisms. IPM incorporates all reasonable measures to prevent pest problems by physical, biological or chemical pest population management methods to reduce pest to acceptable levels and prevent unacceptable damage or annoyance.
Procedures
The campus grounds are monitored regularly by our in house grounds staff who are instructed to report issues to the Supervisor of Grounds Operations. The Supervisor will visually inspect campus and those items reported to him regularly to determine if further action is necessary. If he determines this is the case he will review the issue with the Assistant Director of Grounds, Building Services and Sustainability to determine appropriate actions to take. If chemical means are deemed necessary, the product with the least harmful effects to the environment will be selected.
Cultural Practices and Preventative Measures
Where chronic pest problems have occurred on a historical basis, preventative measures including chemical applications may be used to prevent damage that will be both unsightly and costly to repair.
Dormant oils and non chemical means are used to manage insects at acceptable levels on high quality/visibility ornamental plantings.
Soil fertility in lawn areas is maintained with an organic approach to maintain turf vigor and to allow for natural defenses and recovery to pest and disease problems and to minimize use of synthetic fertilizers.
High quality lawns and fields are irrigated to maintain growth rate, appearance and recovery capabilities.
High quality lawns and fields are aerated regularly to maintain vigor and natural pest defenses.
Turf seed is selected for repair and maintenance to have good recovery and wear tolerance characteristics.
Native trees and shrubs will be selected for future plantings on campus that are acclimated to the local climate.
NOTE: The remaining acres of campus beyond the 145 are forested areas that are unmaintained and therefore not monitored as outlined in the IPM plan.
A brief summary of the institution’s approach to sustainable landscape management:
-Babson is working to minimize pesticide and fertilizer use on campus
-Returning landscaped areas to forest where possible to minimize inputs
-Regular tree planting as a community engagement tool
-Planting local/native plants
A brief description of how the institution protects and uses existing vegetation, uses native and ecologically appropriate plants, and controls and manages invasive species:
Our practice is to review planting plans and to use native plants almost exclusively. This has not been historical practice but is as recent at the last three years. Recent tree plantings on campus have all been natives.
A brief description of the institution’s landscape materials management and waste minimization policies and practices:
We collect grass clippings, wood chips, branches, leaves and other materials in concrete walled bins and have them cleaned out several times each year by a vendor who takes the materials to a composting site.
We also have been placing outdoor recycling bins across campus as part of a multi-year program to pair all the trash bins with recycling bins.
A brief description of the institution’s organic soils management practices:
We limit the amount of fertilizer used. We were an organic campus for a few years but recently needed to apply some chemicals to ensure aesthetics. Most of the main campus is fertilized with organic fertilizers, while the athletic fields are fertilized with synthetic chemicals. Our grounds team has been working to transition the athletics fields to organic fertilizers.
We are reviewing the potential of purchasing compost from the farm that takes our dining hall food waste. The compost is very coarse, and will be used as a replacement for black mulch.
A brief description of the institution’s use of environmentally preferable materials in landscaping and grounds management:
Our plants are ordered from a local nursery and landscape fixtures such as trash/recycling cans are steel to balance recycled/recyclable material and aesthetics.
A brief description of how the institution restores and/or maintains the integrity of the natural hydrology of the campus:
We are constrained by existing regulation to protect the wetlands on campus. All work that will affect the wetlands is reviewed by municipal wetlands management.
We also have extensive infiltration systems across campus, as detailed in the rainwater management credit.
A brief description of how the institution reduces the environmental impacts of snow and ice removal (if applicable):
We have been using liquid products (not salt) for several years now to treat our salt piles and improve performance for ice melting. On occasion roads and parking lots will be pre-treated with liquid anti icing agents to minimize plowing time and the need for salt applications. We also have no-salt areas near the wetlands.
A brief description of any certified and/or protected areas:
A portion of campus is protected by the Town of Wellesley as wetlands, and is surrounded by designated wetlands buffer zones. All work in these areas must be reviewed by the Town to ensure wetlands protection.
Is the institution recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree Campus USA program (if applicable)?:
The website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable landscape management programs and practices is available:
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.