| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.28 |
| Liaison | David Blodgett |
| Submission Date | March 30, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Babson College
OP-9: Landscape Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.46 / 2.00 |
Steve
Tolley Assistant Director, Ground, Building Services & Sustainability Facilities Management & Planning |
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 | 33 Acres |
| Area managed using conventional landscape management practices (which may include some IPM principles or techniques) | 110 Acres |
| Total area of managed grounds | 143 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):
Protected land within managed areas of campus: 33 acres
Buildings footprint: 22 acres
Undeveloped and peripheral land: 196 acres
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:
Practices used for "Area managed using conventional landscape management practices (which may include some IPM principles or techniques)":
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 the 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
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:
Town of Wellesley mandates that wetlands within the maintained area of campus and the wetland-buffer zones must be managed with organic practices and approved organic chemicals, including fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides.
A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:
Our practice is to review planting plans and to use native plants almost exclusively.
A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
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 the institution's approach to materials management and waste minimization (e.g. composting and/or mulching on-site waste):
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 approach to energy-efficient landscape design:
We have an annual tree-planting event and have planted trees on the south and west sides of a residence hall with high sun exposure to provide shade and privacy.
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):
We have been using liquid products (not salt) for several years now to 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. We have changed salt application hardware to provide a more accurate and targeted amount of salt, which has reduced overall usage.
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.