| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.21 |
| Liaison | Stephen Ellis |
| Submission Date | June 9, 2023 |
Boston University
OP-9: Landscape Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 2.00 |
Stephen
Ellis Director, Data Analytics BU Sustainability |
Total campus area:
Figures required to calculate the total area of managed grounds:
| Area (double-counting is not allowed) | |
| Area managed organically, without the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemical pesticides, fungicides and herbicides | 0 Acres |
| Area managed in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that uses selected chemicals only when needed | 38 Acres |
| Area managed using conventional, chemical-based landscape management practices | 0 Acres |
| Total area of managed grounds | 38 Acres |
A brief description of any land excluded from the area of managed grounds:
To determine the area of managed grounds on BU's Charles River, Medical, and Fenway campuses, we applied QGIS software to identify green areas and vegetation (shrubs, trees, lawns) using manually-drawn polygons. The areas of each polygon for each of the corresponding campuses were summed. Total acreages for each campus were initially given and polygon areas were exported to Excel in an attribute table, from which the proportion of green campus acreage could be calculated. Boston University's official campus maps were used as references for denoting green areas of interest.
As stated in PRE-4, BU's Climate Action Plan redefined the campus area to include all property owned globally which largely affects the change in BU's campus area number. The breakdown of BU's campus acreage are as follows:
• Charles River: 115 acres
• Medical: 21 acres
• Fenway: 5 acres
• Tanglewood: 64 acres (excluded from IPM calculations)
• Holliston Animal Farm: 35 acres (excluded from IPM calculations)
• Sargent: 678 acres (excluded from IPM calculations)
Sargent is left off of the "Total campus area" seeing as it is a forest that is not regularly managed or maintained from the area of managed grounds, and Holliston Animal Farm is left off of the "Total campus area" seeing as it is experimental agricultural land.
Percentage of grounds managed organically:
A brief description of the organic landscape management program:
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:
Boston University’s Integrated Pest Management program sets thresholds, monitors for the presence of pests, and identifies prudent prevention and control methods. The program includes horticultural oil applied to trees and shrubs in late winter and early spring. Spray applications for shrubs and other plants are utilized only when necessary. When applying fertilizer and pesticides, the University operates under strict guidelines from the Massachusetts Department of Food and Agriculture.
A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:
BU's New Balance field was designed to use native plants and species, as well as some non-native, ecologically appropriate plants. Native species and ecologically appropriate plants are used when possible. BU does not plant invasive species and their presence is controlled.
A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
Recent projects, such as the construction of New Balance Field, were designed to have rainwater reclamation systems. Water reclaimed at the New Balance Field is used for irrigation.
A brief description of the institution's approach to landscape materials management and waste minimization:
Boston University began composting yard waste in 2008. Since 2012 BU has composted 100% of its yard waste from the Charles River Campus. Waste composting from tree removal (typically after major storm events) is being explored.
A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:
In new construction, green roofs, water harvesting for irrigation of surrounding landscapes, planting of new trees and vegetation are considered and adopted as appropriate.
A brief description of other sustainable landscape management practices employed by the institution:
The University uses a variety of snow and ice removal strategies with a range of sustainability benefits and challenges:
1) Environmentally preferable magnesium chloride is used on entrances, steps, and sidewalks.
2) Salt is used on driveways and parking lots.
3) Pre-application is limited to reduce runoff of un-dissolved melting agents.
4) No sand is used in order to eliminate the environmental impacts of disposal.
Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable landscape management program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
This represents FY2022 BU Metrics.
This represents FY2022 BU Metrics.
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.