Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 76.21
Liaison Lindsey Kalkbrenner
Submission Date May 5, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Santa Clara University
OP-9: Landscape Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.01 / 2.00 Chris Young
Assistant Director - Buildings & Grounds
Facilities
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total campus area (i.e. the total amount of land within the institutional boundary):
118.92 Acres

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 0.50 Acres
Area managed using conventional landscape management practices (which may include some IPM principles or techniques) 67.80 Acres
Total area of managed grounds 68.30 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):

24.41 acres of campus buildings, 16.04 acres of semi-impervious roads/parking, 1.82 acres of sports facility buildings/bleachers, 4.79 acres of artificial turf on Bellomy Field, 2 acres of artificial turf on Stanton Field and 1.56 acres of impervious surface at the Degheri Tennis Center.


Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an IPM program:
0

A copy of the IPM plan or program:
---

A brief description of the IPM program:
---

Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an organic program:
0.73

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:

Santa Clara University’s ½-acre edible, organic garden is a hub for sustainable food system education. Established in 2008, the Forge Garden has committed to serve the campus as a space for course research, service learning, and demonstration of sustainable food production.


A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:

SCU strives to protect existing trees when new construction takes place. If trees are removed, two are planted for each one removed. Native plants have been used in many of the newer projects on campus and a number of lawns are currently in the process of being converted to native landscaping. Invasive species (including weeds) are controlled with the use of herbicide.


A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:

SCU currently irrigates about 80% of its campus grounds with recycled water, and constructs paths and large semi-permeable surfaces with the use of sand and open connections in order to allow for water to pass between pavers during rainfall.

A number of bioswales have been constructed around SCU buildings to allow for the natural removal of silt and pollution from surface runoff water.

Native plants are used wherever possible in order to minimize landscaping water demands.

A number of decorative fountains have been turned off due to the California drought, and the washing of building’s exterior windows has been halted in an attempt to conserve water.


A brief description of the institution's approach to materials management and waste minimization (e.g. composting and/or mulching on-site waste):

Landscape waste is either chipped on site and used as mulch back on campus, or it is hauled away by a third party and turned into compost for sale.


A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:

Some trees around campus have been planted in strategic locations to offer shading and cover, however energy efficient landscape design is not commonly practiced by the University.


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):

SCU uses recycled plastic header boards rather than wood (material used to divide lawns from shrub/flower beds). SCU strives to use minimal fertilizers and pesticides and generates its own mulch and compost using plant waste from campus.


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:

Our institution is recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree Campus USA program.


Our institution is recognized by the Arbor Day Foundation's Tree Campus USA program.

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.