| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 73.25 |
| Liaison | Meredith Moore |
| Submission Date | Feb. 25, 2022 |
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
OP-9: Landscape Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.29 / 2.00 |
Meredith
Moore Sustainability Programs Coordinator Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment |
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 | 25 Acres |
| Area managed in accordance with an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program that uses selected chemicals only when needed | 1,783 Acres |
| Area managed using conventional, chemical-based landscape management practices | 4,534.50 Acres |
| Total area of managed grounds | 6,342.50 Acres |
A brief description of any land excluded from the area of managed grounds:
N/A
Percentage of grounds managed organically:
A brief description of the organic landscape management program:
Sustainable Student Farm grows all crops to full organic standards per USDA regulation. They choose not to formally pursue certification due to cost. The Presidents House (10.5 acres) is also managed organically.
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:
The Grounds Division at Facilities and Services follows the principles of integrated pest management by trying to prevent pests, monitoring and identifying pests, and knowing at what point action is needed. Grounds makes every attempt to pesticide/herbicide use to a minimum.
A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:
The Grounds Division uses native trees, shrubs, and perennials as much as possible, and sets annual goals toward more sustainable practices.
A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
As an institution that is concerned with water resources in the region as well as worldwide, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign strives to reduce our potable water consumption. This includes the strategy of using low flow plumbing fixtures in our facilities and the reduction of irrigation systems in the exterior. We also value rainwater as a resource and have begun incorporating more green stormwater infrastructure (GSI) into our projects in order to keep water on site and allow for more natural infiltration and groundwater recharge. GSI is now mandated in all capital projects moving forward on campus.
A brief description of the institution's approach to landscape materials management and waste minimization:
We compost as many leaves and herbaceous plant material as possible. We turn the material throughout the year and re-use the end product in our perennial and annual flower beds. We also chip all of the trees we remove on campus and re-use the wood chips as mulch across campus. 100% is done on University property.
A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:
A brief description of other sustainable landscape management practices employed by the institution:
We pre-treat the sidewalks with a salt brine and magnesium chloride solution. Rock salt is only applied at the curb cuts/crosswalks. We plow, snow blow or broom the majority of snow off our walks and allow the pre-treatment to do the rest. Applying brine to the walks prior to a show/ice event uses much less salt and you do not have the bounce and scatter effect of applying it in the granular form.
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:
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.