University of Utah
OP-9: Landscape Management

The Landscape Maintenance Department manages 252.62 acres, which excludes building footprint areas, paved parking areas, and large conservation easement adjacent to campus that is not actively maintained.

The only areas managed organically are:
- A small plot of meadowland west of the USTAR building- this area serves as a native landscape that is not managed by the IPM program.,
- Two edible gardens west of the Sill Center and east of Pioneer Theater. Both of these gardens are organically managed by the Gardens coordinator and several student employees. These gardens produce food that is made available to students and the farmers market and through the FeedU pantry.
- Low mow conversion pilot in the housing district. This is a project wherein low-mow native grasses were planted by facilities along the lower foothills transition area. The pilot is test of concept that will explore the feasibility of using low-mow and/or drought tolerant grass alternatives on campus.

The Supervisor of Landscape Maintenance has been trained in IPM, and her department follows the following best practices: Thresholds: Chemicals are only used in the landscape as a last resort if the economic value of the landscape is jeopardized or if there is a perceived threat to human health and safety. Pest populations are monitored through visual inspections. Prevention: The pest population is kept under control by removing excess debris and pruning to improve plant health. In addition, a housekeeping protocol under Plant Operations Janitorial department minimizes the need for pest control in the interior spaces. Control: When chemicals are required, their use is documented with standardized record-keeping and applied only according to the label and manufacturer’s instructions. Recently, the Landscape Supervisor has made additions to the team that reflect our commitment to properly monitoring and addressing pest or disease concerns on campus; we now have an IPM Crew Lead and team who assist other team members in identifying pests and developing an appropriate response. We have added soil testing to our data collection as well.
URL: https://facilities.utah.edu/landscape/ipm/

Native Species
One of the ways the U is reducing its outdoor water footprint is through planting native species and other drought-tolerant plants. Many desert plants can now be seen on campus, including Russian sage, sumac, rabbitbrush, yuccas, and Utah serviceberries, among others. In other parts of campus, turf grass has been removed in favor of mulch beds with ground cover and decorative shrubs. Mulch, a cheaper alternative to decorative rock, is placed on slopes that previously had both mowing and runoff issues.

Design Standards
SECTION 3.3.1 The Consultant is to specify drought resistant plants per the University of Utah Plant List herein, and as directed by the Landscape Maintenance Department.
SECTION 3.7 Tree Protection at Construction Sites

State Arboretum
The ‘U' campus, including Red Butte Garden and Arboretum, is part of the State Arboretum of Utah. The main campus includes over 12,000 trees, all of which are catalogued in a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) database created by Facilities Management. The 'u' has also received Tree Campus Higher Education status 8 years in a row.

Irrigation
Landscape Maintenance uses a high-tech weather-based approach to irrigation. A weather based irrigation system is able to track moisture lost or used on a daily basis. Landscape Maintenance restricts their watering window to 8:00 PM through 10:00 AM. In the Energy & Environmental Stewardship Initiative: 2010 Climate Action Plan, the University of Utah committed to achieving water neutrality–using only the equivalent amount of water that reaches the campus through rainfall annually–by 2020.

The University of Utah will respond to the mandates outlined in Utah House Bill 121.Section 1.3
(3) (a) A state agency shall reduce the state agency's outdoor water use as compared to the state agency's outdoor water use for fiscal year 2020:
(i) in an amount equal to or greater than 5% by the end of fiscal year 2023;
and
(ii) in an amount equal to or greater than 25% by the end of fiscal year
2026.
https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/HB0121.html

Mulch
Mulch, a cheaper alternative to decorative rock, is placed on slopes that previously had both mowing and runoff issues. Landscaped areas using mulch include Rock Mulch w/ Plants (13.69 acres) and Bark Mulch w/ Plants (34.35 acres).

Composting
Leaves are recycled or composted, but the the University of Utah does not currently have the resources or space to enact a campus-wide composting
program.

University of Utah Design Requirements (2017)
4.3 Landscape Design Standards A. Landscape Plan (1) Plant Selection a. For University projects, the A/E is to specify drought resistant plants per the 4.3 A (4), and as directed by the Landscape Maintenance Department.

The campus is complete. The new plan Includes approaches to shade trees to reduce urban heat island effect, minimizing water use and waste, increasing opportunities for stormwater management, etc.
Landscape Master Plan: https://pdc.utah.edu/2021/08/21/landscape-master-plan/

University
4.3 Landscape Design Standards A. Landscape Plan (1) Plant Selection a. For University projects, the A/E is to specify drought resistant plants per the 4.3 A (4), and as directed by the Landscape Maintenance Department.

Sustainable practices include mowing less frequently, composting landscaping waste, and hand-weeding where possible. Facilities Management is responsible for 1,100 out of the 1,534 acres that make up the campus—about 400 acres have been set aside to remain in their wild state. The university’s Landscape Maintenance team has primarily focused on turfgrass replacement, water-wise landscape design and modern irrigation systems following “Slow the Flow” guidelines developed by the State of Utah. The University’s Landscape Maintenance department is reducing its air pollution impacts by replacing its two-stroke engine equipment with battery-powered and cleaner-burning engines that produce fewer emissions than two-stroke counterparts.
-In 2021-2022, 6 acres of turf were removed.
-In 2021 alone, 5.2 million gallons, were conserved through the efforts of the landscaping team.
-A substantial upgrade to the central irrigation systems conserves roughly 87.5 million gallons or water per year.

Red Butte Garden

Red butte gardens has a 21 acre area that is managed by a committee wherein they use the best practices to minimize the use of inorganic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.

CAMPUS AS A LIVING LABORATORY

Low Mow Conversion Pilot: Spring 2021 .32 acres
Staff in the Facilities Management Landscape Department received funding to plant a variety of pollinator-friendly, low-mow grasses in a struggling area. The project manager identified a plot of turf damaged by years of nitrogen testing and the stress of mowing in the housing district as the ideal location for piloting various grasses. The hope is that once these grasses mature, the area can become a living exhibition of the native transition from the Wasatch foothills to the semi-arid lowlands of Salt Lake Valley.

Landscape Lab: Collaborative Re-Design of the Williams Building Landscape (2019-2020)
The Williams Building property in the University of Utah’s Research Park is the site of a demonstration project for the Red Butte Creek Strategic Vision. In partnership with the Office of Sustainability, the Global Change and Sustainability Center, campus facilities and planning, and the Real Estate Administration, the Center for Ecological Planning + Design has convened a collaborative design process to re-create the landscape of the Williams Building property. Led by a landscape architecture consultant, the project uses the campus as a living laboratory. It will restore native ecological diversity and function to this portion of the Red Butte Creek watershed; increase access to recreational space for occupants of the building, the campus community, and the public; and test research questions about urban stream restoration, urban runoff management, hydrology, use of public space, and more.

The University of Utah will respond to the mandates outlined in Utah House Bill 121.Section 1.3
(3) (a) A state agency shall reduce the state agency's outdoor water use as compared to the state agency's outdoor water use for fiscal year 2020:
(i) in an amount equal to or greater than 5% by the end of fiscal year 2023;
and
(ii) in an amount equal to or greater than 25% by the end of fiscal year
2026.
https://le.utah.gov/~2022/bills/static/HB0121.html

ATTACHED

Lexi Peery, "State facilities will reduce water use 25% by 2026 under new bill" KUER 90.1,February 18, 2022
URL: https://www.kuer.org/health-science-environment/2022-02-18/state-facilities-will-reduce-water-use-25-by-2026-under-new-bill

Shawn Wood, "Campus continues to be water wise in 2022."
@THEU, June 16, 2022
URL: https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/university-of-utah-campus-continues-to-be-water-wise-in-2022/

Wes Mangum, "Campus lawns will survive, not thrive."
@THEU, July 13, 2021
URL: https://attheu.utah.edu/facultystaff/campus-lawns-will-survive-not-thrive/#:~:text=The%20university%20has%20seen%20an,allowing%20for%20resiliency%20in%20expansion.

SOURCES

Red Butte Creek at the Williams Building, Landscape Lab. Prepared by VODA Landscape + Planning, 2019
URL: http://cepd.cap.utah.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/09/Landscape-Lab-Master-Plan-FINAL-DRAFT_email.pdf

NOTES

University of Utah Campus Master Plan, 2008.
URL: https://pdc.utah.edu/planning/master-plans/
Vision: capitalize on the natural landscape setting.
• Create smart open space and promote the intelligent use of landscape.
• Preserve significant views into, within and from the campus, including views to the Wasatch Mountains and Valley.
• Create a network of open spaces that improves campus connectivity and provides access to nature.
• Reduce the visual and physical impact of surface parking

Green Hill
On June 25, 2019 the University of Utah Board of Trustees’ Campus Master Planning (CMP) Committee designated the one –acre parcel directly adjacent to and south of 1408 Military Way property from ‘academic core’ to “outdoor green space.’ This action was taken in accordance with the commitment made by President Watkins to designate this land as such.

2022 Types of Landscaping (square feet)

Grass: 6,823,151
Flowerbeds: 33,320.82
Meadow: 17,350.30
Rock Mulch w/ Plants: 596,461.2
Bark Mulch w/ Plants: 1,396,213.44
Treewell: 412,751.79

Total: 9,631,897.34 square feet - make sure to update