Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 51.51
Liaison Kirk Hemphill
Submission Date Feb. 12, 2024

STARS v2.2

Florida Institute of Technology
OP-9: Landscape Management

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 2.00 Kirk Hemphill
Director of Maintenance
Facilities Operations
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Total campus area:
177 Acres

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 162 Acres
Area managed using conventional, chemical-based landscape management practices 0 Acres
Total area of managed grounds 162 Acres

If the total area of managed grounds is less than the total campus area, provide:

A brief description of any land excluded from the area of managed grounds:
There are 15.0 acres of wetland that is part of the Saint Johns Water Management District located on our campus. We perform pruning operations to keep foot paths clear and we remove any fallen limbs or other debris. We do not apply any pest control or fertilizers to this area.

Organic program

Percentage of grounds managed organically:
0

If reporting an organic program, provide:

A brief description of the organic landscape management program:
Florida Tech prioritizes the use of native, adapted, low-maintenance, and non-invasive plant species in landscape design and replacement. Grounds are maintained in accordance with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies derived from peer institutions and industry practice. We are committed to using Biosafe products for weed and grass control, we use Nitra Neem oil for controlling pests when necessary ( we only used 48 Oz of this product during 2022).

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program 

Percentage of grounds managed in accordance with an IPM program:
100

If reporting an IPM program, provide:

A copy of the IPM plan or program:
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A brief description of the IPM program:
1) Pest identification
2) Monitoring and assessing pest numbers and damage
3) Use industry guidelines when management is needed
4) Prevent pest problems when possible
5) Use a combination of biological, physical/mechanical and lastly chemical tools
6) After action, assess the effect of the pest management

Optional Fields 

A brief description of the institution's approach to plant stewardship:
The overall goal of the Tree Care Plan is to ensure a safe,
attractive, healthy and sustainable campus tree population.
Guidelines have been developed to further this goal by
providing designers, construction firms, landscaping
personnel with the tools needed to further this goal.

A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
Our turf (mostly field grass) is watered only when needed. We have a combination of well water, water from runoff control ponds and a very small amount of City water.

A brief description of the institution's approach to landscape materials management and waste minimization:
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A brief description of the institution's approach to energy-efficient landscape design:
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A brief description of other sustainable landscape management practices employed by the institution:
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Website URL where information about the institution’s sustainable landscape management program is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Data sourced from the Grounds Manager located within the university's Facilities Operations Department.

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.