George Mason University
OP-9: Landscape Management

Impervious surfaces are not managed organically and/or in accordance with an IPM program. Approximately 316 acres of naturally forested areas on our campuses are also excluded from this calculation because they are not often disturbed (and therefore minimally maintained) to preserve naturally occurring processes within them.

Mason has several vendors that utilize an Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPM) throughout the campuses within its buildings and on its grounds. For Mason’s buildings, the plan includes inspections to identify any infestations; sanitation to clean inside and outside the facilities; mechanical control to repair any structures and equipment; educating individuals to keep pest conditions at a minimum; and modifications to environmental aspects (such as light, temperature and oxygen levels) to reduce pest population growth. For Mason’s grounds, formal inspections are performed monthly to inspect all groups, determine the severity of any infestation and apply controls at acceptable levels. Whenever possible, biological controls, such as the use of benign horticultural oils, will be used. Additionally, consideration will be given to the presence or absence of natural predators, the appropriate timing of applications, and life-cycle of the pests.

Mason manages several gardens on campus without the use of inorganic fertilizers, chemical pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides including the Potomac Heights Vegetable Garden, the Innovation Food Forest, and the School of Art garden. However, Mason has not completed the certification process for them.

Mason’s Design Manual states that the majority of all new plants will be native or cultivars of native plants. Mason Grounds has limited the use of invasive, exotic plants on campus. The University created a Reforestation Guidelines document, in 2012, to dictate the required quantities and the correct species that are allowed to be installed for both Fairfax and Prince William campuses. As a result, Mason completed 2 reforestation projects in 2012-2013. Both of these sites include only native trees and shrubs and are currently being maintained to ensure their success. There are at least five other sites across campus that have been identified as potential candidates for reforestation.

Mason strives to use reduce, reuse, and recycle its waste as must as possible. For example, selective trees or branches that fall onto a roadway or sidewalk are removed, chipped, and returned to the forest to continue their decomposition process. Trees that fall in the forested areas are left in place to provide additional nutrients and habitat for the diversity of plants and animals who reside there. In the fall, Mason Grounds remove leaves from walkways, parking lots, roads, etc and chip and placed into a large leaf compost pile. This pile is used throughout the following spring and summer for nutrient-rich organic mulch for trees and other plants across campus. Lastly, all grass is cut and left in place to enrich the existing grass with usable organic matter.

In 2007 Mason's Board of Visitors pledged to design all new construction and major renovations to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver standard or its equivalent. Mason has implemented several energy-efficient landscape designs including light-colored roofs, green roofs, open-grid pavement, and positioning buildings to take advantage of passive solar design.

George Mason University follows the protocol of the Virginia Department of Transportation for the removal of snow and ice for the roads. Mason makes an effort to prudently manage the use of salt, sand, and chemicals to effectively remove the snow and ice, in consideration of limited state financial resources. In addition, for sidewalks, Mason uses magnesium chloride which is less corrosive, less abrasive, and less toxic to plant and animal life and surrounding waterways.

Data is for FY17 and includes land on Fairfax, Science and Tech, and Arlington campuses only.