| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 72.94 |
| Liaison | John Alejandro |
| Submission Date | Oct. 13, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of San Diego
OP-9: Landscape Management
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.34 / 2.00 |
Charles
Thomas Grounds Supervisor Grounds and Maintenance |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Total campus area (i.e. the total amount of land within the institutional boundary):
180
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 | 35 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 Acres |
| Area managed using conventional landscape management practices (which may include some IPM principles or techniques) | 67.50 Acres |
| Total area of managed grounds | 102.50 Acres |
If the total area of managed grounds is less than the total campus area, provide:
Roads and building footprints are excluded. Slopes are not treated and therefore considered organic.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program
34.15
If reporting an IPM program, provide:
---
A brief description of the IPM program:
The University of San Diego operates by promoting ethical practices that enhance the integrity, quality, and values of the University's Mission Statement and its goals. USD takes great pride in the appearance of the campus grounds and the impact the beauty has on our lives. When necessary, the University participates with the City of San Diego to monitor and properly integrate pest management. Goals of the IPM Program are as follows:
- Reduce pesticide use, and associated exposure risks
- Reduce the cost of pest control on campus
- Minimize harm to the environment
- Improve long-term plant protection
- Train and educate staff members about the Grounds IPM program
More information can be found on: http://www.sandiego.edu/facilities/facilities-services/grounds-maintenance/
Organic Program
0
If reporting an organic program, provide:
Tree, shrub, and lawn waste is reused for fertilizer around the USD grounds. Therefore, the organic landscape management program is based on organic and ecologically preferred materials. The overall premise is that USD prefers towards organic materials when possible. USD tries to avoid chemical use as much as possible and has made great strides in reducing chemical use.
Optional Fields
USD selects species that are commonly used in San Diego and are well adapted to the climate, soil and growing conditions. The palette included in the link is intended as a guide and does not preclude the use of additional species.
All chemical use is reported to the County of San Diego and was used to calculate the total square footage not included in the IPM/Organic sections.
A brief description of the institution's approach to hydrology and water use:
The University of San Diego utilizes RainBird irrigation and weather-sensitive sprinklers to mitigate water usage. By monitoring weather through satellite programs, water use is controlled and maximized based on what the landscaping needs.
A brief description of the institution's approach to materials management and waste minimization (e.g. composting and/or mulching on-site waste):
The University of San Diego composts the vast majority of green waste produced on campus. Some tree branches and lumber are not mulched but instead processed using a splitter and made available for the campus community (especially staff and Outdoor Adventures team) for use. Others such as palm branches, Formium and Yucca are not suitable for mulching due to their fibrous nature and have to be trashed. Most lawn clippings are clipped using a mulching mover and left on site to nourish plants there. Clippings from sports fields (combined size about five acres) and other green waste (from trimming, pruning activities) are mulched using a chipper and used on site to nourish plants. USD has been self-sufficient in mulch since 2011.
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 (e.g. use of environmentally preferable landscaping materials, initiatives to reduce the impacts of ice and snow removal, wildfire prevention):
USD has made changes throughout campus to replace grass landscaping with drought-tolerant, natural plants. This reduces the amount of landscaping that needs to be watered and provides a sustainable alternative to grass on 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:
Moved the 50 acres previously under the organic program to conventional landscape maintenance.
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.