Management Strategies
Management of the campus landscape is done with
sensitivity to the special needs of a living learning environment. Safety of
students, faculty, staff and visitors is always foremost and a guiding principle
in design, pruning and management of pests. The arboretum strives not merely to
assemble a diverse collection of teachable plants in a sustainable setting but
to do so in a way that improves the quality of everyday life on campus.
Maintenance practices are developed in acknowledgement of the heavy use the
landscape receives for recreational as well as academic purposes. Plant health
is emphasized over pest control and a system of integrated pest management is
used to keep pest populations below acceptable thresholds with environmentally
sensitive means. Recycling of organic material helps to build better soils and
better plant health. Recent pilot programs to determine feasibility of
converting food waste from Dining Services into valuable soil amendments are
under analysis.
Green roof designs have been incorporated on two campus buildings, Cumberland
Hall and the Adele Stamp Student Union within the last several years. These
vegetated roof systems exploit the ability of plants to absorb and transpire
rainwater, slowing or eliminating storm water runoff, and to insulate structures
from extremes of heat and cold, reducing heating and cooling costs and possibly
extending the life of roofing structures as well as reducing heat island
effects.
Rain gardens are used in and near parking lots to
slow, cool and filter storm water before it reaches tributaries of the
Chesapeake Bay. Cisterns which capture rainwater for use as needed to irrigate
landscape plants have been incorporated in several areas, including Washington
Quad and Knight Hall, further reduce the movement of excess storm water off
campus. Installation of soil moisture sensors, reduced flow irrigation heads,
and drip irrigation have further enhanced our ability to efficiently use a
limited water resource in times of drought. Use of plants with lower moisture
requirements and increased density and organic mulches also help to preserve
moisture in the soil.
Campus as a community lives by a unique rhythm when compared with similar
sized municipalities. Maintenance activities are planned to facilitate a
pedestrian driven transportation system and to accommodate a wide variety of
uses including special events, classes and recreational activities.