Accomplishments

 

  • 90% of water used for irrigation is reclaimed.
  • Minimal use of herbicides.
  • Minimal use of pesticides – Integrated Pest Management program in place.
  • Completion of the Campus Flora Project.
  • Creation of the Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration (CCBER).
  • Re-creation of the Campus Landscape Committee.
  • Completion of Storm Water Management Plan in accordance with Central Coast RWQCB standards.
  • Adopt Low Impact Development design practices for all new and redevelopment projects with greater than 2,500 square feet of impervious surface.
  • Enhanced native species on the campus periphery through ecological restoration.
  • UCSB accepted 64 acres of the former Ocean Meadows Golf Course with a commitment to partner with the Trust for Public Lands to seek funds to restore it for the ecological and educational benefits that the project will achieve.
  • Established a composting program to recycle clippings and shredded trees for campus landscaping use.
  • Renewed campus storm water infrastructure, passing central campus drainage through centrifugal trash and sediment separator before discharging filtered water in to campus wetlands (Faculty Club and Library corridor).
  • Developed bioswales and treatment wetlands in several areas on campus (Manzanita, San Clemente, Library corridor, San Nicolas wetland, North Campus Faculty Housing).
  • Added additional educational signs related to bioswales, rain gardens, reclaimed water and wetlands (Manzanita, San Nicolas Wetland, and Library Plaza).
  • Eliminated the use of annuals for color on campus, selecting water-efficient perennials instead, and reducing the maintenance-intensive hedges.
  • Replaced UCen sprinklers with water efficient heads
  • Managed 60% of irrigation on turf areas through Rainmaster weather stations using continuously collected rainfall, humidity, wind, and temperature data to modify irrigation levels.
  • As needed, cleaned the 72 storm drains on campus, and clean hundreds of new clean and catch parking lot fossil filters twice annually.
  • Reduced irrigation on potable water landscapes by at least 50%, and completely shutoff irrigation to one lawn in light of the drought.
  • Irrigated 90% of campus landscape with recycled water.
  • With the assistance of the Communications and Water Teams, members from this committee helped select locations to place signage regarding our use of recycled water for landscaping on the campus, as well as our irrigation reductions.