Boundary
All campuses, excluding Affiliated and Federated Institutions of Waterloo.
Methodology
Limitations and Exclusions: Does not include privately managed property (i.e. agricultural fields, Research and Technology Park businesses) not managed by the University of Waterloo.
Calculations: Operations staff evaluated whether University grounds met the following criteria, as presented by the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System Version 2.0:
Integrated Pest Management (IPM):
- Uses least-toxic chemical pesticides
- Minimizes use of chemicals, and
- Use of chemicals only in targeted locations and only for targeted species
Sustainable Landscape Management:
- Integrated Pest Management
- Plant stewardship - protecting and using existing vegetation (e.g. through the use of a tree care plan), using native and ecologically appropriate plants, and controlling and managing invasive species.
- Soil stewardship - organic soil management practices that restore and/or maintain a natural nutrient cycle and limit the use of inorganic fertilizers and chemicals
- Use of environmentally preferable materials - utilizing reused, recycled and local and sustainably produced landscape materials
- Hydrology and water use - restoring and/or maintaining the integrity of the natural hydrology by promoting water infiltration, minimizing or eliminating the use of potable water for irrigation, and protecting/restoring riparian, wetland, and shoreline habitats and lost streams
- Materials management and waste minimization - composting and/or mulching waste from groundskeeping, including grass trimmings
- Snow and ice management - implementing technologies or strategies to reduce the environmental impacts of snow and ice removal
It was determined that all grounds were managed according to the criteria of Integrated Pest Management. Many, but not all, of the criteria for Sustainable Landscape Management were met.
