Guidelines for Sustainable Campus Grounds Maintenance

Please note that compliance with University Guidelines is expected in normal circumstances, and any deviation from Guidelines – which should only be in exceptional circumstances – needs to be justifiable.

Purpose

The purpose of these guidelines is to provide principles and guidance for the maintenance of our Dunedin campus, while giving effect to Article 2 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and Tī Kōuka 2030, by reducing any negative environmental impact.

Within Te Ao Māori, the relationship between the natural environment and humans is inseparably linked through whakapapa (genealogy). This connects all living things in our campus environment to Papatūānuku and Rakinui. Therefore, any negative impact on te taiao (the environment) may impact upon the ability of Iwi to exercise Rakatirataka over the whenua and taoka o te taiao (natural resources) as provided for in Article 2 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Tī Kōuka 2030 is the University’s sustainability strategic framework, which describes a future where our campuses are healthy welcoming places that are consistent with the sustainability values in our research and teaching.

Organisational scope

The guidelines apply to all areas of the Dunedin campus and properties unless indicated otherwise.

Definitions

Form prune

A pruning technique which develops a strong, dominant central leader. This is important for species that tend to grow multi-forked stems.

Biodiversity

The variability among all living organisms on Earth. It includes diversity within species, diversity between species and diversity of an ecosystem. The living organisms may be from any sources, such as terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes they belong to (Ministry for the Environment).

Green waste

Leaves, grass clipping and arborist chip, but does not include food waste, some of which is suitable for composting.

Minor pruning works

Pruning that involves non-mechanised hand tools such as axes, shears and secateurs.

No-Mow Zones

Areas of campus that have been deliberately left un-mown to support increased biodiversity. These areas may also be deliberately seeded to enhance that biodiversity.

Protected tree

A tree which is identified in a District Plan as protected via a schedule of significant trees.

Significant pruning works

Pruning that involves mechanised hand tools such as chainsaws and line/edge trimmers.

Content

1. Overview of Sustainable Campus Grounds Maintenance Principles

   1. Respect for te taiao (the environment) is integral to he tirohaka Māori (a Māori perspective) and should be upheld in all grounds maintenance activities.
   2. When planning grounds maintenance, the following must all be considered: minimising any negative impact, enhancing biodiversity, respecting heritage value, and supporting the health and wellbeing of the university community.
   3. Sustainable grounds maintenance includes, but is not limited to, the scope and frequency of maintenance, cost management, diversion of waste from landfill, minimisation of chemical use, energy and water use, plant specific maintenance requirements, recording and reporting, responsiveness to non-compliance, and the process of reviewing both compliance and guidelines.

2. Scope and frequency of the maintenance programme

   1. The Campus Services (Grounds) team within the Property and Campus Development Division will complete the following tasks as part of the ongoing maintenance of the Dunedin Campus grounds:
      1. Lawn mowing consisting of approximately 38 cuts per year based on temperature. During September and December lawns are mowed weekly, between January and May lawns are mowed fortnightly, and between June and August lawns are mowed once per month.
      2. Lawn care is completed as and when required, which is managed by the Team Leader Campus Services.
      3. Garden maintenance is completed weekly.
      4. Moss treatment of paths and paved areas completed in Autumn or as requested.
      5. Rubbish/litter collection is done on a daily basis during semester and three times per week during semester breaks.
      6. Tree care and arborist activities should be minimal at early stages of tree growth, but as trees mature, they will get a form prune every 5 years, depending on the weather, growth and other risk factors.
      7. The grounds are inspected weekly by the Team Lead, Campus Services (Grounds) who can adjust the schedule as and when necessary.

3. Sustainability requirements

   To ensure the University meets its goals for sustainable campus grounds maintenance, the following requirements have been set:

   1. Diversion from landfill
      1. When practicable, green waste that will easily compost within 12 months is diverted to the University’s green waste composting facility in Sawyers Bay.
      2. Food waste from campus operations, that has been processed into soil improver, will be added to the green waste compost mix to further enhance the nutrients recovered and brought back to campus as compost.
      3. All other green waste such as leaves which do not readily break down in compost, is put into our green waste skips and transported by our waste management provider.
      4. All green waste will be measured and recorded so that it can be monitored and reported on within the University’s annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions inventory.
      5. Where compost is required on existing grounds or developing new features, compost from our Sawyers Bay facility will be considered first choice subject to availability and specific requirements.
   2. Minimisation of chemical use
      1. Chemicals are only used if necessary and in the context of Integrated Pest Management ( IPM ) where multiple measures are used in a coordinated manner, subject to separate legislative compliance and auditing.
      2. Where suitable, organic mulch will be considered as part of weed suppression.
   3. Energy and water use
      1. Wherever possible electric mowers and other tools are used rather than fossil fuelled tools.
      2. Where fossil fuelled tools are necessary it will be at the discretion of Team Lead of Campus Services (Grounds).
      3. Irrigation is minimal due to the Dunedin climate and there will be no irrigation in Winter, Autumn and Spring.
      4. The minimal amount of water used in Summer is from the city mains.
      5. Irrigation water use is reported within total water use in the University’s annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions inventory.
   4. Plant specific maintenance requirements
      1. Plant selection will consider minimisation of maintenance and replacement.
      2. Where possible plant selection and maintenance will support native biodiversity including lichens, bryophytes, invertebrates and vertebrates.
      3. Where appropriate food producing plants will be considered as a contribution to food security in the University community.
   5. Tree management
      1. Work on trees on University grounds is only to be undertaken by the Property and Campus Development Division, or by qualified persons under their direction.
      2. Pruning works which involve trees adjacent to or growing within power lines must have the involvement and agreement of the applicable lines operator.
      3. General maintenance and pruning shall be undertaken by Property and Campus Development Campus Services (Grounds) staff and does not require further approval..
      4. Approval is required for the following tree works:
         1. Significant pruning where it is requested by a department other than Campus Services (Grounds);
         2. Any tree removal, whether requested by a department or Campus Services (Grounds);
         3. Pruning, modification, or removal of any Protected Tree.
         4. The only exception is where tree works are required immediately to avoid a health and safety risk. In that case, works may be carried out at the discretion of Campus Services (Grounds) or a qualified person under their direction. An arborist’s report must be prepared following the works to inform further remediation work.
      5. The approval process when required is as follows:
         1. All approvals should be requested using the Tree Management Approval Form (PDF).
         2. An arborist’s report and a recommendation from the Team Leader Campus Services (Grounds) must be included.
         3. Where appropriate, evidence of consultation with the Sustainability Office, Office of Māori Development, or an ecological assessment of the impact on the wider area should also be provided.
         4. Final approval is granted by the Director Property and Campus Development, including where the arborist’s report or Team Leader Campus Services (Grounds) recommendation opposes the tree works.
         5. If the tree is listed as significan under the Second Generation District Plan or on the University’s Commemorative Register, support and approval must be obtained from the Chief Operating Officer or Vice-Chancellor.
         6. Should the department requesting approval wish to seek further advice after the decision of the Director Property and Campus Development, they will be responsible for the costs of any reports or investigation.
      6. Where tree works are part of a construction project, the project can either:
         1. Obtain a stand-alone approval through the process outlined above; or
         2. Where an outline of the works and a recommendation from the Team Leader Campus Services (Grounds) are included in the project, and the project is approved at the same or higher management level as would be required above, then that approval for the project will also count as approval for the tree works.

         These provisions also apply to any subsequent changes to the tree works which may arise during the course of the project.

   6. Biodiversity and food security
      1. Where possible plant selection and maintenance will support native biodiversity including lichens, bryophytes, invertebrates and vertebrates.
      2. Where appropriate campus grounds maintenance should support No-Mow Zones, where lawns are allowed to grow without mowing, thus supporting greater biodiversity in that area.
      3. From time to time No-Mow Zones may need to be cut and reseeded, such as when invasive weeds need to be controlled.
      4. Where appropriate food producing plants will be considered as a contribution to food security in the University community.
   7. Climate resilience
      1. Plant choice and landscape design should consider anticipated changes in climate such as increased drought intensity and frequency, more severe and more frequent storms, and higher peak rainfalls.
      2. These considerations should include but are not limited to increased shaded areas to provide resilience in heat, increased porous areas to absorb rainfall in flood events, and risk assessment of potential damage by and to vegetation in higher winds.

4. Recording

   1. All maintenance requirements fall into Corrective or Preventive Maintenance depending on the type of work request.
   2. All work requests will be recorded within the Property and Campus Development Division’s Integrated Work Management System, Property +.

5. Grounds maintenance conducted by contractors

   1. From time to time, grounds maintenance may be conducted by contractors rather than University trades staff, such as in the first period of commissioning a new building, before final hand over to the University.
   2. Consideration of these guidelines is essential when procuring and managing contracts for this type of work to ensure a consistent approach across campus.

6. Non-compliant activities

   1. Where it is not practicable, or for other legitimate reasons, grounds maintenance activities that are not compliant with the guidelines described here should be authorised by the Team Leader Campus Services (Grounds) unless the guidelines specify a higher level of authorisation (e.g., tree removal).

7. Review process

   1. The Team Lead of Campus Services (Grounds) will review the guidelines after one year of implementation then every three years to ensure it is fit for purpose and that any lessons learned have been incorporated into the document.
   2. The results of the review will be shared with the key stakeholders including Property and Campus Development, and Toitū te Taiao (The Sustainability Office).

8. Emergency grounds maintenance

   1. In the case of an emergency where Coordinated Incident Management System ( CIMS ) protocols are enacted, specific grounds activities and processes may be required which do not comply with these guidelines.
   2. In such situations, grounds maintenance resources should be directed to supporting the emergency relief effort and enabling a safe return to usual practice, while complying with health and safety requirements such as appropriate protective equipment.

Related policies, procedures and forms

• Tī Kōuka 2030: The Sustainability Strategic Framework
• Health, Safety and Wellbeing Policy
• Emergency Management Plan
• Tree Management Approval Form (PDF)

Contact for further information

If you have any queries regarding the content of these guidelines or need further clarification, contact the

Team Leader Campus Services (Grounds), Property and Campus Development
Email tradeservices.grounds@otago.ac.nz