LMP Landscape Vision

3. Landscape Vision CHAPTER CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

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THE 21ST CENTURY LANDSCAPE VISION

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IMPLEMENTING THE VISION

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CAMPUS LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN GOALS

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CAMPUS LANDSCAPE ZONES

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LANDSCAPE PERFORMANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

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CONCLUSION

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INTRODUCTION

IMPLEMENTING THE VISION

The Auburn University Campus has grown dramatically since its early days as the East Alabama Male College and subsequently as the Alabama Polytechnic Institute. As the first public land grant university in the south to be established separate from a state institution, Auburn has a long history of stewardship for, and cultivation of, the land.

That unique heritage continues and is reflected in the character and quality of the Auburn University campus landscape today.

The successful realization of a new vision for Auburn’s campus landscape lies in achieving a sustained, long-term, campus-wide community commitment to implementing that vision.

This document, through the tools and the processes contained within, provides the basis for implementation of the vision. There are seven levels, or steps, in the implementation structure of the Landscape Master Plan (LMP). The seven levels are: Level 1 – Campus Master Plan Goals & Associated LMP Objectives: Outlined below are the broad goals of the Campus Master Plan Update and the associated LMP related objectives which support the nine parent Master Plan goals.

Level 2 – Twenty-First Century Campus Landscape Vision: The campus landscape vision statement is an aspirational statement intended to capture the essence of the vision for the future Auburn Campus Landscape.

Level 3 – Landscape Zones & Zone Design Requirements: Because the campus is large, and not simply one monolithic landscape unit, the Landscape Master Plan proposes utilizing a land use based zone designation to begin defining landscape expectations for specific areas of the campus. These zones are generally based on the Proposed Land Use Plan defined in the Campus Master Plan Update.

Level 4 – Campus Landscape Standards:

Figure 3-1. Old Main before it burned in 1887

A detailed set of campus landscape design standards is provided within the LMP. These standards are to be utilized on every capital and/or major maintenance or repair project(*) conducted on campus. A matrix, within the Standards section, provides guidance on which standards are appropriate for use within each of the Landscape Zones.

THE 21ST CENTURY LANDSCAPE VISION

Level 5 – Application / Design Recommendations:

This master planning exercise began with an understanding that the landscape is the essential framework – the underlying infrastructure – upon which the entire Auburn University campus is constructed. It is the primary physical determinant in how the University functions and how it is experienced by students, faculty, staff and visitors.

The landscape, as an ensemble of systems and spaces, creates the foundation for the campus’s “sense of place” and helps establish and reinforce Auburn University’s identity.

The campus landscape is comprised of many interconnected parts and includes elements of both the ecological landscape and the cultural landscape. As a result the campus landscape must be perceived and managed holistically. It is a complex system that should be viewed not simply as a landscape park but rather as a dynamic, multidimensional system – part natural and part constructed. This understanding of the Campus landscape as essential, mission-critical infrastructure must be elevated in both real and perceived value by the entire Auburn University campus community.

A series of conceptual, corridor design plans and detailed focus area plans have been prepared as a key component of the LMP. Together these plans cover much of the campus core. The plans offer initial analysis of the existing landscape condition and propose, in some instances, potential conceptual design solutions or improvements for key areas of the campus. These plans should be reviewed and considered as potential components of any new campus landscape project.

Level 6 – Stormwater Management Plan: In 2013 Auburn University completed the Post Construction Stormwater Management Manual. This manual is, by reference, included as an integral component of the Landscape Master Plan and shall be incorporated into all landscape-related project planning, implementation and maintenance activities.

Level 7 – Landscape Project Check-List: A landscape project check list is provided in the LMP Appendix. The check list is comprised of elements of each of the six levels described above and must be completed for each project. The check list is to serve as a guide to help ensure that all aspects of the campus landscape are being considered and that proposed construction and maintenance activities are consistent with the Vision as defined in the Landscape Master Plan.

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Figure 3-2. View through the azaleas to the iconic tower of Samford Hall

Auburn University Landscape Master Plan, Comprehensive Campus Master Plan Update 2014

CAMPUS MASTER PLAN GOALS: Early in the process a series of goals were developed to help guide and inform the University’s Comprehensive Campus Master Plan Update. These goals are intended to reinforce the University’s vision, mission and values. These goals also similarly inform the Campus Landscape Master Plan.

Figure 3-3. The Auburn Creed states “I believe in Auburn and Love it”

STRATEGIC PLAN & CAMPUS MASTER PLAN ALIGNMENT: In 2012 the University began two critical, long-term planning processes which were integral to the formation of the Landscape Master Plan. The University initiated both the update to the University’s Strategic Plan and began the process to update the Campus Master Plan.

The University reaffirmed its vision, mission and values during the 2013-2018 Strategic Planning Process.

“Auburn University is a comprehensive land-grant university with national and international distinction in the areas of instruction, research, and community engagement. In addition to its prestigious programs in traditional science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, Auburn maintains exceptional academic programs in agriculture, humanities, social sciences, and the arts. Often recognized for its pioneering research programs and strong academic reputation, Auburn offers an array of prominent professional programs and houses several nationally recognized multidisciplinary centers and institutes designed to facilitate the discovery of new knowledge.

As Alabama’s largest land-grant institution, Auburn University has made key contributions to the state not only through its on-campus programs of instruction and research but also through its statewide outreach, public service, and engagement programs. The university maintains consistent rankings as an institution of excellence and remains an institution of choice among prospective faculty, staff, and students. The development of the 2013-2018 Strategic Plan reaffirms the core values articulated in Auburn’s official statement of vision and mission, first approved by the Board of Trustees in 1997 and reaffirmed in 2013.” (Source: http://ocm.auburn.edu/strategic_plan/vision.html)

Each Master Plan Goal is listed below. The Master Plan goal is followed by an aspirational statement describing the Landscape Master Plan’s role in supporting the parent Master Plan Goal.

Mission Success: To support the instructional, research and outreach mission of the University by including improvements to the campus environment that will contribute to the overall success of Auburn.

- Campus landscape’s role: to provide a campus environment which supports the instructional, research and outreach mission through the creation of a varied, living outdoor classroom, laboratory and demonstration environment.

Student Success: To support the educational success of Auburn students by focusing on improvements to the learning environment of the campus and capitalizing on opportunities associated with replacing key academic buildings in the core.

- Campus landscape’s role: To support educational success by both providing outdoor learning environments across campus and by providing exceptional, complimentary landscapes adjacent to key academic buildings which will facilitate learning and interaction.

Campus & Community Life: Focus on the enhancement of campus life by fostering a positive and safe experience for students, faculty, staff and visitors, while comprehensively addressing quality of life issues on the campus and in the broader community, including the quality of campus instruction, research and collaboration space, housing, dining, recreation and transportation.

- Campus landscape’s role: To provide a beautiful, welcoming, safe, comfortable, usable, bio-diverse and inspirational outdoor environment that compliments and enhances the campus quality of life experience for all users.

Sense of Place: To reinforce the village-like qualities of the existing academic core, including the scale, land-use pattern, and mix of activities to serve as a guide for campus improvements, which preserve the existing human-scale, traditional materials, buildings forms, massing and building-to-site ratios; to extend the quality and character of the campus core landscape into peripheral areas by means of a well-defined framework of open spaces and linkages; and to implement appropriate comprehensive guidelines.

- Campus landscape’s role: To reinforce the unique qualities of the existing academic core by preserving the scale of existing landscape elements and spaces, and by utilizing traditional materials and forms in the landscape both within the existing core and in peripheral areas where the University plans to extend those qualities and characteristics.

Land Use: To achieve and maintain a compact land-use pattern to preserve land for future needs; reinforce the pedestrian qualities of the campus core; maintain operational and infrastructure efficiencies; protect natural resources; and, enhance campus vitality by placing a variety of activities in close proximity to one another; and to address important land use needs including those of instruction, research, agriculture, forestry, veterinary medicine, health sciences, student life, athletics, and recreation.

- Campus landscape’s role: To reinforce this land use goal through a continued focus on enhancing the pedestrian qualities of the campus core, improving the campus’s stormwater infrastructure system, and protecting and enhancing the critical natural systems on campus including Parkerson Mill Creek.

Sustainability: To support the sustainability initiatives of the University is an overarching goal of the Master Plan; to coordinate strategies relative to energy management, water resource management, infrastructure systems, transportation, the natural environment and landscape; and to assist in the achievement of the goals of its Climate Action Plan and the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.

- Campus landscape’s role: To fully embrace the University’s commitment to sustainability. This can be accomplished through a wide range of actions which include: an increased emphasis on the use of native plant materials, reducing potable water use, improving stormwater management best practices, reducing chemical applications, reducing turf areas, planting more trees to increase shade on campus to reduce the heat island effect, and facilitating increased bicycle and pedestrian activity.

Mobility: To focus on transportation comprehensively on a campus-wide basis as an accessibility and mobility strategy, which integrates and coordinates all forms of movement – pedestrian, bicycle, transit and vehicular / parking – to create a unified system and provide a range of options for accessing and moving through the campus; and to emphasize the improvement of safety, convenience, and accessibility of each of these modes, while ensuring that the mobility needs of all members of the campus are met.

- Campus landscape’s role: To fully support these comprehensive mobility objectives with a special emphasis on enhancing pedestrian and bicycle mobility across campus.

Infrastructure: To establish an infrastructure framework for the campus designed for efficiency and sustainability; and to ensure that appropriately located sites are reserved for future infrastructure requirements.

- Campus landscape’s role: To house the campus’s infrastructure systems in a functional, efficient, organized, environmentally sensitive and aesthetically appropriate manner.

Communication: To establish and maintain a campus master planning process that will be open and collaborative in nature with communication and dialog between the master planning team and the campus community.

- Campus landscape’s role: To complement the campus master plan and provide a similar vehicle for expanded communication and collaboration.

Landscape Vision

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THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY LANDSCAPE VISION

The Vision for the Auburn University landscape is to provide a structure that will shape a beautiful, memorable and enduring pedestrian-oriented campus while reintegrating cultural and natural systems through constructed urban ecologies and restored and revitalized ecosystems.

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Auburn University Landscape Master Plan, Comprehensive Campus Master Plan Update 2014

CAMPUS LANDSCAPE MASTER PLAN GOALS The following five campus landscape master plan goals have been developed to help guide the University toward the realization of this Vision for the twenty-first century Auburn University campus landscape.

1. MAKE LANDSCAPES EXPRESSIVE OF AUBURN: Respect the history, traditions, image and character of the Auburn Campus.

Enhance the village-like scale of the academic campus core.

Make landscapes beautiful.

Invest in high quality, comfortable, sustainable, long-term landscapes.

Create landscapes which share a consistent material palette.

Reflect Auburn’s architectural style in campus landscape features.

Promote the preservation, protection and maintenance of large heritage and specimen trees.

2 . M A K E L A N DS C A P E S T H AT C E L E B R AT E T H E U N I V E R S I T Y ’S L A N D GRANT LEGACY: Allow the designed landscape to reflect Auburn’s leadership in research, education and outreach.

Make landscapes useful; utilize space and land efficiently to best support student success and foster collaboration among staff and faculty. This includes: - Creating landscapes that integrate research, education and outreach.

Minimize turf areas and the associated use of potable water for irrigation purposes.

Minimize the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides in campus landscape maintenance and capital project activities.

Concentrate development within the Campus Master Plan’s proposed Growth Boundaries.

4. MAKE LANDSCAPES SAFE AND SECURE: Focus on enhancing campus life while fostering a positive and safe experience for students, staff, faculty and visitors in keeping with the sense of the ‘Auburn Family’.

Provide for a comfortable and well-lighted campus landscape in all designated nighttime walkway areas.

5 . M A K E L A N DS C A P E S T H AT R E I N FO RC E C A M P U S -W I D E M O B I L I T Y INITIATIVES: Support enhanced campus mobility and connectivity through the development of a comprehensive and interconnected pedestrian, bicycle and transit network.

Incorporate implementation of the Parkerson Mill Creek Greenway.

Provide for increased connectivity through the use of improved intersection controls to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety at all major intersections.

Extend sidewalks, multi-use trails, and/or dedicated bicycle facilities to connect primary destinations, improve safety and reduce dependency on single-occupancy vehicles.

Figure 3-5. Student finds a shady spot to take a break

- Developing landscapes that encourage and facilitate active engagement with the University community.

3. MAKE LANDSCAPES SUSTAINABLE: Develop the campus landscape in a sustainable manner with a primary focus on the stewardship of the campus’s natural resources.

Assist in the achievement of the University’s goals outlined in the Climate Action Plan and the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.

Make landscapes that support urban ecology. Actively pursue wetland restoration and enhancement, stream restoration and riparian corridor enhancement, natural habitat preservation, wildlife and habitat enhancement, forest understory management, and open water features in all future capital projects. Parkerson Mill Creek should be a primary focus of these efforts.

Integrate Stormwater Management into all campus capital improvement projects and into routine campus maintenance operations. All campus projects and programs shall incorporate stormwater conveyance and flood protection, stormwater runoff quality control and volume reduction, regulatory compliance, local collaboration, and stormwater best management practices.

Figure 3-4. Beautiful pedestrian paths lead through Samford Park

Landscape Vision

Figure 3-6. Busy intersection adjacent to the Haley Center

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CAMPUS LANDSCAPE ZONES A series of ten campus landscape zones have been identified for the Auburn Campus.

These zones are generally based on the Proposed Land Use Plan established within the 2013 Master Plan Update. The Landscape Zones represent specific geographic areas of the campus (See Figure 3-8) and each zone has a defined set of landscape expectations and requirements. The ten Campus Landscape Zones are:

Clearly define on-grade pedestrian crossings of adjacent streets. Where possible, use grade to separate pedestrians and vehicles.

Zone 2 – Academic, Housing, Research, Athletics (Buildings), and Health Science Sector: Maximize opportunities for providing shade to enhance the pedestrian experience.

Zone 4 – Service: Screen all outdoor lay-down and storage areas with 6’ fence and evergreen plant material from adjacent public roads and/or buildings whether University or other owner.

Minimize impervious surface areas.

1. Campus Concourses

Provide ample outdoor seating and gathering opportunities. Establish destination nodes in the landscape of varying size and scale.

Provide containment facilities for all potentially hazardous material spills in order to keep them from entering the local stormwater system.

2. Academic, Housing, Research, Athletics (Buildings), and Health Science Sector

Give priority to pedestrians and bicyclists. Provide clear, safe and defined routes.

Provide shade for parking areas.

3. Fraternity

Provide bicycle parking facilities at or near major building entrances.

4. Service

Minimize the use of bollards through-out the academic campus core; establish a clear policy to limit game day parking to specific areas and enforce parking regulations during game days.

5. Athletics (Gameday and Fields)/Recreation 6. Field Labs

Zone 5 – Athletics (Game-Day and Fields) /Recreation: Provide clear pedestrian circulation routes that are minimally reliant on adjacent roadways.

Allow for shaded gathering areas that have the ability to contain various sizes of user groups.

7. Park

Reinforce the village-like scale through the consistent application of campus landscape standards and materials.

8. Natural Resource Management Area, Water, Floodplain

Provide the highest levels of landscape maintenance in these areas of campus.

Provide shade (canopy trees) in permanent, non game-day parking areas – both paved and gravel lots.

9. Surface Parking and Roadways

Utilize hardy, primarily indigenous plant materials that provide varying seasonal interest, texture, color, size and habitat value.

Utilize pervious paving systems for permanent parking areas outside of the campus core.

Limit the use of turf lawn areas to areas that will be utilized for gathering, socializing and/or for formal or informal recreational activities.

Provide vegetated buffers between athletics/recreation fields and parking areas and adjacent open, natural creeks and streams (Parkerson Mill Creek, etc.).

Provide wayfinding and building identification signage at key intersections and building entrances; consistent with University graphics and signage standards.

Minimize Game-Day impacts to the landscape and natural environment by providing appropriate facilities (both temporary and permanent) to support GameDay activities. These facilities include, but are not limited to: convenient restroom facilities; trash receptacles, recycling, and hot coal bins; protection of tree root zones and adjacent vegetated buffer areas through the use of temporary or permanent fencing.

10. Leased to Third Parties The following design requirements are established for each of the Campus Landscape Zones. These requirements shall be addressed, at an appropriate level, as each new construction project is initiated on campus and as landscape maintenance and renovation activities are undertaken.

Zone 1 – Campus Concourses: Maximize opportunities for providing shade to enhance the pedestrian experience.

Provide a variety of seating opportunities (benches, seat walls, steps, etc.) – in small plazas, patios, terrace areas, gathering nodes – near major pedestrian path intersections and adjacent to primary building entrances.

Provide appropriate night lighting levels – achieve campus standard – to ensure a safe and comfortable nighttime environment.

Provide bicycle parking facilities adjacent to major building entrances.

Provide wayfinding and building identification signage at key intersections and building entrances consistent with University graphics and signage standards.

Provide adequate storm water drainage facilities; utilize sustainable best practices as defined in the Stormwater Management Plan.

Where possible keep stormwater drains/inlets/structures away from major intersections and building entrances and minimize the visible impact of all structures.

Where possible keep utility infrastructure cabinets, transformer boxes, vaults, pedestals, etc. away from major intersections and building entrances.

Always minimize the visible impact of utility structures through careful placement, landscape screening, and, where absolutely necessary, with the use of screen walls or fences.

Zone 3 – Fraternity: Campus landscape standards should be adhered to in all Fraternity areas.

Screen parking and service areas from public streets with landscape plantings.

Where possible keep stormwater drains/inlets/structures away from major intersections and building entrances and minimize the visible impact of all structures.

Provide sidewalks along adjacent public streets.

Always minimize the visible impact of utility structures through careful placement, landscape screening, and, where absolutely necessary, with the use of screen walls or fences.

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Plan the landscape to maximize function in support of the field lab’s associated education and research needs.

Utilize best agriculture and forestry land management practices.

Implement sustainable operations and maintenance strategies that support the needs of these landscapes.

Remove invasive species.

Provide adequate storm water drainage facilities using sustainable best practices as defined in the Stormwater Management Plan.

Where possible keep utility infrastructure cabinets, transformer boxes, vaults, pedestals, etc. away from major intersections and building entrances.

Zone 6 – Field Lab:

Provide vegetated buffers between field lab production and cultivation areas and adjacent open, natural creeks and streams (Parkerson Mill Creek, etc.).

Provide reforested corridor connections to extend existing forest stands where possible.

Utilize campus landscape, lighting and signage standards.

Maintain landscape areas to meet or exceed campus maintenance requirements.

Preserve native meadowlands and expand where possible.

Utilize best management erosion and sediment control practices on sites where land-clearing and/ or crop cultivation takes place.

Remove invasive species.

All temporary, special event landscape improvements and/or structures shall comply with the Landscape Standards and with state and local building codes.

Plans for any temporary special event improvements shall be reviewed and approved by Facilities Management prior to construction.

Auburn University Landscape Master Plan, Comprehensive Campus Master Plan Update 2014

PROPOSED CAMPUS LANDSCAPE ZONES

LAND USE PLAN BY CATEGORY

0

800

1600 ft

0

800

1600 ft

Figure 3-7. The Land Use Plan defines the long-term land use categories and general land use areas for the campus. Detailed information on specific uses in each category is provided in the Land Use Zone descriptions.

Figure 3-8. The Proposed Landscape Zone Plan builds upon the long-term land use categories to provide a landscape framework in which campus landscape standards can be defined

LEGEND

LEGEND

Academic (A)

Athletics (AU)

Natural Resource Management Area (NR)

Campus Concourses

Field Lab

Housing (H)

Recreation (R)

Water

Park

Fraternity (F)

Field Lab (FL)

100-Year Floodplain

Academic, Housing, Research, Athletics (Buildings), Health Science Sector

Research (RE) Health Science Sector (HS) Service (S) Landscape Vision

Cultural/Public (C)

Leased to Third Parties

Fraternity

Park (P)

Service

Surface Parking (SP)

Athletic (Gameday / Fields), Recreation

Surface Parking, Roadways Natural Resource Management Areas, 100-Year Floodplain Leased to Third Parties, Cultural, Public

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Zone 7 – Park:

Ensure that all parking areas are well lit and meet University lighting standards.

Make pedestrian circulation and path hierarchies evident. Provide clear entrances and exits. Primary, secondary and tertiary path typologies and widths will increase usability as well as define iconic views or processions.

Provide safe, accessible sidewalk connections to and through all large surface parking areas.

Connect horticultural systems where possible. Increase the amount of tree canopy as well as the continuity of shrubs and natural vegetative understories at the ground plane to aid in the forage and habitat of existing fauna.

On all campus roadways, provide wayfinding and street signage, appropriate pedestrian multi-use trail and/or sidewalk facilities, canopy trees to shade the sidewalks, and appropriate pedestrian and street lighting. Provide bicycle facilities per the University’s current bicycle/transportation master plan.

Protect existing ponds, creeks and other water bodies by establishing planting buffers to prevent sediment runoff and improve water quality in these basins.

If erosion is present in stream channels then the channel should be restored to prevent sediment deposition downstream. Forebays should be constructed and maintained at all ponds to control the amount of sediment allowed into the pond.

Shade from adjacent trees should be accessible to pedestrians. Allow existing canopies to mature and augment missing or discontinuous canopies with appropriate native species.

For park areas that contain major game day activities, or other seasonal events requiring car parking, temporary space for cars should be allocated that is separate from the main pedestrian areas of the park. These areas could be constructed of reinforced turf so the surfaces are consistent even in inclement weather.

Zone 8 – Natural Resource Management Area, Water, Floodplain: Protect and/or enhance the Parkerson Mill Creek watershed with the goal of improving water quality, hydrology and the associated stream ecology along the creek corridor.

Protect all campus water bodies / floodplain with appropriate vegetated buffers.

Utilize best stormwater management practices to reduce volumes and increase the quality of stormwater leaving the campus.

Utilize best agriculture and forestry land management practices.

Work actively to eradicate invasive species in these areas of campus.

Enhance natural habitat through land management practices and through the planting of appropriate plant materials.

Where possible incorporate pervious paving in parking areas.

Where possible reduce heat island effect through the use of highly reflective surface materials.

Zone 10 – Leased to Third Parties: Campus landscape standards should be adhered to on all property leased to third parties.

Invasive species should be eliminated to prevent expansion into adjacent properties.

Screen parking and service areas from public streets with landscape plantings.

Utilize campus landscape, lighting and signage standards.

Provide sidewalks along adjacent public streets.

LANDSCAPE PERFORMANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY The Auburn University campus landscape, within each of the zones identified above, must continue to strengthen its core role as essential campus infrastructure by both enhancing the campus environment, natural and built, and by expanding the landscape’s role in assisting the University in attaining a number of the sustainability goals outlined in the University’s Climate Action Plan.

What is a sustainable landscape? “Sustainable landscapes are responsive to the environment, re-generative, and can actively contribute to the development of healthy communities. Sustainable landscapes sequester carbon, clean the air and water, increase energy efficiency, restore habitats, and create value through significant economic, social and, environmental benefits.” (Source: http://www.asla.org/sustainablelandscapes/about.html) Quantifying post construction project performance is essential to building a sustainable landscape. In order to ensure substantive progress is made towards achieving a more sustainable campus environment, the Landscape Master Plan sets the following as the campus’s key landscape performance goals. These goals should be incorporated into the planning, design and construction of each major new campus improvement project and all major University related operations and maintenance activities.

These landscape performance goals are organized into three distinct groups: Requirements, Expectations and Considerations

Maintain landscape areas to meet or exceed campus maintenance standards.

All exterior (building or site) alterations, additions and/or improvements shall be reviewed and approved by Facilities Management prior to the tenant implementing any physical changes to the property.

LANDSCAPE PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS The Landscape Performance Requirements listed below are items which must be addressed by each major capital improvement or significant campus O&M project.

1. Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities: Each new campus project shall provide new, additional and/or upgraded bicycle and pedestrian facilities, as appropriate, given the project purpose, scale and location. These improvements shall include, but are not limited to: - New and/or additional bicycle racks - Connections to and/or extension of an adjacent multi-use path or bike lanes

Comply with all state and federal regulations regarding clearing, filling and/or altering of wetlands, floodplains and stream buffers.

- Additional sidewalk or paved path connections to existing adjacent sidewalks or extension towards other logical nearby destinations.

Where possible increase forest patches, repair/replant clear cut edges to mimic natural systems and extend woodland fingers to reconnect forest fragments.

2. Stormwater Best Management Practices (BMP’s): Consistent with the federal Clean Water Act and State of Alabama regulations, the University has adopted a Stormwater Management Manual that defines University-related best management practices for managing the stormwater which flows onto and through the campus. The Landscape Master Plan incorporates this manual by reference and requires full compliance with its policies and directives. Stormwater BMP’s shall be incorporated into the planning, design, construction of all capital improvement projects and all University initiated O&M projects.

Zone 9 – Surface Parking & Roadways: Incorporate stormwater Best Management Practices into the design of all large surface parking areas Provide adequate shade to all surface parking areas; the goal is 30% canopy coverage.

Screen all surface parking lots from adjacent streets with evergreen plant material.

Use low berms in combination with evergreen plant material where appropriate.

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Project managers shall demonstrate, utilizing the university’s Stormwater Management Manual, use of multiple stormwater BMP’s within the limits of the project during the project planning, design and implementation phases of the

Auburn University Landscape Master Plan, Comprehensive Campus Master Plan Update 2014

project. Techniques including the use of bioswales, rain-gardens, infiltration zones, reduction of impervious pavement areas, provision of pervious pavement, vegetated swales and vegetated buffers adjacent to creeks and streams shall be utilized. Cisterns should also be considered for the capture and reuse of stormwater, roof rain water, equipment condensate water and foundation dewatering water.

3. Site Lighting: All new, exterior campus lighting shall be energy efficient LED fixtures and they shall also be dark sky compliant fixtures.

4. Invasive Species: No new plants listed in the Prohibited Species List (see page 38) may be planted on campus, except for the purpose of academic research or teaching. All capital and O&M projects shall be responsible for removing, to the extent practical, invasive species from within the limits of the construction or maintenance project.

LANDSCAPE PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS The Landscape Performance Expectations listed below are items which must be considered for potential application within each major capital improvement or significant campus O&M project. There is an expectation that these landscape performance criteria will be employed, in some fashion, within every project on campus.

1. Tree Campus USA: As an active Tree Campus USA campus, Auburn supports the standards of tree care and community engagement required by the program.

This includes the institution of a service-learning project aimed at engaging the student body. The LMP strongly supports and encourages the integration of an educational component into every major capital improvement and operations and maintenance project. The extent of the educational component may vary. A smaller project may simply provide signage explaining the purpose of the project, the sustainability goals for the project and the tree care aspects of the project. Larger projects may include a service project, active teaching opportunities and/or the possibility of integrating research into the project. The LMP encourages the increased utilization of the campus landscape as a “Living Laboratory” and encourages project managers to engage faculty and students in active research within the project’s limits.

2. Turf and Other High Maintenance Landscape Areas: Large expanses of turf grass are often synonymous with our image of the college campus. However, these large lawn areas have a high maintenance requirement, which usually includes the regular application of fertilizer and other chemicals. These turf areas also require a lot of water and have limited wildlife value. Therefore, the use of turf grass should be kept to a minimum within the campus landscape Zones 1, 2, and 7. Outside of Zones 1, 2, and 7, turf grass should be limited in its use to athletic and recreation/play field use areas. Where possible, consider replacing turf with native canopy and understory trees, shrub masses and mulch.

3. Irrigation Potable Water Usage: The University shall strive to minimize, and ultimately eliminate, the use of potable water for landscape and turf irrigation purposes. Campus capital and O&M projects shall demonstrate the use of hardy, native plant materials, xeric landscape techniques, efficient drip irrigation systems, and shall explore the potential for capturing, storing and reusing

Landscape Vision

stormwater for irrigation purposes through the use of cisterns.

4. Sustainable Materials: Project managers and design teams shall strive to reuse and recycle materials salvaged from the site, to source materials locally and to minimize waste wherever possible. Each project plan shall include a sustainable materials element which identifies items to be reused or recycled, locally sourced materials and incorporates strategies to minimize waste.

5. Shade, Biomass and Carbon Sequestration: The University shall make every effort to increase the percentage of shade on the campus by actively working to increase the campus’s tree canopy coverage. The aspirational goal for tree canopy coverage on the Auburn University campus is 50% coverage of the campus core land area.

Every capital project must contribute proportionally towards achieving this goal by planting large (3” caliper or larger) shade trees. Every capital project, with a construction budget greater than $1,000,000, shall dedicate one-half of one percent (0.5%) of the total construction budget towards the purchase, installation and maintenance of canopy trees. If space does not permit the planting of these canopy trees on the project site, then the trees may be planted at another campus location to be selected by Facilities Management. Alternatively, the project may contribute an amount equivalent to the amount of required shade trees to be allocated towards Campus Tree Maintenance.

Note that, if any existing, living tree (>6” caliper) must be removed in order to construct a new project or to complete a major operations and maintenance activity, the equivalent tree canopy must be replaced at the project’s expense.

This shall be accomplished using multiple 3” caliper or larger replacement trees.

This replacement action is required in addition to the new canopy tree planting requirements outlined above. Once again, if space does not permit the planting of the replacement trees, then the trees may be planted at another campus location selected by Facilities Management.

Note that these new campus tree plantings will also contribute to other related sustainability goals including energy use, air quality and temperature and urban heat island reduction.

LANDSCAPE PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS When planning or designing new campus projects, the project team shall actively consider incorporating aspects of one or more of the following land management techniques:

systems that advance multiple goals in the same geographic space.” (Source: http://ecoagriculture.org/~ecoagric/index.php) 2. Sustainable Sites: Sustainable Sites has been developed as the first rating system for public use to pursue certification as a sustainable landscape. Originally modeled after the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® Rating System, SITES v2 includes best practices in landscape architecture, ecological restoration, and related fields. The process can be applied to a diverse set of landscape project types, including those with buildings, and on projects that are new construction or major renovations. This includes landscape projects at corporate headquarters, national and city parks, academic campuses, streetscapes, and residential neighborhoods or private homes. By providing performance measures rather than prescribing practices, SITES supports the unique conditions of each site and encourages project teams to be flexible and creative as they design and develop beautiful, functional, and regenerative sites appropriate for their context and intended use. (Source: http://www.sustainablesites.org/) 3. Integrated Pest Management (IPM): IPM is an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. “IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the life cycles of pests and their interaction with the environment. This information, in combination with available pest control methods, is used to manage pest damage by the most economical means, and with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment.

The IPM approach can be applied to both agricultural and non-agricultural settings, such as the home, garden, and workplace. IPM takes advantage of all appropriate pest management options including, but not limited to, the judicious use of pesticides. In contrast, organic food production applies many of the same concepts as IPM but limits the use of pesticides to those that are produced from natural sources, as opposed to synthetic chemicals.” (Source: http://www.epa. gov/opp00001/factsheets/ipm.htm)

CONCLUSION This section defines an aspirational Vision for the Auburn Campus Landscape and outlines a series of specific goals and objectives which must be met in order to achieve that Vision. A key element in the implementation of the Vision is the ability to achieve consistency in the use of design elements and materiality across the campus. The next section, Campus Landscape Standards, provides detailed guidance on the use of those elements and materials.

1. Ecoagriculture / Integrated Landscape Management: Especially when Auburn Field Labs are involved, it will be important to consider an ecoagriculture approach. “Ecoagriculture is a landscape-management approach that achieves three goals at a landscape scale: conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and ecosystem services; sufficient food production; improved rural livelihoods. The concept of ecoagriculture emerged from the recognition that in the 21st century, humans will place unprecedented demands on the world’s finite land base, seeking to increase global food production by 50 to 100% and improve living standards for billions of poor people, while simultaneously protecting wild biodiversity and the ecosystem services that sustain human life. These demands must be addressed together, and solutions must be based on land use

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Auburn University Landscape Master Plan, Comprehensive Campus Master Plan Update 2014