PGMS Provides Input to Sustainable Sites Initiative

In response to a request for comments and suggestions from the Sustainable Sites Initiative (SSI) on it's "Guidelines and Performance Benchmarks 2009," the Professional Grounds Management Society (PGMS) has offered 10 key points for consideration.

"Clearly, we have a vested interest in the contents and implementation of this initiative," said Joe Jackson, CGM (Certified Grounds Manager), the PGMS vice president and Director of Grounds & Sanitation Services for Facilities Management at Duke University in Durham, N.C.

When advised of the SSI, PGMS organized a committee with the purpose of formulating a collective response from the 98-year-old society. The committee reviewed the extensive report in-depth, solicited and received feedback from members across the country (and Canada), consolidated the input and summarized its findings.

"Generally, the report was well received," said Jackson. "With all the current attention being given to 'Green Building' and the LEED certification, it is a laudable goal to establish an effective rating system for sites with or without buildings, that addresses real sustainability issues and that can be incorporated into the 'greening' culture."

The PGMS membership is primarily comprised on institutional grounds managers which are employed by diverse entities such as colleges and universities, park and recreation departments, office parks, apartment complexes, hotels/motels, theme parks and cemeteries as well as individuals who own or manage landscape management companies.

"Typically, the duties of our members evolve around the maintenance and upkeep of the natural systems as they interface with the built environment," explained Thomas Shaner, PGMS Executive Director. "Their performance measures are routinely affixed to the success or failure of what SSI defines as 'ecosystem services,' and are thus critically astute in providing input to the initiative."

From a grounds management perspective, PGMS was pleased to see the SSI emphasis placed on stewardship. The SSI report states that one of the guiding principles of a sustainable site would be to
"foster environmental stewardship." It also stressed, "...in all aspects of land development and management, foster an ethic of environmental stewardship and understanding that responsible management of healthy ecosystems improves the quality of life for present and future generations."

"Considering the grounds management responsibilities of the PGMS membership," stressed Gene Pouly, CGM, President of PGMS and the E.F. Pouly Co. in Orrville, Ohio, "the impact of institutionalizing the SSI will be monumental to our way of conducting business."

The SSI report outlines a consolidated list of services provided by natural ecosystems. For these services to be protected, restored and enhanced, the initiative purports that this will be made possible only through sustainable land development and management practices.

"Although seeing great benefits generated from the intent and purpose of the initiative, PGMS has several concerns and issues that we feel must be addressed," said Jackson in providing the Society's input to SSI.

It's 10 strategic points for consideration include:

• Include the SSI in the U.S. Green Building Council Strategic Plan.
• Clearly define short- and long-term cost implications of the landscape management plan.
• Acknowledge the evolving nature of the document; given the "trial and error" aspects of the Initiative.
• Establish a timeline for evaluating the impact of the Initiative using feedback from the PGMS and similar stakeholders (possibly 2 years after the pilot projects phase).
• Consider requiring landscape architects and related disciplines to provide drawings that show what their plans should look like in ten years.
• Encourage "grass cycling" instead of blowing and raking up of grass for landscape management plans.
• Emphasize that the design and management of irrigation systems should strongly configure to site specific constraints and local conditions.
• Encourage the annual top dressing of turf with organic materials to minimize the use of chemical fertilizers.
• Consider giving education credit for the sharing of information with garden clubs and neighborhood associations.
• Require the implementation of an Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM).

In addition to its 10 general recommendations, PGMS also offered 10 specific fine-tuning recommendations to areas in which it was fundamentally in agreement. These included:

• Plant procurement - consider adding: Native plants should be propagated from local stock and their provenance documents. Also, consider giving credit for the use of nurseries located within a reasonable distance from the planting site.
• Organize Plant Materials Management - Consider adding "Use locally produced (short haul) organic mulch to conserve energy and plant water use."
• Storm Water Management - Add the definition of "BMP" in the Glossary of Terms.
• Snow and Ice - may be unrealistic.
• Recyclable Materials - Consider adding non-traditional recyclables such as used uncoated wood, pallets, used oil, and batteries to the materials recommended to be recycled, i.e., paper, glass, plastic and metals.
• Landscape Maintenance Equipment/Equipment Maintenance - Consider adding "and safety hazards."
• Landscape Maintenance Equipment/Equipment Selection - Consider adding something to reduce noise levels.
• Landscape Maintenance Equipment/Visitor Experience - Consider adding "safety hazards" when discussing localized air pollution.
• Personnel/Personnel Support - Consider changing to "Educate personnel in the areas of technical know-how, environmental sustainability, safety and goals of the management plan."
• Other Potential Maintenance Issues/Pollutants and Toxins - add "conduct scheduled staff emergency procedures drills."

In addition to Mr. Jackson, other members of the PGMS serving on its Sustainability Sites Initiative Task Force are: Carl Avery, DGM, University of California-Davis; Tom Dew, Texas A&M University; Michael Gildea, Chevy Chase Club; Jock Robertson, E.G. Reinsch, Inc.; and Dan Schied, University of Rochester.

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