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Grounds & Landscape
Resilient Landscape Strategy
Low Mow Zones
Tree Campus USA
Campus Tree Inventory
Bee Campus USA
- Integrated Pest Management
- Pollinator Pockets

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Landscape Management

Landscape Management Team

UI-02-160520-026_size The landscape management team presents a beautiful, safe and accessible exterior environment to the campus community throughout the year. As part of the landscape management team's duties, we provide efficient, cost-effective stewardship of natural and built campus assets.

Our services include:
+ Sustainable Landscape Design, Construction and Maintenance
+ Project Staging and Restoration
+ Outdoor Waste and Recycling Collection
+ Site Furnishings
+ Support for Donor Trees and Endowed Landscapes
+ Support for the university's continued certification of Tree Campus USA and Bee Campus USA

Grounds & Landscape Services

The Grounds department is responsible for providing detailed care for 930 acres of the campus's landscape throughout the year. Additionally, they care for the more than 16,000 trees on campus. During the winter they manage snow and ice on over 90 miles of sidewalks and 10 miles of bike paths. The department currently has 47 positions which include a superintendent, a foreman, four sub-foremen, two tree surgeons, a grounds equipment mechanic and 38 grounds workers with including two dedicated to full-time trash removal. The campus is divided into four grounds maintenance zones, with one sub-foreman in each zone.

The Grounds department works closely with the University Landscape Architect to create spaces that are inviting, sustainable, and maintainable, while being good stewards of the available resources.

Campus Landscape Architecture

The University Landscape Architect oversees site development on the main campus and auxiliaries, including the Allerton Park & Retreat Center. All changes to the fabric of campus support the mission of our institution, balancing the needs of aesthetics for staff and students, attracting prospective students and donors, education uses, and sustainability.

Grounds - Seasonal Services

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Spring (March-May)

• Sanitation
• Garbage route
• Possibly starting on repairing lawn damage due to snow/ice removal
• Cut back ornamental grasses and perennials
• Pre-emerge fertilizer and pre-emerge in perennial beds
• Mow the Low Mow Zones
• Remove cabs from the mowers
• Lawn repairs
• Weed control
• Bed edging
• Chipping
• Fertilizing
• Mowing
• Commencement prep
• Install pansies (early annuals)
• Turn on irrigation systems
• Edging walks
• Overseeding
• Aeration tree/shrub planting
• Move-out cleanup
Summer (May-August)

•  Sanitation
•  Garbage route
• Commencement
•  Prep mowing
•  Weed control
•  Turn on irrigation systems
•  Edging walks
•  Fertilizing
•  Overseeding
•  Aeration tree/shrub planting
•  Annual flower planting
•  Move-out cleanup
•  After Commencement annual planting
•  Watering up to 2-3 year old trees/shrubs
•  Watering annuals
•  Project work
•  If needed, mow the Low Mow Zones
•  Watering
•  Edging
•  Chipping
•  Move-in prep
•  Shear hedge
•  Grub scouting
•  Fall flower planting
Fall (September-November)

•  Sanitation
•  Garbage route
•  Mowing
•  Weed control
•  Watering
•  Overseeding
•  Lawn renovations
•  Fertilizing
•  Leaf removal
•  Prep leaf equipment
•  Weed control on irrigated lawns
•  Tree/shrub planting
•  Deep root feeding on 2-3 year old trees and stressed trees
•  Go through snow//ice removal equipment
•  Winterize fertilization
•  Sod installs
•  Put cabs on mowers
•  Start hand pruning
•  Cut perennials
Winter (December-February)

• Sanitation
• Garbage Route
• Snow Removal
• Leaf Removal
• Hand Pruning
• Cut perennials
• Shrub rejuvenation
• Leaf removal
• Chipping
Year-Round

• Tree pruning and removals
• Pothole patching

Landscape Services/Grounds Service Levels

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign service level definition

We utilize the APPA Attention Levels as a basis for our service levels.

Service Levels:

Service Level designations are evaluated regularly to reflect changes in the campus and reductions or increases in the landscape maintenance budget.

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Level 1
State-of-the-art maintenance applied to a high-quality diverse landscape. Associated with high-traffic urban areas, such as public squares, malls, government grounds, or college/university campuses.
- Based upon funding constraints we do not currently provide Level 1 on our campus.
Level 2
High level maintenance. Associated with well-developed public areas, malls, government grounds, or college/university campuses. Recommended level for most organizations
Level 3
Moderate-level maintenance. Associated with locations that have Moderate to low levels of development or visitation, or with operations that, because of budget restrictions, cannot afford a higher level of maintenance.
- TURF CARE. Grass cut once every five working days or as needed. Normally not aerated unless turf quality indicates a need or in anticipation of an application of fertilizer. Reseeding or resodding done only when noticeable or major bare spots appear. Weed control measures normally used when 50 percent of small areas are weed infested or when 15 percent of the general turf is infested with weeds.
- FERTILIZER. Select locations designated as Level are fertilized per the following. Applied when needed to maintain moderate to good turf vigor. Rate based upon program on page 76. Refer to page 76 for Partial Fertilizer and Weed Control for Non-Irrigated turf program.
- IRRIGATION. No irrigation for this level.
- LITTER CONTROL. Minimum service of two to three times per week. High use may dictate higher levels during the warm season.
- PRUNING. When required for health or reasonable appearance. Usually done at least once every two to three years unless species planted dictate more frequent attention.
- DISEASE AND INSECT CONTROL. Done only to address epidemics or serious complaints. Control measures may be put into effect when the health or survival of the plant material is threatened or when public comfort is an issue. Refer to the Integrated Pest Management plan on pages 68-70.
- SNOW REMOVAL. Snow typically removed the 24 hour period following snowfall. Snowmelt may be used to reduce ice accumulation.
- SURFACES. Cleaned on a complaint basis. Repaired or replaced as budget allows.
- REPAIRS. Should be done whenever safety or function is in question.
- INSPECTIONS. Inspections are conducted once per week. Typically this is more on an informal basis when a Grounds worker is in the area they are trained to observe conditions and report or address issues.
- FLORAL PLANTINGS. Normally, no more complex than two rotations of bloom per year. Care cycle is usually at least once per week with watering being typically 3 times per week. Health and vigor dictate cycle of fertilization and disease control. Beds essentially kept weed free. Includes annuals, perennials, flowering trees and shrubs.
Level 4
Moderately low-level maintenance. Associated with locations where a less intensive approach is deemed appropriate and/or affected by budget restrictions that cannot afford a high level of maintenance.
- TURF CARE. Low-frequency mowing scheduled based on species. Low growing grasses may not be mowed. High grasses may receive periodic mowing. Weed control limited to legal requirements for noxious weeds.
- FERTILIZER. Not fertilized.
- IRRIGATION. No irrigation.
- LITTER CONTROL. Once per week or less. Complaints may increase level above one servicing.
- PRUNING. No regular trimming. Safety or damage from weather may dictate actual work schedule.
- DISEASE AND INSECT CONTROL. None except where the problem is epidemic and the epidemic condition threatens resources or the public.
- SNOW REMOVAL. Snow typically removed the 24 hour period following snowfall. Snowmelt may be used to reduce ice accumulation.
- SURFACES. Replaced or repaired when safety is a concern and when budget is available.
- REPAIRS. Should be done whenever safety or function is in question.
- INSPECTIONS. Typically this is more on an informal basis when a Grounds worker is in the area they are trained to observe conditions and report or address issues.
- FLORAL PLANTINGS. None. May have wildflowers, perennials, flowering trees, or shrubs in place.

University of Illinois Facilities and Services

CONTACTS

Contact

Landscape Management

Landscape Management Team

Grounds & Landscape Services

Campus Landscape Architecture

Grounds - Seasonal Services

Spring (March-May)

Summer (May-August)

Fall (September-November)

Winter (December-February)

Year-Round

Landscape Services/Grounds Service Levels

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign service level definition

Service Levels:

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4