Prepared for the Sustainable Buildings and Grounds Committee by Michael Wilson, Kelly Merner, and Alejandra Bozzolasco. Forward and Introduction by Michael R. Edelstein, Ph.D.

The arboretum has emerged as an increasingly popular organizing theme for campus landscapes. By definition, an arboretum is essentially a "living museum" specializing in long-term collections of mostly woody plants. Given its lovely setting and its existing historical gardens and specimen trees and shrubs, Ramapo College already has the beginnings of a campus arboretum. In this report, a proposal is set forth to implement an arboretum concept on the Ramapo College campus. Expanding upon the ecological landscaping that is currently being implemented around Kameron Pond, this report proposes the establishment of an arboretum in the areas of the core buildings, including the grove, the Mansion gardens, the McBride house, the band shell, and other areas of the highly trafficked classroom and historic building complex. Eventually, the arboretum can serve as the overarching theme for the entire campus.

Arboreta are invaluable as outdoor classrooms for diverse courses across any college’s curriculum, as well as for community outreach. The potential educational value of a Ramapo College Arboretum was confirmed when the Ramapo Faculty Assembly voted unanimously in its favor. In addition, in tandem with the Ramapo College Sustainable Education Center, a Ramapo College Arboretum will provide ample opportunities for experiential learning where students can participate in planting, maintenance and the development of themes and plans for future plantings. Furthermore, by showcasing the college’s commitment to a beautiful and meaningful educational environment, a Ramapo College Arboretum will serve as an indispensable tool for student recruitment, and for affording an even more special and memorable setting for Spring graduation ceremonies, as well as for visitors of campus events year-round.

The arboretum will be housed at the new Sustainable Education Center, for which Ramapo College is currently raising funds. Three approaches for sustainable landscape will be emphasized: xeriscaping, permaculture and integrated plant management. Faculty and students can participate in labeling of trees and creating educational programs. Landscape maintenance issues otherwise should not be significantly more demanding than currently. As maintenance increases over time, staff can be increased according to the rate of growth.

An Arboretum Board including Ramapo members and experts from beyond the campus community will be formed. Meanwhile, Ramapo College already has a Sustainable Buildings and Grounds Committee, from which a subcommittee has been formed for the initial arboretum planning and management. The Ramapo College Foundation can conduct fund raising for the project; in fact, it can become a visible leading edge for a broader fund raising effort.

In conclusion, the Ramapo College Arboretum will enhance the aesthetic, educational, and public service qualities of the campus while promoting conservation and preservation of plants. The incentives to develop an arboretum concept go beyond the social, environmental and economic goals to embrace the benefit for students, faculty, staff and visitors. The arboretum would become part of the college’s story, and part of the students’ legacy.

Basic to all human communities is the importance of plants

And the need for gardens. These are the elements of a common

ground that can unite societies otherwise fragmented by cultural

differences or economic conditions. Public gardens are among

the few institutions that can respond to shared concerns about

the quality of life and the environment and thrive in an era when

less fundamental institutions may fail.²

FORWARD AND INTRODUCTION

Ramapo College President Rodney Smith has called for an integrated landscape plan for the college campus. This proposal sets forth the outlines for a landscape master plan in keeping with both the mission and strategic plan emphasis on sustainable campus management. Given the importance of its lovely setting in attracting students to Ramapo, and the massive changes occurring to our campus, it is time to devote as much attention to the importance of a unifying landscape as we pay to buildings that divide it. Certainly, the aesthetic, functional, and sustainable attributes of the campus cannot be established by the individual buildings themselves. It is the landscape, in the end, that makes the most evident statement of Ramapo’s identity.

In keeping with the Ramapo College Mission Statement and the Strategic Plan, a Sustainable Landscape Plan seeks to provide guidelines for the use of ecological principles in campus landscape design and maintenance that will assure a unified aesthetic program for Ramapo’s grounds that will keep the campus looking beautiful in a manner fitting with and enhancing the natural attributes of the campus property and region while causing minimal disturbance, energy use, or contamination. This mission is elaborated in Appendix A. This sustainable plan must address specific and unique regions of the campus landscape delineated below, and elaborated in a baseline study of the campus biota found in Appendix B.¹

The first is the historic core, consisting of the main academic buildings, the Berrie Center, the mansion and the gatehouse. This area of campus is addressed below in Michael Wilson and Kelly Merner’s proposal for the Ramapo College Arboretum.

Second, there are aquatic areas of campus where human landscape intervention is anticipated. These have previously been addressed by Michael Wilson in his report to Richard Roberts of summer 2003 on a sustainable landscape for the Kameron Pond reclamation (available by request) and in his presentation last spring to the college administration on landscaping for drainage basins. Wilson’s work emphasizes the combination of beauty, function and long-term low maintenance through xeriscape or permaculture.

New residential development defines a third region. For example, students in recent Sustainable Communities classes have made various proposals to theme the court yards in the Village, presenting designs for a butterfly, a bird, and an "edible" court (i.e. all plants edible by humans). The most recent proposal stemming from this course by Alejandra Bozzolasco, Rick Flynn and Anthony DeLemme in Fall 2003 addresses the lawn area adjacent to the Thomases Commons (Appendix C contains Ms. Bozzolasco’s report on this project). These projects all fit a plan for Village residents to participate in greening the complex, in this case through community gardening. Independently, the college implemented a xeriscape garden in the Maple/Oak quad that is consistent with this same landscape master plan concept.

Fourth, we have the natural and semi-natural areas of campus, including the Karlin old growth forest, wetlands and streams. Care of these areas, addressing such issues as invasive plants, impacts of construction and other campus activity, and programs of preservation, care and public education, should be addressed in the full master plan.

Finally, we have the maintenance of lawns, edges, and landscaping around future buildings to consider. The final master plan must address these areas as well.

While a full Sustainable Landscape Plan for Ramapo College remains to be written, many elements are presented here and in the appendices. The remainder of this report focuses on the historic heart of the campus grounds. Michael Wilson, Kelly Merner and Alejandra Bozzolasco present a timely, vital and exciting proposal that we create a Ramapo College Arboretum.

THE RAMAPO COLLEGE ARBORETUM

Given its existing historical gardens and specimen plants and trees, Ramapo College already has the beginnings of a campus arboretum. In this report, a proposal is set forth to make this arboretum the focus of a sustainable landscape plan for the areas of the core buildings, including the grove, the Mansion gardens, the McBride house, the band shell, and other areas of the highly trafficked classroom and historic building complex. Eventually it can serve as the overarching theme for the entire campus.

An arboretum’s mission is complex and multi-faceted, bridging environmental aesthetics, education and information, research, conservation and preservation, and public service. An arboretum is essentially a "living museum" specializing in long-term collections of mostly woody plants. Designated areas are set aside by an institution for the growing and display of various kinds of ornamental trees, shrubs, plants and vines. ³ Often these trees and shrubs are cultivated for scientific, ornamental or other educational purposes with the result that specimens or collections are arranged to demonstrate systematic relationships, commercial uses, or to show ecological adaptations. Each plant is accessioned, labeled, cataloged and mapped as part of the systematic method of display.⁴

As with the broader Botanical Garden, the arboretum seeks to advance and diffuse a knowledge and love of plants.⁵ Its’ mission is thus decidedly educational. Arboreta thus help to promote ecological literacy through improving people’s ability to identify the principle plants that live in their climatic zone. It goes further to help establish a sense of wonder for ecological systems, an appreciation of the role that plants play in our lives, and a sense of biophilia (love of life). In this regard, Smith (1989) notes that a garden’s core mission is to highlight awareness of plants’ importance as the foundation for all life.

Arboreta are important tools for botanical research. And they play a vital role in the saving of seeds and specimens threatened in the larger world. They can serve as models of diversity in the plantings of both public and private places. Arboreta also model how to improve the quality of individual and community life by promoting innovation in the integration of plants into the humanized environment and people into the natural environment (See Lightly 1989). Most broadly, therefore, the Ramapo College Arboretum helps to fulfill Ramapo College’s mission to create models for sustainable practices.

For an arboretum, attachment to a college offers stability, funding and access to a continuous population of learners (Wyman, 1971). Colleges and universities generally have botanists and other experts on staff. Their existing landscape demands necessitate that they have grounds crews, equipment and resources. And colleges offer open educational settings that can foster sustainable programs, pioneer techniques such as ecological management practices, garner educational opportunities and involvement, and ultimately achieve community implementation.

For the college, the arboretum offers an ideal outdoor laboratory to augment classroom instruction. The Ramapo College Arboretum will be integrated into the college landscape and thus be available to the campus community at all times. Faculty from majors that traditionally use the outdoors as a critical component of experiential education, such as Environmental Science, Environmental Studies and Biology, have expressed great enthusiasm for incorporating a campus arboretum into their courses. Faculty from a wide variety of majors spanning all of the college’s schools have also made it clear to members of the SBGC that they are eager to incorporate the arboretum into their course instruction. Indeed, the unanimous vote last Fall by the Faculty Assembly in favor of the Ramapo College Arboretum illustrated the great interest that faculty have for the arboretum concept.

HISTORY OF ARBORETA

Prior to the 19th century in America, gardens worthy of being called botanical gardens or arboreta were the private indulgences of a few cultured and wealthy men. Toward the end of the 19^th century, private colleges began to develop botanical gardens and conservatories as adjuncts to their botany departments. The "great conservatory" emerged as an important symbol of cultural and economic maturity, and served as the progenitor of the municipal public garden. In the 20th century, development of public gardens has been influenced by a variety of political, social and economic forces. In the first half of the 20th century, privately financed public gardens served to establish a common aesthetic. Prior to World War II, college and government botanical gardens and conservatories played an important role in teaching and research. In recent years, interest in such collections has revived. There is today enormous growth in the development of arboreta and botanical gardens throughout the country.

ARBORETA AS A CAMPUS LANSCAPE CONCEPT

In part because so many colleges and universities are located on former estates bearing mature specimen collections from past centuries, the arboretum has emerged as an increasingly popular organizing theme for campus landscapes. Arboreta have been developed to make campuses competitive with other college campuses. An attractive landscape is most important for recruiting new students when parents accompany them on campus visits. It is also a highlight that helps make Spring graduation a most celebrated, memorable experience. Overall, aboreta make campuses more pleasant and meaningful places to study, work and live. Their current popularity also stems from the growing commitment to environmental sustainability.

These themes are evident in current efforts throughout academia to literally "green" their campuses.

• The Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College was bequeathed as a living memorial to Arthur Scott (Swarthmore Class of 1895), with a mission to display plants suited for home gardens in the area and educate the public.
• The Temple University campus in Ambler, Pennsylvania was designated an arboretum in 2000, allowing the university to apply for grants it was not previously eligible for.
• Hofstra University transformed its campus from a paved airbase to a beautiful arboretum with a bird sanctuary, becoming one of only 15 private colleges to be named a member of the American Association of Botanical Gardens and Arboreta (AABGA).
• Cornell University has a bird sanctuary, an arboretum, a botanical garden and thousands of acres of protected natural areas.
• A Shakespeare Garden at Vassar College includes specimens mentioned in Shakespeare’s works.
• The University of New Hampshire is home to a major arboretum committed to expand its mission of sustainability to the whole campus with all future landscapes (Hart, 2003)
• Pennsylvania State University, one of only three "Big Ten schools" lacking a dedicated area for the study of plants, is raising funds for an arboretum that will be a model for sustainable management. The facility will be dedicated to teaching, research, outreach and extension on such themes as biodiversity, conservation, preservation of environmental quality in urbanizing landscapes, and the restoration of degraded forests and fields.
• The University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW) has pegged the development of its arboretum to campus growth as a means of offsetting campus development and to fulfill a mission calling for campus preservation and conservation. Importantly, a UNCW administrator noted of the development of the arboretum, "this project will position us well as a university."

THE RAMAPO COLLEGE ARBORETUM PROPOSAL

The Ramapo campus has many native and introduced specimens, including former formal gardens, contributing an historical dimension to the landscape. Ramapo’s existing landscape assets include the Kameron Pond, the majestic Copper Beech tree, the old-growth forest with trails running through it, and a natural geography conducive to additional landscape plantings.

We recommend establishing the Ramapo arboretum in the heart of the campus, highly visible and accessible to the main classroom buildings. This core area around the mansion and grove features well-developed specimen trees and plants of great age and value. The remnants of the historic gardens of the Birch mansion can be restored roughly to their original conditions, making an historic as well as aesthetic and educational statement. The restored Kameron pond should also be included in the arboretum. Remnants of other historic plantings can be found elsewhere on the campus, with the potential for restoration. Newly developed areas require an integrative and sustainable landscape approach. By establishing the core area as a showcase of the sustainable landscape plan, the arboretum can gradually be expanded to the entire campus.

The Ramapo College Arboretum will encourage the use of outdoor space in a sustainable manner and encourage students to engage in outdoor learning and activity. Since involvement is a key factor in the Ramapo educational process, it is critical that the campus community has the opportunity to go outdoors into nature to have a learning experience that cannot be had in the classroom.

METHOD OF IMPLEMENTATION

The Ramapo College Sustainable Education Center. Ramapo College is currently raising funds for a new state-of-the-art Sustainable Education Center, where the arboretum will be formally housed. Among its many functions, the RCSEC will showcase and demonstrate approaches to sustainable landscapes, using its two-acres of model landscapes and gardens and its three-dimensional bermed surround. As an extension of the work of this center, the Ramapo College Arboretum will serve to implement sustainable landscape practices on our campus. And, through educational programs, open community sustainability events, and seminars for students and the public, this model will be disseminated to the public as well. All regions of the campus will feature landscapes that are incorporated into the arboretum’s collections, providing a means for Ramapo College to lead by example in order to motivate students, faculty, and community members to begin to practice sustainable methods of horticulture and landscaping.

The arboretum will employ key methods of landscape design, maintenance and gardening to be demonstrated and taught at the Ramapo College Sustainable Education Center. In particular, three approaches for sustainable landscape will be emphasized: xeriscaping, permaculture and integrated plant management.

• Xeriscaping is a water-conservative approach to landscaping made particularly salient by recent draught years. The approach combines knowledge of soil conditions with use of appropriate ground covers and plants, water conservation through efficient irrigation and mulching, and appropriate maintenance activities. Native plants are preferred.
• Permaculture, an Australian landscape concept, seeks to create a sustainable or permanent agriculture utilizing plantings as a primary land use management approach. By focusing on the ecological design of human habitats, food production systems, integration of buildings with microclimate, plant communities, wildlife, soils, and water, permaculture seeks to create stable productive communities. An emphasis is made on perennial plants and the use of biological controls, ecological landscape practices, and use of renewable and sustainable methods.
• Integrated plant management emphasizes a holistic, "least toxic means" approach to plant maintenance. Nutrient management incorporates low-concentration, natural fertilizers and root growth stimulants to help keep plants healthy in landscapes where nutrient cycling is severely reduced by leaf litter removal. Specimen plants are monitored, and disease and insect problems are treated with natural, non-toxic products, (e. g., horticultural oil, insecticidal soap, beneficial nematodes, etc.), if possible. Toxic, synthetic chemicals are either avoided entirely, or are used only as a last resort to save particularly valuable specimen plants. In addition to the environmental benefits of using a natural, non-toxic approach, integrated plant management is equally, or even more, effective than synthetic approaches for helping plants produce healthy, vibrant and attractive foliage, flowers and fruits.

Experiential Education. One way in which Ramapo College can bring students outdoors is through properly implemented landscaping projects, utilizing students and faculty to develop and maintain the landscapes that become an additional garden to the arboretum. Therefore, we see a primary resource for developing and maintaining the arboretum as the faculty, students and community members who will benefit from learning in the arboretum. The arboretum as educational context is thus transformed from the static model of people walking through a landscape, pausing to read tree labels and signs, to an active learning relationship. With the right efforts at community involvement, embracing use of COOPs, internships, service learning, community service, and civic volunteers, the arboretum will offer a dynamic learning environment that is a campus extension of the Sustainable Education Center.

Existing Resources for Getting Started. Ramapo College already has a Sustainable Buildings and Grounds Committee with a subcommittee that can serve as a planning and management board for the arboretum. The Ramapo College Foundation can conduct fund raising for the project; in fact, it can become a visible leading edge for a broader fund raising effort. Faculty and students can be invited to participate in labeling of trees and creating educational programs. Landscape maintenance issues otherwise should not be significantly more demanding than currently. In time with development maintenance will increase. But it can be addressed as the arboretum develops, increasing staff according to the rate of growth. Staffing can utilize student interns and can increase as development and funding increases.

A Showcase Project. The Kameron Pond dredging project and restoration is a first step in creating the Ramapo College Arboretum. Using the selected plant list, a program of detailed plant records can be launched. The Microsoft Excel program will suffice until the college can afford to implement records on BG Base, which is a costly, but efficient program developed for public gardens. Laminated display labels can be provided for students and the public. The project will provide photographic records of the dredging and restoration, which can develop into a slide show or PowerPoint presentation to use for canvassing prospective supporters, such as alumni, garden clubs, grants, etc. The first step could be an exploratory fundraising project to raise the funds for educational signage around Kameron Pond that explains aquatic ecosystems, dredging processes, ecological restoration, water cycles, riparian buffers, & other topics that the faculty desires. These initial financial supporters are likely to visit the pond to see the development of the project. The college will therefore be committed to maintain the pond area as a showcase, which will help to promote visitation and support for the arboretum.

Further Opportunities. Ramapo College is in the process of finishing the first of its required plans for forest restoration required by state law. That plan calls for extensive mitigation for the ring road project to take the form of new campus plantings. The administration appears to be supportive for using at least some of these funds for plantings that would become part of the campus arboretum concept. As further campus development occurs, there will likely be more opportunities to build the arboretum while providing mandated mitigations for forest removal. Likewise, as additional campus building occurs, the landscape budgets for these buildings can be tied to arboretum development.

Fund Raising. Although an arboretum can be funded through a variety of grants, projects and gifts, it is particularly suited to some modes of fund raising.

Memorial gifts. Most arboreta support themselves through offering a range of gifts, including memorial gardens, benches, and trees. Memorial Gardens are the most expensive, allowing for the arboretum to be expanded with new thematic gardens and renewal of existing landscaped areas. Smaller gifts involve memorializing new or existing benches and trees. At the Frelinghuysen Arboretum, the general practice is to try to give donors a specimen that is about two years old and in good health. Older, mature specimens are saved for larger donations.

Active Sponsorship. Garden Clubs and other organizations promoting outdoor aesthetics or horticultural research can be invited to play sustained roles in developing particular gardens, donating specimens, helping with projects and maintenance, and making donations.

With all donations, the amount of money should be enough that a percentage of the funds go into a trust account to provide for maintenance and staffing of the arboretum.

Facilities. Development of an arboretum on the Ramapo Campus will require an educational center featuring a greenhouse facility. The greenhouse is needed to propagate both rare plants and cultivars unavailable from commercial sources to increase the diversity of the collections. It need not be a huge facility to have a major impact. The planned Ramapo College Sustainable Education Center accomplishes this goal with the added educational benefit of incorporating a greenhouse facility that is operated with renewable energy. The center is a logical working space for an educational component to the arboretum and can coordinate with the environmental and biological curriculum; giving students practical experience. This Sustainability Center also provides a commons demonstration and lecture hall, classrooms and outdoor practice sites for teaching concepts, and it can serve as an origin point for public tours of the campus arboretum where these concepts can be demonstrated in larger scale application.

Oversight. An Arboretum Board will be an outgrowth of the current Sustainable Building and Grounds Committee. The development committee can begin fundraising, implementation, and work towards development of a Master Plan for the arboretum. Beyond the campus community, the Board should include representatives from other arboreta, park systems, local businessmen, nurseries, and New Jersey’s Agricultural Extension Service.

Staffing. As the Ramapo College Arboretum concept takes shape, the naming of a director will be a necessary step. This position might be connected to facilities, the Sustainability Center, or even the Ramapo College Foundation. The director should be capable of overseeing the collection, its interpretative cataloging, its use in education and research, its protection and maintenance, the design and planting of new sections of the campus, and fundraising.

CONCLUSION

Ramapo College has committed itself to create a sustainable campus. Development of a campus arboretum is a highly visible step in this direction, giving the campus setting the prominent attention that it richly deserves. The Ramapo College Arboretum will enhance the aesthetic, educational, and public service qualities of the campus while promoting conservation and preservation of plants. The concept itself reflects sustainable values and beliefs in pace with the realities of a finite planet. The arboretum project would be ecologically sound, economically viable and socially just. The incentives to develop an arboretum concept on the Ramapo College campus go beyond the social, environmental and economic goals to embrace the benefit of the local community including students, teachers, and staff. The gardens would become part of the college’s story, and part of the students’ legacy.

Hart, John., 2003 The New England Ecological Garden.: University of New

Hampshire http://www.unh.edu/neeg/neecolgdn.html

Lightly, Richard W., 1989 Horticulture at the Millennium.: The Public Gardener 4: 8-11

Smith, Shannon., 1989 Why a Botanical Garden?.: The Public Gardener 4: 14-15

Wyman, Donald., 1971 Wyman’s Gardening Encyclopedia.: New York, NY.: Macmillan Co.

ATTACHMENTS:

Appendix I: Michael Wilson and Kelly Merner, THE ECOLOGICAL ALTERNATIVE, Excerpt from the Final Environmental Impact Statement, Environmental Assessment Course, Ramapo College of N.J., Spring 2003.

Appendix I:

THE ECOLOGICAL ALTERNATIVE

Opportunities exist for RCNJ to develop itself as a sustainable model for both commercial and educational campuses. The Ecological Alternative plan calls for all vegetation planted on campus to be site specific. Xeriscape and Ecological Horticulture will be utilized in all new landscapes with eventual conversion of the other landscapes to these practices. Under the Ecological Alternative Plan all woodland will remain intact and substitute sites will be chosen for development. The woodland on the campus of RCNJ represents a valuable asset as a watershed for the region and any development in this area should be avoided.

The priority vegetation on the campus of RCNJ is the natural wooded tract. This tract is valuable for visual quality, as a sound barrier, and as a riparian buffer for the streams flowing into the Ramapo River. There is a regional value for pollution removal and greenhouse gas uptake. A management plan should be developed that includes control of invasive species. The Loop Road would be abandoned unless an alternative exists that does not compromise this wooded tract. A nature trail can be developed with little disturbance through a section of these woods and is encouraged for educational purposes. Karlin Woods, although already protected, will be further sheltered if there is no development on its borders. Disturbance will create an edge effect and allow room for new species to colonize both on the edge and into the old growth forest, changing the character. All development should occur on less significant areas such as on turf or already developed areas. If development must occur on some of the wooded areas the college will replace the acreage lost by mitigating through reforestation projects of the same magnitude.

The preferred sites for future development and building are on the turf areas and already developed areas. Potters field is mentioned in the 2000 Master Plan as a site for future student or faculty housing. Loss of this turf, that represents a monoculture, is easily mitigated though the creation of a bio-filtered detention basin and landscaping that uses native trees and shrubs with a perennial layer. Representation of the natural layers found in the environment not only completes the visual effect of native plant design, but also creates habitat for wildlife (Burell, 2001). Additions can be made to the existing buildings which will than only encroach onto areas that have already been adapted through human use. Then, correct mitigation can be applied through xeriscaping.

Reforestation opportunities exist under all of the alternatives, except the no action alternative. There are many areas of the campus that can be utilized for forest development. This can become part of the curriculum for the biology and environmental departments of the college. Selected sections can be designated for restoration and with the aid of grants and student labor; these areas can be planted with native woodland edge plants. This can comprise of typical Highlands region trees like Cornus florida, C. alternafolia, and Acer pensylvanica. A shrub layer that includes Lindera benzoin, Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron maximum, and various Viburnum species can be supplemented with typical edge perennials such as Aster and Solidago species. Appropriate sites include Potters Field and any open areas that are underutilized near the woodland. The primary turf areas can be reduced and this is true on the roadway edges that are currently 10 feet or more. This turf edge should be approximately 48 inches wide, which is the width of a typical commercial lawn mower. Any turf beyond this width that borders any wooded tracts should be mitigated through a forest restoration project.

Additional housing, academic buildings, and other campus development will show an increase in water use and the landscaping is no exception. The Ecological Alternative proposes that all future landscaping will be ecologically sustainable and utilize xeriscape techniques, an ecological form of horticulture and permaculture that conserves water. One of the best ways to balance the water budget for landscape use is through the use of drought tolerant plants. Xeriscape does not mean no landscape or the use of cacti and succulents, but is the use of native plants to match the particular site. This is combined with reduced turf areas and mulched beds of trees, shrubs, and perennials (Kaufman, 2003). Ecological Horticulture utilizes both generalist and specialist plants that are matched with the limiting factors of growth which include water, temperature, soils and light conditions (Cullina, 2000). Permaculture is a sustainable landscape that considers other parts of the environmental in terms of wildlife interaction, food production, and resource use interrelated in a whole system.

The hillside bordering the parking lot can have the turf removed and can be planted with Yellowroot (Xanthorhiza simplicissima), an underutilized native shrub that is variable with it’s cultural requirements, in combination with other native plants. This is in accordance with the xeriscape recommendations of using shrubs and perennials on hillsides instead of turf. The secondary effects of landscape maintenance can be avoided by using porous paving materials on walkways and discouraging the use of trees that drop fruit near these walkways to prevent energy use to clean these areas. Native plants will have reduced maintenance cost and better survival rate due to the plants ability to better adapt to climate, soils, and water (Tia, 2000). Irrigation should be incorporated, but the system needs to be monitored and include an evapo—transpiration sensor, rain sensor, filters, and pressure reducers. Lack of this equipment coupled with over watering and an overextended system is one of the common mistakes made in automatic irrigation (Budd, 2003). All of these landscaped areas can incorporate courtyards using pavers instead of cement or blacktop and give the student an aesthetic atmosphere for leisure or study.

The storm water management system will be retrofitted to comply with the proposed storm water regulations for New Jersey utilizing best Management Practices (BMP). The method of filtering will be biological. This will be achieved through a combination of appropriate plant material to match the hydric, mesic, and xeric zones commonly present in detention basins.

Over time the campus of RCNJ can be converted to this Ecological Alternative with the core of the campus representing more formal landscaping and the rest being more natural as it extends to the woodland tract. The Mansion and the Quad can represent the old estate style of gardening that was historically present and Kameron Pond can represent the classic natural style of horticulture. The Mansion had formal gardens at one time and there is still evidence of this on the terraces. Currently these terraces are planted with turf and can be restored through historic documentation. The exact planting scheme does not have to be duplicated, but the original bed line can be utilized with modern cultivars that are representative of the era. The Quad can use the overhead shade provided by the high-limbed trees as an opportunity to replace the turf with woodland groundcover perennials such as Pachysandra procumbens, Tiarella cordifolia, Mitchella repens and Gaultheria procumbens. A shrub layer can supplement the Quad with Kalmia latifolia, Rhododendron maximum, and Viburnum dentatum, amongst others. The current plantings should remain and be supplemented with these new additions. This allows educational interpretation of traditional landscape plants and the use of natives. Cultivated varieties and alien species can be utilized in both the Mansion and the Quad providing students with analog comparisons. For example Pachysandra procumbens can be compared with P. terminalis (Japanese nativity) as groundcovers in the Quad. This can be utilized with the existing trees, such as comparing the European Beech with our native Beech. A recommended Shade and Street Tree collection can be incorporated utilizing the core area and the parking lot.

The Ecological Alternative requires an expanded grounds staff that includes a horticulturalist and a curator to monitor and maintain plant material. All of the specimens in the core area of the campus should be labeled for the convenience of the student and staff for educational purpose. A curator will follow up on the labeling and record all the plant records. This is done through an accession system and creates a history of living collections of plant material. The horticulturalist can work closely with the curator and monitor the health of the collections, performing or supervising required maintenance. This expanded grounds crew can grow as the amount and degree of planting occurs, creating in time a crew of several gardeners supplemented by groundskeepers. This crew should be trained in the removal of invasive exotic plants, restoration ecology, and xeriscaping. Student participation can be included through internships and summer jobs, when additional labor is needed. An arborist should be hired for consultation and trees that are in poor condition should be evaluated for their value.

If the Ecological Alternative is followed through there is an opportunity for RCNJ to develop the campus as an arboretum. Many colleges that were built around estates, like the University of New Hampshire, have developed arboreta to protect valuable plantings and for educational purposes. A number of arboreta are owned by colleges like Harvard University’s Arnold Arboretum, Swarthmore College, and Cornell Plantations. The University of New Hampshire has recently made a commitment to develop its campus as an ecological example of sustainability (Hart, 2003). This may allow fundraising opportunities through memorial plantings and help as a financial aid to the cost of maintaining collections. Public visitation will help to incorporate the campus as a vital part of the horticultural and ecological community as well as educate the general public that may come to visit the gardens.

The Ecological Alternative places RCNJ in a responsible position with the surrounding region. An ecologically based campus will benefit the community by protecting the watershed on its property and providing the community with higher quality water in comparison to the other proposed alternatives. The degree of invasive plants may diminish with the Ecological Alternative and is better than no action or traditional maintenance procedures. This alternative will also provide an example of sustainable development through horticultural practice for the community. A biodiverse planting scheme incorporating ecological horticulture, permaculture, and xeriscaping will present RCNJ as a responsible steward of their land, with concerns for the surrounding region.

Appendix II:

A BASELINE FLORAL ASSESSMENT OF THE RAMAPO CAMPUS

Michael Wilson and Kelly Merner, Spring 2003

The campus of Ramapo College of New Jersey consists of a mixture of vegetative areas. The campus contains recreation fields, athletic fields, wetlands, woodlands, and landscaped courtyards. The bulk of the campus property has been human altered since the beginning of the Mayer Estate.

The baseline for the flora chapter of the DEIS for Kameron Pond and Future Campus Development was developed by utilizing several methods. There have been interviews with members of the biological and environmental staff, along with contact with the Bergen County Parks Dept, NJDEP, and Division of Fish and Wildlife. Past Environmental Impact Statements and the Master Plan of Ramapo College of New Jersey (2000) have been consulted. Surveys of both the landscaped and natural areas have been performed by using the Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP) method and resulted in a catalogue of findings according to their location on campus. Dominant species were identified in the natural areas by walking transients through designated sections. The nomenclature has been cross-referenced for accuracy and current names.

The Quad, an area between the Academic Buildings, Russ Berrie Center, and the Mansion, with Kameron Pond has specimens that had been planted when the property was a private estate. There are old, mature hedgerows of Pinus strobus and Picea abies. Some of the majestic tree specimens from that era include the Fagus sylvatica (European Beech), Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir), and Quercus alba (White Oak). Many of the under plantings may have been lost over the years due to lack of maintenance, but some have survived. These include Forsythia, Taxus, Rhododendron, and Euonymous species. Around the Mansion were formal gardens; all that remains now are terraces. Some of the tree species in the Quad are labeled and this is evidence that at one time an attempt was made to designate the specimens for educational purposes.

Kameron Pond was created for the Mayer Estate. Specimens remaining from that era include Pinus strobus, Picea abies, and Hemerocallis species. Currently the pond is over run with Lemna minor (Duckweed) and an unidentified species of Myriophyllum (water milfoil). Presence of these two plants is evidence of the eutrophic conditions currently plaguing the pond due to increased sedimentation from I 287 and the resultant loss of habitat. Presence of Lemna minor is a sign of pollution (Crow, 2000).

A mesic upland forest with a mixture of wetland trees, shrubs, and herbaceous ground cover borders the eastern and southern edge of Kameron pond. The northwest and western borders of the pond currently have little plant growth, with the northern border having macadam up to the waters edge. The print shop is located on the southwestern side. Adjacent to the pond is a smaller body of water that is rapidly becoming a bog, and functions as a sink for the surface water runoff to Kameron Pond. This area is very diverse with plant material. The bog extends to the other side of the road behind the student center and is inundated with Phragmites australis, along with Tussilago farfara (Coltsfoot), Aster, and Solidago species.

There are large tracts of fields and turf located on the property of RCNJ. The athletic fields require high maintenance to remain in playable condition for sporting events. The primary vegetation is turf in these areas but is supplemented with shade trees. All of the high maintenance turf areas, comprising approximately 38 acres, are located on the west side of Rt. 202 and are adjacent to the Ramapo River. Other sizable turf areas include the hillside along the parking lot, Potters Field, Band Shell, and detention basins. Potters Field is a sizable area of 11 acres and is a marginally maintained turf area for sporting events and student activity. There are smaller turf area islands around the parking lot, buildings, dorms, and in the Quad. All of the recently built detention basins contain a monoculture of turf, with the exceptions being the oldest basin off the parking lot for Oak and Maple Halls. This basin has not been maintained and contains spontaneous seedlings of both native and alien species. Another recently built storm water system on the south of the Village Complex drains into Darlington Brook via a group of existing trees in a wet area before being channeled into the brook. This area was probably larger and the grade has been elevated around it. This area receives more flooding now and the chance of survival of these trees is questionable.

Landscaping on the campus of RCNJ is evident around buildings and campus expansions. The trees in the parking lot islands were planted when the lot was built as seen by their size and maturity. Some of the plantings in the courtyard near the Student Center have sizable specimens, representing a mixture of native and alien species. All of the plantings around the dormitories and student apartments comprise a mixture of native and alien species. There is a tendency to have native trees and a mixture of native and alien species for the smaller shrub plantings close to the buildings. The Amelanchier canadensis on the walkways from Pine Hall to the Library show an attempt to add native shrubs to the campus.

The wooded areas of the campus of RCNJ are a typical mesic upland forest encompassing wetlands and riparian buffers for several streams. These woods account for about 50% of the property and are a valuable asset to the aesthetic appearance of the college. The dominant trees include Acer rubrum, Acer saccarinum, Quercus alba, Fagus grandifolia, and Prunus serotina. The under story species is typical of this habitat and contains Fagus seedlings, Lindera benzoin, Corylis americana, and Viburnum prunifolium. On the forest edge there is a high percentage of Lonicera tataricus and Berberis thunbergii. Both of these shrubs are invasive exotic species and this is a common problem in the Highlands region. Deeper in the forested tract there is the occasional presence of these two invasive shrubs. The herbaceous ground cover layer consists of Polystichum acrostichoides (Christmas Fern), Claytonia virginica (Spring Beauty), and Carex sp. There are occasional patches of Pachysandra terminalis that probably escaped from cultivation when the Birch and Mayer Estates were active. The streamside plantings are typical to mesic upland forest and include various ferns, Symplocarpus foetidus (Skunk Cabbage), Erythodium americanum (Trout Lily), Lindera benzoin and Corylus americana. Other than the occasional presence of Lonicera tataricus the streamside plants in this tract are in good condition and provide a valuable asset to the campus. Healthy streamside plantings help to protect watersheds by reducing erosion and purifying water, and are further necessary to prevent the establishment of exotic alien species (Saunders, 2002).

The largest tract of woods borders Rt. I 287 and is continuous along the highway. On the southern part of the campus behind Pine Hall, this tract extends west behind the private residences on Darlington Ave to a narrow point on Rt. 202. Included in this tract is Karlin Woods, an area of old growth forest delineated by Dr. Eric Karlin, Dean of the School of Theoretical and Applied Sciences. This wooded tract is a natural barrier to I 287 and provides a sink for the pollutants that inevitably come from the highway. It also serves as a buffer zone for Kameron Pond, providing a continuous watershed for the pond. In this tract on the west side of Karlin Woods, there is evidence of an old building. This may have been a gardener’s cottage or caretaker’s house surmised by the presence of Eranthus hyemalis (Winter Aconite), Galanthus nivalis (Snowdrops) and Spiraea japonica. Along with these cultivated bulbs, there is also typical wetland species found such as Lindera benzoin and Skunk Cabbage.

In general, wetlands embody a major portion of the wooded tract of the Ramapo Campus. The remaining wooded areas are vital transition zones for these wetlands. These wooded areas are important to maintain the riparian buffer on the campus, which protects the water from Kameron Pond that flows directly into the Ramapo River. Another water basin from Ramapo flows into the Darlington Brook, a tributary of the Ramapo River.

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Appendix III:

LANDSCAPING PROJECT AT THE VILLAGE

by Alejandra Bozzolasco

Ramapo College has the ability to foster and implement sustainable practices on our campus through educational programs, open community sustainability events, and educational seminars for residents of surrounding communities as well as college students. Ramapo can begin to implement a sustainability program by practicing and promoting the implementation of sustainable elements within construction practices (considering the large scale amount of construction occurring on campus) and landscaping programs. It is crucial that Ramapo College leads by example in order to motivate students, faculty, and community members to change their misconceptions regarding the environmental crisis that is befalling the planet, and to begin to practice sustainable methods of living.

Unfortunately, Ramapo is currently not urging college members or community members to practice sustainability. Ramapo’s current landscaping for their condominium style housing, dubbed the Village, is not sustainable and not very visually appealing. The landscaping on the site is sparse, characterized by marked lawn areas, thin plantings of deciduous trees, and minimal shrub or flower plantings. The site reminds a person of other commonplace condominium developments, which do not integrate themselves within nature; instead they antagonistically exist above and beyond the natural world around them. The Village, is characterized as large and obtrusive, the human eye is lead to directly focus on the buildings, while ignoring the wetlands and wildlife behind it. It is inherently man made, and the design implies the conquering of nature by technology. By observing the students who reside in the Village, it is obvious that they are not taking any notice to the natural beauty that surrounds them. Very rarely are students seen sitting on the benches on the pathways, or even lingering outside for long periods of time. Life in the Village is an indoor endeavor, with very little outdoor living.

Considering the surroundings of the Ramapo College campus, it would be very simple to implement a landscaping project, which encourages the development of outdoor space in a sustainable manner, while at the same time encouraging students to engage in the outdoors. To explore and to learn about the wetlands that the Village abuts. Hands on knowledge are inherent to adopting and fostering sustainable practices. Without hands on outdoor experience, untrained people can not understand the viability of nature, or its connections to the human experience, and vice versa. Since involvement is a key factor in sustainability, it is critical that the campus community goes outdoors into nature to experience learning, learning cannot only be had in classrooms.

One way in which Ramapo College can bring students outdoors is through a properly implemented landscaping project, lead by students and faculty and actually implemented by the student community, particularly those who reside in the Village. Although, this endeavor may seem daunting, it is highly possible to create and to implement, through communication methods, as well as face-to-face interactions and interventions with the resident students.

A sustainable landscaping project in the Village would consist of small plots of land adjacent to the buildings in which small community gardens would be created. The reason why a large centralized community garden is difficult to implement in the Village is because there is very limited space in which any plants would do well. Instead, with smaller, essentially apartment gardens, a natural element could be added throughout the development to mimic a natural setting. The key is for the landscaping to not seem contrived and out of place. Instead it should flow with how the natural landscape around it is dictating.

Following suit, it is important that the landscaping project takes into account sustainable methods of gardening, such as xeriscaping and permaculture, and implements them accordingly. Both of the above mentioned methods for gardening apply sustainable methods, however they vary slightly. Xeriscaping "is a water-conservative approach to landscaping. It is important to utilize a xeriscaping approach, because of recent drought conditions over the growing seasons. The past couple of summers have illustrated to gardeners in the tri-state area (and the U.S. in general), how important water is not only for gardening, but for everyday survival. Through xeriscaping, gardeners can still maintain a lush, green garden and limit the amount of water they consume in the maintenance process.

Planning and design may actually lure people away from xeriscaping, because it is intensive and requires great familiarity with the chosen area. It is important to select plants according to their water needs as well as to the landscape itself. "Plants whose cultural requirements are appropriate to the local climate are emphasized, and care is taken to avoid wasting water to evaporation and run-off" (Wikipedia). The reason for this is that it will reduce stress, and lessen the likelihood that plants will succumb. It is also important to select plants "that tolerate or avoid water stress (xerophytes, halophytes, spring flowering bulbs, very deeply rooted plants) as ornamentals" (Wikipedia). It is also important to group plants with similar water tolerances together. Examples of these plants are "vegetables, fruits, flowers you just can’t live without.

It is also recommended that a soil analysis be done, this familiarizes the gardener with what he/she is working with, whether clay soil, sandy soil etc. Depending on the soil the gardener should implement techniques such as adding organic matter, or biological fertilizers. Xeriscaping also requires that the gardener implement proper usage of lawn area, for example, they should consider high traffic areas as lawn or turf areas, but ideally, in xeriscaping, the lawn may be turned into a patio or deck, to minimize the water needed for lawn maintenance. For those who must have lawns it is possible to utilize grasses that are heartier and require less water use.

Due to xeriscaping’s goal of minimizing water usage, irrigation systems are crucial. Xeriscaping generally recommends that xeriscapers utilize what is known as drip irrigation. This irrigation system essentially works from the ground up, there is no hose, or sprinkler system. "Drip irrigation slowly applies water to soil. The water flows under low pressure through emitters, bubblers or spray heads placed at each plant. Water applied by drip irrigation has little chance of waste through evaporation or runoff" (Texas Agricultural Extension Service). This system can be set with a timer. The kits are inexpensive and easily purchased at a local hardware store. However, if the case requires that sprinklers or hoses be used (as on the Ramapo College Campus) the rule of thumb is to water less frequently, but increase the efficiency. For example, if a sprinkler system is used, make sure to orient the water tolerant plants in areas that receive the most water from the sprinklers. It is also recommended that xeriscapers utilize timers if they must use sprinkler systems. The key with watering/irrigation is to limit not only the amount of water used, but to limit run-off, and evaporation. Essentially, less is more.

Another key component of xeriscaping is mulch. The reason mulch is so important is that it absorbs water, retards weed growth, and as it breaks down, it creates organic compounds which aid in plant growth. Mulches cut back on the need to water as often, and also on the need to utilize fertilizers.

Appropriate maintenance is the final principle in xeriscaping, however it is not the least important. This area deals with major pollution emitters, the lawn mower and fertilizers/pesticides. The Texas Agricultural Extension Service recommends that gardeners mow lawns at 3 inches, this will help conserve water and minimize the amount of time that lawn mowers are running, thus emitting pollution. They also stress that fertilizers should be used sparingly, specifically once in spring and again in the fall. This kind of fertilizing will ensure to "produce a beautiful turf without excess growth which demands frequent watering" (Texas Agricultural Extension Service). Only by implementing the aforementioned principles can xeriscaping be implemented correctly and yield proper results.

Permaculture is another method in creating a sustainable garden. Permaculture "is a contraction of "permanent agriculture" or "permanent culture". Permaculture is about designing ecological human habitats and food production systems" (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas). It is a method in which land use is all encompassing, which "strives for the harmonious integration of human dwellings, microclimate, annual and perennial plants, animals, soils, and water into stable productive communities" (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas). Central to permaculture is sustainable food production, although they do promote the use of renewable energy resources, green architecture, and egalitarian social and economic structures. Essentially, the movement promotes a holistic and community approach to integrating humanity into the natural world, while reducing the impacts that humanity has on the environment. What permaculture stresses, especially in developing food gardens is that they be small scale, it has even been suggested that _ acre to 1 acre plots are capable of yielding more for less.

Permaculture is also a proponent of "perennial cropping systems" "due to their sustainability" (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas). Key perennial crops in permaculture are trees. Permaculture is not a system, therefore implementing it is up to the individual, however, it stresses the use of biological controls, chisel plows, and no-till grazing. It is a land use movement not a production movement, therefore the emphasis is on utilizing renewable and sustainable methods in obtaining food that will not harm the environment. Instead, it considers the ecology around it and does what it is asking to have done to it. Emphasis is on utilizing renewable methods in obtaining food that will not harm the environment. It is important to once again emphasize that permaculture extends beyond the gardening realm. It is a manner in which humans can alter their relationships with the environment around them, in order to fit into an ecological niche that will complement, not destroy the natural world around them.

In attempting to create a landscaping project that is sustainable and can be properly implemented on the Ramapo College campus, I have chosen to meld both techniques, but have mostly utilized xeriscaping. This technique is important to the "apartment gardens" because it can be specifically fitted to each independent plot. Where I have adopted permaculture ideals is specifically in creating gardens that will attract birds and wildlife to the site. The key to my design idea is to create a setting that welcomes not only the Ramapo College students, but also the surrounding wildlife.

Project at the Village:

This year the landscaping team (Tony Dilemme, Rick Flynn, and myself) was actually given a plot of land to work with. The plot is relatively small in size approximately 15 feet by 6 feet, it abuts the main pathway and receives full sun all day. It is also bordering one of the condominium complexes, which would help bring the natural beauty closer to home. Through a group consensus it was decided that this particular plot of land would consist of birdhouses, bat houses, an arbor and a slate walkway that culminates in a bench/seating area where people can sit, relax, and contemplate their newly beautified surroundings.

I have proposed and received approval from Nancy Mackin for my estimate (see attached), which I will now discuss. The plants that I have selected with help from Trudy Weinacker at Hanover Floral Company are all deer resistant, drought tolerant and low maintenance (however they will require more watering for the first two years in order to become established). The majority of these plants will take to planting quite quickly, and are strong performers. All of the plants attract a variety of insect and bird species, and will fit in nicely on the Ramapo College campus.

The plants themselves would be arranged in conjunction with the walkway and structures. Essentially, the bulbs will be planted in groupings in front of the arbor, the trumpet vine will be placed at the base of the arbor, where it will be trained to climb and wrap around the entire arbor. I should note that hummingbirds are especially attracted to trumpet vine and are an exciting and welcome guest to the Ramapo Community. I have also selected juniper, specifically the Blue Rug Variety, for its color and its wonderful ability to trap water due to its low-lying growth. This would be placed throughout the plot, taking the place of the lawn area, this will lessen the amount of water necessary to maintain this plot. The two barberries will be set near the bench, where they will provide shade and serve to cool the observer on hot summer days. Azaleas were selected simply because they are beautiful, highly adaptable, and are a welcome addition to any garden. The sedum was chosen to add variety and color to the plot, and to attract insects, which will serve to pollinate.

With the proposed landscape program, the selected plot will be utilized to its fullest extent. Initial approval has been given to implement this plan in spring 2004. In preparation for this, we have handed flyers out to students at the Village, and are hoping to receive responses by email if anyone is interested in helping us plant.

After the initial planting it will be necessary to have maintenance, I have come up with two solutions. The first solution is to create a competition amongst those at the Village, teams would be set up to care for specific parts of the plot, whoever manages to successfully care for their section would be rewarded with a free dinner or with Ramabucks to purchase any item of their choice at the Poison Ivy store.

My second solution is that Environmental Studies students who live at the Village, as well as general Environmental Studies students, care for the plot. This will allow these students to get outside and earn hands on experience in their field. The reward would simply be knowledge and experience that they will carry on into the field upon graduation.

This plot of land offers us the opportunity to create a place on campus where we are always welcome. We will be able to toil, get dirty, and get to know one another better, by sharing in the experience of beautifying not only the campus, but our relationships to nature.

Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas. "Introduction to Permaculture". Accessed November 4, 2003.

http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/perma.html

Wikipedia The Free Encyclopedia. "Xeriscaping". October 18, 2003.

Accessed November 4, 2003.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xeriscaping