What to Expect: This level of service is found in the campus core and areas of intense use by students and faculty at gathering places or destination points. Historically or architecturally significant buildings or sites, significant areas of interface between the university and the public (theatres, visitor areas, major administration areas, and gathering places), locations containing major works of art, fountains, or other unique features or landmarks, identified in the Campus Master Plan as a prominent area on campus. Areas will display shrub massing and tree planting with attractive specimens with an educational focus, as well as seasonal flowerbeds. Sidewalks will be edged. Tree bases will be mulched. Turf will be healthy and ascetically pleasing. Mechanical irrigation will be present. Bike racks, benches, trash receptacles near sidewalks (landfill only, no exterior recycling), trash picked up outside, exterior lighting provided on green spaces and buildings, exterior way finding signage, letters on each building. Grounds work impacted by weather and seasons. Note: Work schedule will be rearranged to accommodate outdoor events held on campus. Baseline does not include perennial or bulb splitting. Currently plant or bulbs are replaced rather than split. Note: Hours dedicated to tree maintenance preserves the U of Iowa’s Tree Campus USA designation.
| Frequency | Task |
|---|---|
| Daily | Litter removal 2 x a day, debris removal in turf, building entrances and stairs, litter receptacle collection, garbage collection, snow removal and sand application on sidewalks, service drive and entrances as needed seasonally. Site furniture and amenities (building signs, tables, benches, bike racks and litter receptacles) are inspected daily for stickers, graffiti and damage. |
| Weekly | Turf mowed to maintain a 3 1/2” height (could be 2 x a week during growing season). Trimming done once a week. Mowing and trimming schedule is dependent on season and weather (i.e. when grass growth slows in the fall, the mowing occurs less frequently). Recycling receptacle collection. Weeding of flowerbed and developed planting areas (including flower deadheading and plant pinching) every week. Annual flowerbeds and planters (seasonal) watered 3 x times per week. Newly planted trees and shrubs (up to 2 years) watered weekly. |
| Future Planned Work | Edge all turf/sidewalk boundaries 2 x a year, aeration as required but not less than two times per year, lawns and sidewalk margins are repaired / renovated promptly. Trees inspected quarterly for hazardous limbs or structural defects to be pruned. Formal hedges trimmed a minimum of 2 x per year, prune dead branches and remove dead plants 2 x month. Perennials or bulbs replaced/split. Post and chain inspected 2 x a month. Sidewalks repaired promptly. |
| Annually | An organic based turf program with small amounts of fertilizers and pesticides applied 5 x a year, sidewalk inspections, leaves removed in the fall, tree inventory updated and replacements planned as necessary, tree inspection and pruning, natural edging of beds and tree circles, mulch replacement, annuals planted in the spring for Graduation and replaced with mums in the fall for Homecoming, power washing of litter receptacles and benches, update and review Landscape Management Plan. Prepare grounds and assist set up of Convocation and President Picnic. |