Priority Designations for Maintenance

In order to use the resources we have in the most efficient manner all areas of the UM campus have been given a priority designation for landscape maintenance. These designations are known as:
Priority One (P1), Priority Two (P2), and Priority Three (P3) The intent of priority designations is to concentrate our resources in the most visible areas of campus and to reduce the need for resources in outlying areas.

Priority One
These would be our best areas. In Priority One areas we would want to have maintenance done at the highest levels possible. Priority One areas would be designed with a richer palette of plants with more complex arrangements. Priority One areas would have the goal of always being outstanding in appearance.

Priority Two
These would be our general areas. In Priority Two areas we would want to have maintenance done at average levels. Priority Two areas would be designed with a simpler palette of plants with more simple arrangements. Priority Two areas would have the goal of being clean, simple, and tasteful in appearance.

Priority Three
These would be our open spaces, service areas, or natural areas. In Priority Three areas we would want to have maintenance done at lower levels. Priority Three areas would be designed with a very simple palette of plants or no plants at all with very simple arrangements. Priority Three areas would have the goal of being functional, simple, or natural in appearance.

View Priority Designation Maps

Horticulture Zone One (Adobe pdf 435k)
Horticulture Zone Two (Adobe pdf 204k)
Horticulture Zone Three (Adobe pdf 941k)
Horticulture Zone four (Adobe pdf 608k)
Horticulture Zone Five (Adobe pdf 258k)
Horticulture Zone Six (Adobe pdf 345k)
Horticulture Zone Seven (3 pages: Adobe pdf 715k)
Northwood I, II, and III (Adobe pdf 289k)
Northwood IV (Adobe pdf 260k)
Northwood V (Adobe pdf 172k)

Criteria for Choosing Priority Designations

The following guidelines are used when selecting which areas will receive P1, P2, or P3 designations

Criteria for Choosing Priority One Areas

• Intense use by students and faculty as gathering places or destination points
• Historically or architecturally significant buildings or sites
• Significant areas of interface between the University and the public (Theaters, visitor areas, major administration areas, gathering places, or destination points)
• Locations containing major works of art, fountains, or other unique features or landmarks
• Identified in campus master plans as a prominent area of campus

Criteria for Choosing Priority Two Areas

• Passive use by students and faculty such as open space and pedestrian circulation links between areas
• Academic or administrative buildings without historical or architectural significance but in prominent or visible locations
• Interface between University land and the public is moderate such as borders

Criteria for Choosing Priority Three Areas

• Service buildings or service spaces such as loading docks
• Natural areas
• Open space with little to no actual use by students or faculty
• Areas of little to no interface with the public or the interface is automobile orientated

Priority designations are evaluated each year to reflect changes in the campus and reductions or increases in landscape maintenance budgets

Maintenance Standards

The following are the landscape maintenance standards for P1, P2, and P3 areas.

Priority One Areas - High Intensity Landscaping and Maintenance

Maintenance Issues

• Walks, plazas, and steps are kept free of dirt and debris
• No snow storage on lawn areas
• Lawns, shrub beds, and building areas are kept free of litter
• Walks and bed lines have clean edges
• Leaves are removed promptly
• Shrub, perennial, and annual Beds are kept weed free
• Perennials, annuals, trees, and shrubs are fertilized at ideal rates
• All trees and shrubs are treated for disease and insect problems
• Shredded bark mulch is top dressed annually
• Trees have little to no dead wood
• Trees are pruned for aesthetic reasons
• Lawns are fertilized at ideal levels
• Lawns are kept free of broadleaf weeds and annual grasses
• Lawns are kept at approximately 3” high
• Lawns are aerified at ideal rates
• Lawns are repaired/renovated promptly

Design Issues that affect Maintenance

• Some hand mowing and string trimming is acceptable
• High number of ornamental trees and shrubs
• High number of annual and perennial beds
• Complex foundation plantings
• Automatic irrigation in all areas
• Moderate amount of brick paving

Priority Two Areas - Moderate Intensity Landscaping and Maintenance

Maintenance Issues

• Walks, plazas, and steps are kept moderately clean
• Lawns, shrub beds, and building areas are kept moderately free of litter
• Walks and bed lines are edged monthly
• Leaves are removed regularly
• Shrub and perennial beds are kept moderately free of weeds
• Perennials, trees, and shrubs are fertilized at moderate rates
• Select Trees and Shrubs receive insect and disease control.
• Shredded Bark Mulch is top dressed every other year
• Trees have little or some deadwood
• Specimen trees are pruned for aesthetic reasons
• Lawns are fertilized at moderate rates
• Lawns are on a broadleaf weed control program
• Lawns are kept mowed within a 3” to 6” range
• Lawns are aerified every other year

Design Issues that Affect Maintenance

• Minimal hand mowing and string trimming exist
• Moderate number of ornamental trees and shrubs
• Moderate number of perennial beds and annual beds
• Moderate amount of foundation plantings
• Automatic irrigation in lawn areas, quick couplers or hose bids for beds
• Minimal amount of brick paving

Priority Three Areas - Low Intensity Landscaping and Maintenance

Maintenance Issues

• Walks, plazas, and steps are swept seasonally
• Lawns, shrub beds, and building areas receive litter pick up every other week
• Walks and bed lines are not edged
• Leaves are removed only as needed or not removed
• Shrub beds are weeded monthly
• Trees and shrubs receive minimal or no fertilization
• Trees and shrubs receive minimal or no insect and disease control
• Shredded bark mulch is replaced every three years
• Trees are only pruned for safety or health reasons
• Lawns receive minimal or no fertilizer
• Lawns receive minimal or no weed control
• Lawns are kept mowed to a 4” to 8” range or seasonally
• Lawns are not aerified

Design Issues that Affect Maintenance

• Little hand mowing and no string trimming exist
• Minimal number of ornamental trees and shrubs
• Minimal or no foundation plantings
• No perennial or annual Beds
• Little to no irrigation, hose bids on buildings
• Little to no brick paving

Construction Services Facilities Maintenance Office of the Executive Director Plant Academy Plant Administration Plant Building and Grounds Services Plant Material and Moving Services Utilities & Plant Engineering Work Control

Contacts Comment on our service. Give us feedback on this page. Forms (list of all) Service Guide Service Shutdowns Crystal Reports Browser LearnerWeb Outlook Web Access Supervisor's Toolbox TS Web (Requires IE and B&F login) Wolverine Access

Architecture, Engineering and Construction - AEC Business & Finance Business & Finance Diversity Committee Facilities & Operations Facilities Users Network International Union of Operating Engineers Plant Operations - Materials Service Unit Occupational Safety & Environmental Health Parking & Transportation UM AFSCME Employees Union UM Hospital Facilities UM Housing Facilities UM Skilled Trades Union Voices of the Staff Work~Connections

Environmental Stewardship Planet Blue