HFC Green Grounds Certification Standards

Note:  There are four different tiers to this certification: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. To acquire the Silver level, the campus must meet all of the Bronze Standards and Silver Standards; Gold level entities must meet all of the Bronze Standards, the Silver Standards and the Gold Standards; Platinum level entities must meet all of the Bronze Standards, the Silver Standards, the Gold Standards, and the Platinum Standards.

Bronze

50% of managed areas of campus (excluding sports fields) are managed without synthetic pesticides and meet the following criteria: 

• Campus has an IPM plan or policy that indicates that synthetic pesticides should be used only as a last resort, and implements this policy

• Campus can detail work of any contractors contracted to do land management  

• Campus has a plan to continue to reduce synthetic pesticide use and achieve higher levels of this certification 

• Campus has PUR reports from past 12 months

• Campus utilizes HFC signage to showcase certification and highlight organic areas on campus  

Silver

70% of managed areas of campus (excluding sports fields) are managed without synthetic pesticides and meet the following criteria:

• Campus grounds departments collaborate with students and engage students in campus land care 

• Campus tests soil health to HFC standards

• Campus is reducing synthetic fertilizer use and is transitioning to OMRI Certified Organic fertilizers

Gold

90% of managed areas of campus (excluding sports fields) are managed without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers and meet the following criteria:

1. Campus is actively working to increase presence of native plants on campus 

2. Campus is working to reduce water use on campus through landscape management