HERSHEY, Pa. — Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center was granted a 3-star Landscape Management and Operations Accreditation by the Professional Grounds Management Society, a national organization.
Terry Kreiser, associate director of facilities operations, said his inspiration to apply for the accreditation was to provide recognition to his grounds team and to determine how well they are doing in the industry.
“We wanted to gain some assurance that we were doing the right things and meeting or exceeding industry best practices,” Kreiser said. “We also wanted to learn ways that we might improve our current practices.”
The accreditation recognizes the Medical Center’s forward-thinking approach to seeking and setting standards and expectations, as demonstrated with its Campus Tree Inventory, Forest Management Plan, Native Planting and Maintenance Strategies, Campus Stormwater Study, and the Landscape Master Plan. It also recognizes the institution’s sustainable maintenance activities, which include reforestation, planting of native materials, composting, pervious pavements, rain gardens, green roof gardens, and the use of battery and electric equipment and vehicles.
For more information on the accreditation, visit http://pgms.org/accreditation/.