Overall Rating	Gold
Overall Score	72.94
Liaison	Jen Maxwell
Submission Date	Dec. 5, 2023

STARS v2.2

Appalachian State University
OP-10: Biodiversity

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	2.00 / 2.00 This credit is weighted more heavily for institutions that own or manage land that includes or is adjacent to any of the following: Legally protected areas (e.g., IUCN Category I-VI) Internationally recognized areas (e.g., World Heritage, Ramsar, Natura 2000) Priority sites for biodiversity (e.g., Key Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites) Regions of conservation importance (e.g., Endemic Bird Areas, Biodiversity Hotspots, High Biodiversity Wilderness Areas) 2 points are available for this credit if the institution owns or manages land that includes or is adjacent to any of the above. 1 point is available for this credit for all other institutions. Close	Jim Dees Data and Assessment Specialist Office of Sustailability

"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution own or manage land that includes or is adjacent to legally protected areas, internationally recognized areas, priority sites for biodiversity, or regions of conservation importance?:

Yes

A brief description of the legally protected areas, internationally recognized areas, priority sites for biodiversity, and/or regions of conservation importance:

Legally protected lands:
The Appalachian Nature Preserve is a 67.4 acre area of Appalachian State's main campus that is pursuant to the Nature Preserves Act (North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 113A, Article 9A, and the NC Department of Administration) for the purpose of dedicating said lands as a North Carolina Nature Preserve.

Priority sites for biodiversity:
Appalachian State University owns a 252-acre tract of land in Ashe County, North Carolina acquired by the university in the late 1990s from alumnus Robert F. Gilley. The Gilley Field Station and associated property is a natural and undisturbed location that serves Appalachian as a long-term biology research and education lab.

Region of conservation importance:
Appalachian State owns approximately 13 acres on land along the South Fork of the New River that is designated as part of the Town of Boone Greenway Trail. This site has been delineated as Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) habitat and is the location of a 2.65 million dollar stream restoration project.

Appalachian owns an additional 4 properties (totaling 526 acres) that are in Watauga and Ashe counties that are subject to traditional conservation easements imposed by previous owners.

Endangered and vulnerable species

Has the institution conducted an assessment to identify endangered and vulnerable species (including migratory species) with habitats on land owned or managed by the institution?:

Yes

A list of endangered and vulnerable species with habitats on land owned or managed by the institution, by level of extinction risk:

Kanawah Darter (Etheostoma kanawhae)
Kanawah minnow, Phenacobius teretulus
Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis)
American Chestnut

Areas of biodiversity importance

Has the institution conducted an assessment to identify areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution?:

Yes

A brief description of areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution:

The follow areas were deemed important enough to assess: the App State bioreserve, the Blackburn -Vannoy teaching farm, and local streams and rivers (including S. Fork New at the Greenway)

Methodologies

If yes to either of the above, provide the following:

The methodologies used to identify endangered and vulnerable species and/or areas of biodiversity importance and any ongoing assessment and monitoring mechanisms:

Direct sampling by Ecotoxicology, Freshwater ecology, aquatic ecology and Ichthyology classes under the direction of Dr. Robert Creed, Dr. Shea Tuberty and Dr. Mike Gangloff using NC Department of Environmental and Natural Resources protocol entitled "STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE BIOLOGICAL MONITORING STREAM FISH COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM".

http://portal.ncdenr.org/c/document_library/get_file?p_l_id=1169848&folderId=125626&name=DLFE-78577.pdf

A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):

NC Department of Environmental and Natural Resources protocol entitled "STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE BIOLOGICAL MONITORING STREAM FISH COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT PROGRAM".

A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:

Appalachian State in legally bound by North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 113A, Article 9A to ensure the continued stewardship of the Appalachian Nature Preserve.

Optional Fields

Estimated percentage of areas of biodiversity importance that are also protected areas :

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Website URL where information about the institution’s biodiversity initiatives is available:

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Additional documentation to support the submission:

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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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