| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.30 |
| Liaison | Stephen Ellis |
| Submission Date | May 31, 2024 |
Boston University
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.50 / 1.00 |
Gabrielle
Brewer Sustainability Analyst BU Sustainability |
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?:
A brief description of the legally protected areas, internationally recognized areas, priority sites for biodiversity, and/or regions of conservation importance:
Endangered and vulnerable species
A list of endangered and vulnerable species with habitats on land owned or managed by the institution, by level of extinction risk:
Peregrine falcon --- nesting box placed on the roof of residence building at West Campus, Boston University. Is listed as a Least concern species.
Red-tailed hawk --- nest on the side of the eighth floor of the 265-foot School of Law main tower. The red-tailed hawk is protected in North America under the Migratory Bird Act. Is listed as a Least concern species.
Areas of biodiversity importance
A brief description of areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution:
Methodologies
If yes to either of the above, provide the following:
One example was that Mass Wildlife visited campus to band a pair of newborn peregrine falcon chicks whose family had taken up residence on Commonwealth Avenue. Two bands were placed on the legs of the falcons. The first, on the right leg, identifies the species for a database organized by the North American Bird Banding Program. The second, put on the left leg, is a ‘field readable’ band, meaning that researchers can see the numbers and letters from a distance. They have two numbers and two letters repeated all the way around the band so it can be easily seen at any angle. This second band helps researchers to track the age of the birds and how far they travel.
A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):
When Boston University faces animal problems, we reach out to our collaborating partner the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife to relocate the animals. For example, in the past BU has helped Mass Wildlife relocate nesting pairs of Red-tailed hawks to the Quabbin Reservoir in the western part of the state. Moving these animals was necessary for their safety as they often roosted on fire escapes outside of active office spaces.
A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:
BU strives to provide a pest-free environment by using an Integrated Pest Management program that involves inspecting properties, elimination of food and harborage, identification of pests, and exclusion measures to keep them out of University facilities. Over the years BU has worked to protect and preserve wildlife on campus and its habitat by collaborating with Mass Wildlife. The University’s commitment to sustainability also helps to protect the environment which benefits the campus community, human and animal alike. Boston University has been collaborating with Mass Wildlife since 2013 monitoring a family of Peregrine falcons. The Campus Planning & Operations have recently banded four new falcons at West Campus with the help of MassWildlife in 2023. URL for the Instagram post of the new Peregrine Falcons https://www.instagram.com/p/CtO89JCu9oU/
Optional Fields
Website URL where information about the institution’s biodiversity initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
This represents FY2023 BU Metrics.
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.