| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 47.09 |
| Liaison | Tom Hartzell |
| Submission Date | June 28, 2017 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Calvin University
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Becky
Haney Associate Professor Economics |
"---"
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, and/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:
Calvin College owns and manages two nature preserves - the 100-acre Calvin College Ecosystem Preserve (CCEP) (http://www.calvin.edu/academic/eco-preserve/about/ccephistory.html) and the 68-acre Flat Iron Lake Preserve (FILP) (http://www.calvin.edu/academic/eco-preserve/about/filphistory.html). Flat Iron Lake Preserve was established with a legally binding preservation agreement betwen the donors (Fritz and Carol Rottman) and Calvin College, the Calvin College Ecosystem Preserve is not legally protected, but has institutional commitment to its ongoing protection in perpetuity.
Has the institution conducted an assessment or assessments to identify endangered and vulnerable species (including migratory species) with habitats on institution-owned or –managed land?:
Yes
Has the institution conducted an assessment or assessments to identify environmentally sensitive areas on institution-owned or –managed land?:
Yes
If yes to either of the above, provide the following:
We have done botanical inventories at both sites, along with a Floristic Quality Assessment for the CCEP. The plant list for the preserve can be found at (http://www.calvin.edu/academic/eco-preserve/whattosee/pdfs/NEW%20Plant%20Checklist.pdf), and a vertebrate list for the preserve can be found at
vertebrate list (http://www.calvin.edu/academic/eco-preserve/whattosee/pdfs/Vertebrate%20Animals.pdf)
Although not posted online we have also generated a plant list for the FILP, with particular emphasis on the aquatic plants growing in the kettle lake at this site.
A brief description of identified species, habitats and/or environmentally sensitive areas:
The CCEP has an unusual kettle swamp that has been set apart as off limits to the general public. It also supports a series of ephemeral ponds that are high quality breeding areas for native frogs, toads and salamanders. The FILP has a kettle lake which supports a large diversity of aquatic plants, insects and fish. It is also home to a 17 acre tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Among the unusual species that call these preserves home are Blandings turtles, Box turtles, Great-horned owls, Gray fox, and several state threatened plants including Cup plant, Compass plant, Rosinweed, Beak grass, Side-oats grama, Rattlesnake master, False boneset, and Davis' sedge.
A brief description of plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats and/or environmentally sensitive areas:
Each summer we have an active management crew to do work in both preserves, conducting bird and mammal surveys and also controlling invasive species. The CCEP has a formal Preserve Management Plan and we have a burn plan for each preserve, which details which area need to be burned annually to promote habitat health and discourage invasive species. Each summer two students are hired to be caretakers and research assistants at the FILP and during the academic year with have a student intern hired to do restoration work in the CCEP.
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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