Overall Rating	Gold
Overall Score	75.28
Liaison	Yumiko Jakobcic
Submission Date	March 3, 2023

STARS v2.2

Grand Valley 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	Yumiko Jakobcic Campus Sustainability Coordinator Office of Sustainability Practices

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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:

The streams on campus flow into the Grand River and are considered "waters of the state." They are protected under Part 301 of Michigan's Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act.

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:

Virginia Bluebells - Endangered

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 ravines are dominated by hardwood trees, primarily sugar maple. The wetlands and streams at the ravine bottom support a variety of wetland plants, including legally-protected Virginia bluebells.

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:

The streams and ravines on campus are used regularly by ecology, mammalogy, natural resources, and other classes. Environmental engineers have noted the presence of legally-protected Virginia bluebells in the ravine systems.

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

Students routinely investigate ravine sites for sensitive species and areas as part of their lab experiences.

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

The GVSU Facilities Department actively manages stormwater flows in the ravines to reduce erosion and protect sensitive areas. Facilities collaborates with the Stormwater Advisory Group, which includes faculty, staff, students, and consulting engineers, to enhance the ravine ecosystems.

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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