| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 46.06 |
| Liaison | Kristina Hope |
| Submission Date | Dec. 18, 2020 |
Knox College
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 1.00 |
Deborah
Steinberg Director of Campus Sustainability Initiatives Office of 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:
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?:
A list of endangered and vulnerable species with habitats on land owned or managed by the institution, by level of extinction risk:
4 toed salamanders (a state listed species) are living and reproducing at Green Oaks. Henslow's sparrow has been observed breeding at Green Oaks.
Has the institution conducted an assessment to identify areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution?:
A brief description of areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution:
Assessments have found plants that are considered indicators of high quality habitat - species that we would expect to find only in fairly intact and undisturbed habitat.
The methodologies used to identify endangered and vulnerable species and/or areas of biodiversity importance and any ongoing assessment and monitoring mechanisms:
At Green Oaks Field Station, we do regular sampling for species diversity and abundance each year. The prairies are an endangered ecosystem and some of the species are rare although not classified as endangered or vulnerable. Faculty regularly sample for bird species diversity and in the prairies for plant diversity and in the woods for tree species diversity. The director does annual assessments of the presence of spring ephemeral wildflowers. Other groups are sampled less frequently, often by students doing independent research projects.
A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):
Knox College's Green Oaks Biological Field Station, located near the Spoon River in eastern Knox County, is about 20 miles (32 kilometers) east of the Knox campus. Green Oaks is both a research and recreation area. It encompasses 700 acres (283 hectares) of forest, grassland and aquatic habitat and is the second site in the nation where a tallgrass prairie was restored. While we do not go out and specifically monitor Green Oaks in an attempt to identify endangered and vulnerable species, we have regular monitoring programs for several taxonomic groups that allow us to identify those species if they are present at Green Oaks
A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:
The site is protected by regular prairie burns, limiting access and regulating hunting, fishing, and harvesting of organisms at Green Oaks.
Estimated percentage of areas of biodiversity importance that are also protected areas :
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:
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.