Montana State University
OP-10: Biodiversity

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)

Institutions may identify legally protected areas, internationally recognized areas, priority sites for biodiversity, and regions of conservation importance using the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) for Research & Conservation Planning, the U.S. Information, Planning, and Conservation (IPaC) decision support system, or an equivalent resource or study.