| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 48.02 |
| Liaison | Zachary Czuprynski |
| Submission Date | Feb. 4, 2022 |
Prescott College
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Zachary
Czuprynski Sustainability Coordinator Green Mountain Center for Sustainablity |
"---"
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, 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:
Prescott College main campus boarders the Prescott National Forest.
Prescott College has a field station based in Kino Bay, Mexico. The town of Kino is bordered on one side by a large estuary known as Estero La Cruz or Laguna La Cruz which is a vitally important habitat for local and migratory wildlife, the economic driver for many of the local fisheries, and a culturally important site. Moreover, Laguna La Cruz was designated as a “Wetland of International Importance” on the February 2, 2013 by the Ramsar Convention. This designation was achieved through collaborative efforts of The Kino Bay Center, the University of Sonora and The National Commission for Protected Areas (CONANP). The designation created the foundation for future conservation efforts and opened opportunities for community participation through the development of sustainable projects that benefit the local community.
Prescott College also has a field station in Kenya called The Dopoi Center. The Center is located on ten acres of land overlooking the Maasai Mara Game Reserve in a rural and remote high savanna area of the Rift Valley near the town of Talek.
Prescott College has a field station based in Kino Bay, Mexico. The town of Kino is bordered on one side by a large estuary known as Estero La Cruz or Laguna La Cruz which is a vitally important habitat for local and migratory wildlife, the economic driver for many of the local fisheries, and a culturally important site. Moreover, Laguna La Cruz was designated as a “Wetland of International Importance” on the February 2, 2013 by the Ramsar Convention. This designation was achieved through collaborative efforts of The Kino Bay Center, the University of Sonora and The National Commission for Protected Areas (CONANP). The designation created the foundation for future conservation efforts and opened opportunities for community participation through the development of sustainable projects that benefit the local community.
Prescott College also has a field station in Kenya called The Dopoi Center. The Center is located on ten acres of land overlooking the Maasai Mara Game Reserve in a rural and remote high savanna area of the Rift Valley near the town of Talek.
Endangered and vulnerable species
Yes
A list of endangered and vulnerable species with habitats on land owned or managed by the institution, by level of extinction risk:
Prescott Main Campus:
White Fir (LC)
Bigtooth Maple (LC)
Boxelder Maple (LC)
Arctostaphylos pungens (LC)
Four-wing Saltbush (LC)
Desert-Willow (LC)
Alderleaf Mountain-mahogany (LC)
Arizona Cypress (LC)
Ponderosa Pine (LC)
Arizona Sycamore (LC)
Quaking Aspen (LC)
Robinia neomexicana (LC)
Salix exigua (LC)
Common Juniper (LC)
Alligator Juniper (LC)
Rocky Mountain Juniper (LC)
Sand Cholla (LC)
Emory Oak (LC)
Gambel Oak (LC)
Gray Oak (LC)
Erect Pricklypear (LC)
Purple Prickly Pear (LC)
Parry's Agave (LC)
Siberian Elm (LC) [invasive]
Kino Bay Center:
Elegent Tern (NT)
Least Tern (NT)
Yellow-footed Gull (LC)
Heermans Gull (NT)
Peregrine Falcon (LC)
Cooper’s Hawk (L)
Reddish Egret (NT)
Brant’s Goose (LC)
American Oystercatcher (LC)
Least Bittern (LC)
Clapper Rail (LC)
There are also migratory Green Sea Turtles ("endangered") and Bottlenose Dolphins ("least concern").
Dopoi Center:
No assessment has been completed.
White Fir (LC)
Bigtooth Maple (LC)
Boxelder Maple (LC)
Arctostaphylos pungens (LC)
Four-wing Saltbush (LC)
Desert-Willow (LC)
Alderleaf Mountain-mahogany (LC)
Arizona Cypress (LC)
Ponderosa Pine (LC)
Arizona Sycamore (LC)
Quaking Aspen (LC)
Robinia neomexicana (LC)
Salix exigua (LC)
Common Juniper (LC)
Alligator Juniper (LC)
Rocky Mountain Juniper (LC)
Sand Cholla (LC)
Emory Oak (LC)
Gambel Oak (LC)
Gray Oak (LC)
Erect Pricklypear (LC)
Purple Prickly Pear (LC)
Parry's Agave (LC)
Siberian Elm (LC) [invasive]
Kino Bay Center:
Elegent Tern (NT)
Least Tern (NT)
Yellow-footed Gull (LC)
Heermans Gull (NT)
Peregrine Falcon (LC)
Cooper’s Hawk (L)
Reddish Egret (NT)
Brant’s Goose (LC)
American Oystercatcher (LC)
Least Bittern (LC)
Clapper Rail (LC)
There are also migratory Green Sea Turtles ("endangered") and Bottlenose Dolphins ("least concern").
Dopoi Center:
No assessment has been completed.
Areas of biodiversity importance
Yes
A brief description of areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution:
The Kino Bay Center for Cultural and Ecological Studies is located on the edge of the Central Gulf Coast Subdivision of the Sonoran Desert, and on the shores of the Midriff Island region of the Gulf of California. This area represents a transition zone between the temperate and subtropical portions of the Gulf. The surrounding desert, marine, and island ecosystems are incredibly rich, diverse, and unique. The cultural landscape has a long and troubled history that is inextricably interwoven with the natural endowments of the region.
At the Dopoi Center in Kenya, the land is covered with acacia, olive, and other savanna vegetation, and over 300 species of birds including weaver, shrike, and spurfowl. It is also inhabited by elephants, lions, and other ungulate species, the latter especially during the months of June-October as it is on the path of the annual wildebeest migration from the Serengeti. The Center is surrounded by villages and their herds of cattle; several lodges are located nearby, especially along the Talek River, as well as private conservancies.
At the Dopoi Center in Kenya, the land is covered with acacia, olive, and other savanna vegetation, and over 300 species of birds including weaver, shrike, and spurfowl. It is also inhabited by elephants, lions, and other ungulate species, the latter especially during the months of June-October as it is on the path of the annual wildebeest migration from the Serengeti. The Center is surrounded by villages and their herds of cattle; several lodges are located nearby, especially along the Talek River, as well as private conservancies.
Methodologies
If yes to either of the above, provide the following:
The vegetation list of Prescott College Main Campus was conducted by landscaping staff who cross-checked a previous species/biodiversity assessment with new, on-campus observations. Updates were made accordingly to the previous assessment. All species were recorded and searched for on the IUCN Red List database to check the level of threat/risk.
A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):
The assessment on Main Campus only included vegetation. This assessment was conducted in Spring of 2020. The assessment on Kino Bay only included wildlife and was conducted in early 2021. No boundaries were excluded.
A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:
Main campus has The Butte Creek Restoration Council whose mission is to engage the Prescott College community, our creekside neighbors, and the larger Prescott community in projects that help restore, enhance, and celebrate Lower Butte Creek as the centerpiece of our expanding campus and a vital part of the Upper Granite Creek Watershed. The creek has been a part of a 15+ year restoration program with multiple stages of native planting, invasive species removal, and educational programming to improve the riparian habitat and education community members about the importance of wildlife habitat in riparian areas.
The purpose of the Prescott College Kino Bay Center Research and Conservation Program (RCP) is to:
Contribute to increasing scientific knowledge of the ecosystems and biodiversity in the region; Contribute to the development and implementation of collaborative intercultural initiatives to achieve sustainable relationships between human communities and the biodiversity and ecosystems in the region; Support and motivate collaboration between academic, non-government, research and community groups interested in conservation in the region.
The RCP implements the research agenda and supports projects conducted through collaborative agreements with approximately ten Mexican and American research, government, NGO, community, and academic institutions. The Center has supported dozens of projects in a broad array of disciplines, ranging from geology, to community-based fisheries management and desert ecology. The Center provides support for research and conservation projects in many ways, including: boat time, lab and desk space, communications, logistical support, local knowledge, data collection and sharing, meeting facilities, research design and implementation, lodging, and workshop facilitation. The RCP maintains the Center’s research metadata base and publications bibliography, as well as a rich database of photographs. The Center also facilitates and hosts regular workshops and small conferences toward the goal of supporting dialog between researchers, community members, government agents, educators, students and conservation practitioners to clarify priorities and plan feasible conservation strategies.
The Dopoi Center in Kenya is involved in various kinds of issues regarding biodiversity. Previously, students of Prescott College addressed the impacts of tourism on conservation efforts in Maasailand and presented their research findings to the Narok County Council. Current work is aimed at empowering the local Indigenous community to be involved in management issues, to use the Indigenous Ecological Knowledge, and to fight the use of fire to draw wildebeest.
The purpose of the Prescott College Kino Bay Center Research and Conservation Program (RCP) is to:
Contribute to increasing scientific knowledge of the ecosystems and biodiversity in the region; Contribute to the development and implementation of collaborative intercultural initiatives to achieve sustainable relationships between human communities and the biodiversity and ecosystems in the region; Support and motivate collaboration between academic, non-government, research and community groups interested in conservation in the region.
The RCP implements the research agenda and supports projects conducted through collaborative agreements with approximately ten Mexican and American research, government, NGO, community, and academic institutions. The Center has supported dozens of projects in a broad array of disciplines, ranging from geology, to community-based fisheries management and desert ecology. The Center provides support for research and conservation projects in many ways, including: boat time, lab and desk space, communications, logistical support, local knowledge, data collection and sharing, meeting facilities, research design and implementation, lodging, and workshop facilitation. The RCP maintains the Center’s research metadata base and publications bibliography, as well as a rich database of photographs. The Center also facilitates and hosts regular workshops and small conferences toward the goal of supporting dialog between researchers, community members, government agents, educators, students and conservation practitioners to clarify priorities and plan feasible conservation strategies.
The Dopoi Center in Kenya is involved in various kinds of issues regarding biodiversity. Previously, students of Prescott College addressed the impacts of tourism on conservation efforts in Maasailand and presented their research findings to the Narok County Council. Current work is aimed at empowering the local Indigenous community to be involved in management issues, to use the Indigenous Ecological Knowledge, and to fight the use of fire to draw wildebeest.
Optional Fields
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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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