| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 72.36 |
| Liaison | Andrew D'Amico |
| Submission Date | Nov. 13, 2024 |
Princeton University
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Daniel
Casey Coordinating Architect Office of the University Architect |
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:
Princeton manages woodlands and protected wetlands adjacent to the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, Carnegie Lake, and Charles H. Rogers Wildlife Refuge. The University also manages protected stream corridors within the campus (Elm Drive Steam, Washington Road Stream), which empty into Carnegie Lake.
Endangered and vulnerable species
A list of endangered and vulnerable species with habitats on land owned or managed by the institution, by level of extinction risk:
Here’s the updated information:
Endangered Species and Their Habitats
-
Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Bald Eagle) - Endangered
- Habitat Requirements: Open water and associated riparian habitat.
- Key Areas: Carnegie Lake and vicinity.
- Recommendations: Encourage healthy riparian habitats and minimize increased human activities. Targeted searching and evaluation should occur in these areas.
-
Zigadenus leimanthoides (Death-camus) - Endangered
- Habitat Requirements: Wet, sandy pinelands, bogs, and savannas of coastal plain and piedmont.
- Key Areas: Wetland shrubland/woodland is in the extreme southeastern corner of the property, where the Millstone River flows south from Carnegie Lake.
- Recommendations: Targeted searching should occur in these areas.
-
Ardea herodias (Great Blue Heron) - “Special Concern”
- Habitat Requirements: Open water and associated riparian habitat.
- Key Areas: Carnegie Lake and vicinity.
- Recommendations: Encourage healthy riparian habitat, minimize increased human activities. Targeted searching and evaluation should occur in these areas.
-
Melanerpes erythrocephalus (Red-headed Woodpecker) - Threatened
- Habitat Requirements: Open woodland habitat.
- Key Areas: Open landscape areas at Alexander Road and West Drive intersect.
- Recommendations: Encourage open woodland habitat and minimize increased human activities. Consider managing lawn areas as meadows. Targeted searching should occur in this area.
-
Stachys tenuifolia (Smooth Hedgenettle) - “Special Concern”
- Habitat Requirements: Open floodplain habitats can occur in open woodlands in more upland habitats.
- Key Areas: Large restored meadow near the eastern terminus of Carnegie Lake and along the Stony Brook.
- Recommendations: Species is highly susceptible to deer browse. Targeted searching should occur in these areas.
Non-Native Endangered Species on Princeton Land
-
Magnolia zenii (Zen Magnolia) – Critically Endangered
- Status: Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List.
- Key Areas: One tree on the northeast corner of the art museum (to remain and be protected) and a second tree to be moved closer to Prospect House.
- Notes: This species exists in only 40 collections worldwide, 15 of which are in China. Princeton has two of these trees.
-
Torreya taxifolia (Stinking Cedar) – Critically Endangered
- Status: Native to Florida and Georgia, with less than 1000 known mature individuals left in the world.
- Key Areas: To be transplanted to the northwest corner of the Architecture Building.
- Notes: Trees within the native range are highly susceptible to a fungal blight, which does not survive Princeton’s cold winters, allowing this tree to thrive.
Areas of biodiversity importance
A brief description of areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution:
The Property contains excellent examples of the natural heritage within the Piedmont physiographic region, especially areas containing old-growth and riparian forests, shrubland, and meadow habitats. 56 different plant community types were identified during field surveys, including communities dominated by oaks/hickories and Silver Maple/Pin Oak. Shrubland and meadow communities and forest communities provide habitats harboring diverse elements of our flora and fauna. Although rare species were not encountered during the survey, five species, including the Bald Eagle, have been documented or may occur on the Property. The Property contains portions of Stony Brook, Millstone River, and Carnegie Lake and their associated wetland plant communities. These riparian corridors are vital for wildlife in a highly developed landscape, including multiple high-traffic roadways.
Princeton also manages the 1970 Woods–a roughly six-acre parcel believed to be the oldest undeveloped woodland on campus. Includes a portion of the protected Elm Drive Stream corridor.
Methodologies
If yes to either of the above, provide the following:
A natural resources inventory and evaluation criteria for assessing forested areas were completed as part of a habitat survey for the 2026 Campus Plan. The evaluation criteria consist of an ecological integrity index that will be used by the University to inform land-use decisions. The index is structurally similar to the Index for Biotic Integrity (IBI) concept used in wetland evaluation. It is based on the review of 18 metrics that can be scored for each natural area or greenspace on campus to allow land-use managers to make informed choices about proposed changes to campus.
A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):
14 different sites were evaluated and approximate classifications were used to identify endangered and vulnerable species.
A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:
As described in the 2019 Campus Plan, the University strives to protect, restore, and enhance the campus's wetlands, streams, and habitats, particularly around Lake Carnegie. The University's extensive stormwater management initiatives play a central role in achieving these aims. As of 2023, 191 acres of Princeton's campus have enhanced stormwater management. A comprehensive stormwater study is anticipated to be finalized in August 2024, ensuring the University goes beyond regulatory compliance and continues to improve natural resources and bolster resilience on campus.
Princeton has also implemented tactics to protect healthy habitats, such as a deer control program, reduced light pollution in parking lots, and native species planting across campus. The efforts to plant native species enhance the habitat connectivity along Lake Carnegie and stream corridors and restore the health of habitat areas where exotic and invasive species are predominant without compromising future development needs.
Optional Fields
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.