Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 40.54
Liaison Rebecca Quesnell
Submission Date Dec. 18, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Roosevelt University
OP-11: Biodiversity

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Rebecca Quesnell
Sustainable Operations Coordinator
Physical Resources
"---" 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, and/or regions of conservation importance?:
Yes

A brief description of any legally protected areas, internationally recognized areas, priority sites for biodiversity, and/or regions of conservation importance on institution owned or managed land:

The Chicago campus is located within 5 miles off the shore of Lake Michigan. As part of the Great Lakes, it is protected under a number of national and international treaties and compacts. It is also located within 1 mile of Grant Park which sites multiple parks, athletic fields, internationally recognized museums, and historical landmarks. The Schaumburg campus is located within 3 miles of Busse Woods, a federally recognized forest preserve that has also achieved National Natural Landmark status due to its 489-acres of unusual combination of flatwoods, upland forests, and marshes. This is adjacent land to Roosevelt--the University does not own or manage the land.


Has the institution conducted an assessment or assessments to identify endangered and vulnerable species with habitats on institution-owned or –managed land?:
Yes

Has the institution conducted an assessment or assessments to identify environmentally sensitive areas on institution-owned or –managed land?:
Yes

The methodology(-ies) used to identify endangered and vulnerable species and/or environmentally sensitive areas and any ongoing assessment and monitoring mechanisms:

Sustainability interns have identified and inventoried all trees on campus. They are now in the process of marking and tagging them to clearly identify the more than 25 tree and woody shrub types on the Schaumburg campus. Roosevelt University’s complete landscape inventory is based upon field-based assessments, as a means to measure the physical structure and condition of each tree. This information is used for landscape management by connecting forest functions and values with management costs, risks, and needs. Environmental Sciences classes have also conducted insect studies in Schaumburg's created native areas over the last few years.


A brief description of identified species, habitats and/or environmentally sensitive areas:

Roosevelt's Schaumburg campus, one of the largest urban centers near Chicago, is surrounded by shopping malls and commercial buildings, which are unfriendly to wildlife. However, thanks to restoration, the campus serves as an important oasis for migrating birds, insects and animals of all types, such as mourning doves, golden finches, geese, ducks, bumble bees, wasps, golden rod spiders, butterflies, and twelve-spot skimmer dragonflies.


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

Roosevelt University is a Certified Wildlife Habitat® by the National Wildlife Federation. The University's Schaumburg campus provides food, water, cover and a place to raise young as demonstrated by the families of geese, ducks, birds and insects living and breeding on campus. Native biodiversity is supported through a constant flow of water through a detention basin, which also serves to detain rain water and protect streams from erosion. Native wildflowers support insects which in turn feed birds and others up through the food chain. Many different species of deciduous and coniferous trees provide nuts and other food as well as a protective place for birds to raise their young. Surprisingly, Roosevelt University urban buildings in Chicago support biodiversity, too. Green roofs substitute for lost habitat by providing space for plants, related microbes, biota and insects to thrive. Birds find unexpected resting places and nesting support.


The website URL where information about the institution’s biodiversity policies and programs(s) is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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