| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 73.94 |
| Liaison | Caitlin Steele |
| Submission Date | July 21, 2023 |
San Francisco State University
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
caitlin
Steele Dr of Sust & Energy 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:
The campus is located near Lake Merced which is a major water, recreational, and natural resource for the City and County of San Francisco and its surrounding area. It is also an important stop for migratory birds on the Pacific Flyway. More than half of the park is managed by the Recreation and Parks Department's Natural Areas Program, which works to restore and protect habitat for birds and other wildlife, as well as to maintain and improve trails.
http://sustain.sfsu.edu/
The campus is located near Ocean Beach, part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which is habitat for the Western Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus)-a threatened species. In California, there has been a significant decline in breeding locations as a result of various forms of human disturbance. The species is being strictly monitored and protected by the National Park Service. https://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/oceanbeach.htm
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:
snowy plover - threatened
SFSU has an extensive process for approvals under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and its related Environmental Impact Report. The campus has an approved master plan from 2017 and went through the CEQA and the EIR process at that time. All buildings built after 2007 had to be approved in the CEQA process. If the campus veers from the master plan approved process it is subject to a new CEQA approval. The CEQA process outlines the campuses response to environmental impacts and to habitat impact as it relates to new infrastructure.
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:
BIO-1: Construction of the proposed bridge underpass, creek inlet, and path connection, and the discharge of storm water into Lake Merced could potentially affect wetlands and other sensitive habitats, as well as special-status plant and wildlife species in the adjacent Lake Merced.
The methodologies used to identify endangered and vulnerable species and/or areas of biodiversity importance and any ongoing assessment and monitoring mechanisms:
Table 2-1 of the Environmental Impact Report for the 2007 Campus Master Plan, which is presented at the end of Chapter 2, provides a complete list of all impacts and mitigation measures. For each impact, Table 2-1 reports the significance of the impact before mitigation, applicable mitigation measures, and the level of significance of the impact after the implementation of the mitigation measures.
A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):
see attached
A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:
BIO-1A: The new path connection and the new seasonal creek inlet in the East Lake area shall be located in consultation with the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The new path connection shall be sited to minimize loss of wetland and other sensitive habitats (including bulrush marsh and willow scrub areas along the lake edge) to the extent feasible, and the path will also be sited to avoid bringing people into sensitive bird habitat.
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 campus has a number of Environmental Impact Reports that detail protection of habitat near campus.
The campus has a number of Environmental Impact Reports that detail protection of habitat near campus.
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.