| Overall Rating | Bronze - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 30.46 |
| Liaison | Jesse Carswell |
| Submission Date | Oct. 11, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Southern New Hampshire University
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
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?:
A brief description of the legally protected areas, internationally recognized areas, priority sites for biodiversity, and/or regions of conservation importance:
Legally protected areas: Local and State regulations for the Shoreland Protection area for work within 250 feet of the river.
Local and State regulations pertaining to work in or adjacent to jurisdictional wetlands.
Deed restriction conservation area adjacent to Messer Brook on SNHU property.
SNHU holds land that is of conservation importance.
Examples include:
- The land area adjacent to the Merrimack River and for the Prime Wetlands. This is where Messer Brook meets the river. The area falls under the Shoreland Protection area as required by NHDES (New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services).
- SNHU campus has jurisdictional wetlands throughout the campus land that fall under NHDES and Town regulations that limit work and protect those areas.
- SNHU abuts Messer Brook to the north, which has a conservation deed restriction on the area adjacent to the brook to preserve the area buffering that brook.
SNHU does not own or manage any land that is protected as an internationally recognized area under IUCN Category I-VI, World Heritage, Ramsar, Natura 2000, Key Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, Endemic Bird Areas, Biodiversity Hotspots, or High Biodiversity Wilderness Areas.
Has the institution conducted an assessment or assessments to identify endangered and vulnerable species (including migratory species) with habitats on institution-owned or –managed land?:
Has the institution conducted an assessment or assessments to identify environmentally sensitive areas on institution-owned or –managed land?:
The methodologies used to identify endangered and vulnerable species and/or environmentally sensitive areas (including most recent year assessed) and any ongoing assessment and monitoring mechanisms:
Using the federally listed species for the geographic region the SNHU campus resides in.
A brief description of identified species, habitats and/or environmentally sensitive areas:
Bald Eagles – we look for trees and habitat (if any in the area) with the railroad and Eversource easement in these areas, however, there was no habitat to protect.
Brook Floaters – we avoided any work within the river. Plants were looked for in order to protect – none were found in the area of the project. In other cases, we have removed invasive species.
Long-Eared Bat – trees were cut in the season that avoided disturbance of pups.
A brief description of plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats and/or environmentally sensitive areas:
N/A
The website URL where information about the programs or 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.