| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 48.09 |
| Liaison | Tara Shimer |
| Submission Date | April 18, 2024 |
State University of New York at Morrisville
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Bill
Mitchell Energy & Sustainability Manager Facilities |
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 245.4 acre Sadoff Farm and Woodlot is adjacent to and drains into the Nelson Swamp NYSDEC Area (104.7 acres) which contains rare plants and animals as part of the National Wetlands Inventory (NWI). The most recent survey cataloged 400 species of vascular plants including the endangered striped coral root and threatened spreading globe flower. Morrisville Swamp at 32.1 acres is also part of the National Wetlands Inventory, and the college manages 143.9 acres of adjacent land to the north of the swamp at the headlands of the Chenango River, which eventually drains into Chesapeake Bay. Crane Lodge as part of the Georgetown woodlot at 178.7 acres, which are surrounded by 1,290 acres of NYS primitive forest land. The 14.2 acre Whites Farm contains a portion of 11.7 acre forested wetland that is registered with the NWI. Morrisville's Chernoff property at 25.2 acres contains portions of a larger forested wetland at 42.7 acres on the NWI, and Jenny Farm at 53.8 acres has ~13.6 acres of forested wetland on the NWI.
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:
The Southern Pygmy Clubtail - Dragonfly (Lanthus vernalis Carle, 1980) is an Odonate 'species of conservation concern' and can be found in the stream, and on lands managed as part of the SUNY Morrisville "living-laboratory" conservation areas, more specifically an area surrounding Oneida Creek just north of the SUNY Morrisville Equine Center.
While not listed by New York State as Endangered or Threatened, this species is of conservation concern to the state, and considered rare by the New York Natural Heritage Program.
Please note that this animal was handled safely, photographed, and released unharmed.
SUNY Morrisville has conducted research on and mitigation of invasive species that have encroached on campus-owned and managed lands.
Areas of biodiversity importance
A brief description of areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution:
Many college lands either include or abut Federal or State listed wetlands and areas of special concern, State Forests and State Wildlife Areas. Additionally, thousands of acres of State Lands and Waters are easily accessible.
Methodologies
If yes to either of the above, provide the following:
Through regular course delivery, students are taught the current standard methods of field survey techniques, data analyses, and implementation of the currently recognized Best Management Practices. Many class activities are coordinated with State and Federal agencies. Much of our resource inventory involves the use of the Habitat And Natural Resource Inventory System (HANRIS), a geospatially coordinated data collection system, developed inhouse at Morrisville College with grants through NASA and the Institute for Applied Geospatial Technologies. We also contribute to global databases by employing survey tools such as iNaturalist, iMap Invasives, and eBird.
A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):
Field survey activities are ongoing, as per our course offerings. Several of our longitudinal databases extend back decades.
A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:
Off-campus lands are predominantly managed through the courses in the Natural Resource Conservation, Environmental and Natural Resource Management, Environmental Conservation Science, and Sustainable Resource Management degree programs. Through diverse course offerings forest and understory vegetation, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, soils, and waters are monitored. Special consideration is given to the presence and abundance of invasive species. Sustainable land management plans are developed and enacted implementing Best Management Practices to ensure long-term sustainable use and yields of college resources.
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:
Natural Resource Conservation, Environmental and Natural Resource Management, Environmental Conservation Science, and Sustainable Resource Management are the primary degree programs, which contribute to understanding biodiversity at SUNY Morrisville. (A Special Thank You to: Dr. William Snyder for his contributions to this Biodiversity section of the SUNY Morrisville FY-2022-2023 AASHE Report.)
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.