Universidad San Francisco de Quito
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 2.00 |
Gonzalo
Rivas TBS Director Ecology |
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 Tiputini Biodiversity Station (TBS) is a biological field station established in Amazonian Ecuador in 1994 by the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in collaboration with Boston University. We serve as steward of 638 hectares (about 1500 acres) of primary lowland rainforest approximately 300km (200 mi) ESE of Quito. TBS is situated on the north bank of the Tiputini River, a southern tributary of the Napo River within the Yasuní Biosphere Reserve.
Our primary activities are associated with research and education. Located within the world’s greatest biodiversity hotspot (link paper) and one of the planet’s last wilderness areas, our main goal is to better understand nature so that appropriate and effective conservation strategies may be implemented.
TBS also serves as an official guard post for the Yasuní National Park.
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:
Since 2001 a camera trap project has run at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station registering species captured.
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:
The methodologies used to identify endangered and vulnerable species and/or areas of biodiversity importance and any ongoing assessment and monitoring mechanisms:
The University conducts a project with camera traps to assess all species in the area of the Tiputini Biological Station.
A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):
The camera trap project encompasses all the area of the Tiputini Biodiversity Station. The main objective was to initiate a long-term monitoring program with camera traps to obtain information on the occurrence of the distribution and relative abundance of large terrestrial mammals and birds, and to see how these patterns to see how these patterns vary through time. The objective was to obtain a baseline before human activities increased in the region. To date, the EBT has not been affected by human activities, but this may change if human pressures increase.
This may change if hunting pressures or oil exploitation activities continue to increase. A second objective is to document the importance of salt licks as a resource for different species and to see how the use of these varies not only among species, but also among stations.
In addition, given that hunters always seek out these areas, documenting their importance can facilitate efforts to preserve these sites whenever possible.
A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:
In 2017 USFQ signed a new lease of the land to protect it for the next 50 years.
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 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.