| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.47 |
| Liaison | Sally DeLeon |
| Submission Date | Feb. 28, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Maryland, College Park
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Karen
Petroff Assistant Director, Arboretum/Horticultural Services Arboretum & Landscape Services |
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:
The University has signed a Long Term Protection Forest Conservation Easement with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources providing for permanent protection of 70.56 designated easement acres. Priority protected areas on the College Park campus include stream buffers, wetlands, and steep slopes, affecting interconnected green corridors that also enhance water quality and habitat. The campus is part of the Anacostia River Watershed. By protecting forested stream buffers and managing stormwater responsibly on campus, the university is helping to preserve biodiversity and health of the Anacostia River and the Chesapeake Bay beyond.
The Wye Research and Education Center's location adjacent to the Chesapeake Bay makes it an ideal site for research focusing on preserving the health and vitality of the Chesapeake Bay, sustaining agricultural productivity, product diversity, and maintaining Maryland's valued quality of life.
The University of Maryland Golf Course is a Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, which means it is recognized by Audubon International for best practices in environmental planning, wildlife and habitat management, chemical use reduction and safety, water conservation, water quality management, and outreach and education.
In addition, the wooded hillock on UMD's College Park campus is an undeveloped terraced gravel deposit forest. This site is considered to be of conservation importance because this type of forest has been associated with plant communities of conservation significance in the Anacostia River Watershed.
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:
The university has not conducted a thorough assessment of all owned and managed lands to identify endangered and threatened species and environmentally sensitive areas. Faculty and students have conducted some piecemeal assessments on parts of the college park campus. The Division of Student Affairs has assembled a list of plants and animals that are present on the University of Maryland Golf Course. The University of Maryland Extension System and partnering organizations have completed biological and water quality assessments in the Wye River region of Maryland's Eastern Shore where the Wye Research and Education Center is located.
A brief description of identified species, habitats and/or environmentally sensitive areas:
Chesapeake Bay ecosystems including wetlands, rivers, streams and the Bay itself;
Pollinators including native bees, butterflies and others (which experience diminishing availability of suitable habitat in the urban fringe area of Washington DC)
A brief description of plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats and/or environmentally sensitive areas:
The Honeybee Haven project is comprised of native shrubbery, ferns, grasses, and herbaceous plants in an established garden space on the College Park Campus in order to create a suitable environment for pollinators.
The university has a variety of stormwater best management practices in place to protect water quality and aquatic habitats in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
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.