Vanderbilt University
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
| -- | Reporter |
Chelsea
Hamilton Sustainability Outreach Program Manager Environmental Health, Safety, and 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:
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:
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 campus, located near downtown Nashville, spans approximately 330 acres and contains 250 buildings. More than 200 tree species exist on Vanderbilt’s grounds, leading to the school’s recognition as an arboretum since 1988. Because of the urban setting of the university, wildlife that naturally live on campus or end up there accidentally are controlled in a safe and humane manner.
Vanderbilt has approximately 3-4 squirrels per tree. As a national arboretum, Vanderbilt’s campus is home to many trees. When the squirrel population becomes too aggressive, Vanderbilt Plant Operations relocates the squirrels into the wild via live trapping. Extermination is never an option to control the squirrel population. Vanderbilt’s Pest Control team is certified to handle any kind of pest control problem presented to them. Everyone on the team is certified by the State of Tennessee Department of Agriculture, either in structural pest control (i.e., general pest and rodent control), bird control, and/or wood destroying organisms. We even have an on-staff Entomologist.
It is the policy of Vanderbilt to use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) as the strategy for control of pests in and around Vanderbilt facilities. IPM is a process for achieving long term, environmentally sound pest management through the use of a wide variety of technological and management practices. Chemical applications are not the first line of defense to control insects and rodents. Instead, we use a combination of mechanical, sanitation, and exclusion methods to alter habitat and remove things in the environment that would propagate a pest population.
The methodologies used to identify endangered and vulnerable species and/or areas of biodiversity importance and any ongoing assessment and monitoring mechanisms:
A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):
A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:
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.