Vassar College
OP-10: Biodiversity

Institution has conducted an assessment to identify:

• Endangered and vulnerable species (including migratory species) with habitats on land owned or managed by the institution;

AND/OR

• Areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution.

The institution has plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect the species, habitats, and/or ecosystems identified.

Assessments conducted and programs adopted by other entities (e.g., government, university system, or NGO) may count for this credit as long as the assessments and programs apply to and are followed by the institution.

This credit applies to all institutions with managed grounds comprising one or more percent of the total area of the campus.

This credit is weighted more heavily for institutions that own or manage land that includes or is adjacent to any of the following:

• Legally protected areas (e.g., IUCN Category I-VI)

• Internationally recognized areas (e.g., World Heritage, Ramsar, Natura 2000)

• Priority sites for biodiversity (e.g., Key Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites)

• Regions of conservation importance (e.g., Endemic Bird Areas, Biodiversity Hotspots, High Biodiversity Wilderness Areas)

2 points are available for this credit if the institution owns or manages land that includes or is adjacent to any of the above. 1 point is available for this credit for all other institutions. Please note that users do not have to calculate the number of points available themselves; points available will be calculated automatically when the relevant information is reported in the online Reporting Tool.

An institution earns the maximum points available for this credit by identifying endangered and vulnerable species AND areas of biodiversity importance. Plans or programs to protect or positively affect any species, habitats, and/or ecosystems identified are required to earn any points for the credit. Partial points are available for institutions that conduct an assessment to identify endangered and vulnerable species OR areas of biodiversity importance, but not both. For example, an institution that has identified areas of biodiversity importance, but not endangered and vulnerable species earns half of the points available for this credit.

Timeframe

Report on current programs and the most recent assessment(s) completed or updated within the three years prior to the anticipated date of submission.

Sampling and Data Standards

An institution may identify habitats and/or areas of biodiversity importance using any methodology developed by academics, a government body, or an NGO. Publicly accessible examples include the Integrated Biodiversity Assessment Tool (IBAT) for Research & Conservation Planning and the U.S. Information, Planning, and Conservation (IPaC) decision support system.

As a best practice, an institution should include in its assessment(s) all land that is owned or managed by the institution, but it is not required. Any areas within the STARS institutional boundary that are excluded from the assessment(s), however, should be documented in the appropriate reporting field.