| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 47.06 |
| Liaison | Daniela Shebitz |
| Submission Date | Dec. 11, 2023 |
Kean University
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
AJ
Whitmore Director of Facilities 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:
Kean University managed our "Skylands Campus" (https://www.kean.edu/kean-skylands) Which is 40 acres of protected land in Jefferson Township, surrounded by Kittatinny Valley State Park https://stateparks.com/kittatinny_valley_state_park_in_new_jersey.html. The land is owned by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection but leased by Kean University to operate as an environmentally-focused research and education site. The land consists of old forests, wetlands, a lake and stream and is used for our field courses and research.
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:
Our first bio-blitz that was open to the Kean University community and the public was conducted in May of 2023. No endangered or vulnerable species were found on the property.
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:
Our first Bio-Blitz that was open to the community and Kean Community documented the high level of biodiversity on the land.
https://www.facebook.com/KUSkylands/
The methodologies used to identify endangered and vulnerable species and/or areas of biodiversity importance and any ongoing assessment and monitoring mechanisms:
Faculty, students, and members of the public were asked to join a "team": Plants, Wildlife, Birds, Insects, or Fungi and identify the species that were present on site - documented over a 24 hour period.
A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):
We recognize that this will not come close to documenting every species present on site, but it does provide a snapshot of what is present. Professionals from the NJDEP, Kean University, Rutgers University and other institutions contributed to the assessment.
A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:
We will continue to provide information to the NJ State Forest Action Plan (NJ SFAP) that can be used to help monitor biodiversity on site.
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.