Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 62.11
Liaison Natalie Sobrinski
Submission Date June 16, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Muhlenberg College
OP-11: Biodiversity

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.00 / 2.00 Richard Niesenbaum
Professor, Biology, Director, Sustainability Studies Program
Biology
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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?:
Yes

A brief description of any legally protected areas, internationally recognized areas, priority sites for biodiversity, and/or regions of conservation importance on institution owned or managed land:

Muhlenberg College owns/manages two pieces of land that are considered to be regions of conservation importance, since they are both contain wetlands. These are two areas known as the Raker and Graver sites.

The Conrad W. Raker Biological Field Station and Wildlife Sanctuary, a 40-acre wooded tract situated 15 miles north of the campus, in Germansville, PA, is used by biology classes for field study. A section of Jordan Creek within the preserve provides added opportunity for aquatic biology studies. Students and staff also conduct research on varied aspects of plant and animal biology.

The Lee and Virginia Graver Arboretum of Muhlenberg College, located in Bushkill Township, north of Bath, Pennsylvania, is used as an outdoor classroom by the biology and other science departments.

Muhlenberg College has conducted multiple assessments in these areas, but they are not official. One of them was for Graver, and came from a grant given by the Institute of museum and library services around a decade ago.

Though we have no formal plans in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats and/or environmentally sensitive areas in Raker and/or Graver, this is something we can look into.


Has the institution conducted an assessment or assessments to identify endangered and vulnerable species with habitats on institution-owned or –managed land?:
No

Has the institution conducted an assessment or assessments to identify environmentally sensitive areas on institution-owned or –managed land?:
No

The methodology(-ies) used to identify endangered and vulnerable species and/or environmentally sensitive areas and any ongoing assessment and monitoring mechanisms:
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A brief description of identified species, habitats and/or environmentally sensitive areas:
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A brief description of plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats and/or environmentally sensitive areas:
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The website URL where information about the institution’s biodiversity policies and programs(s) is available:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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