University of Connecticut
OP-10: Biodiversity

IUCN IV: Habitat Species Management Area – All listed spaces are adjacent to protected areas, but none themselves are legally protected.
In December 2016, the University officially completed its conservation land permit condition with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the town of Mansfield that formalized an additional 101 acres of wetland and woodland as well as folding the existing 64 acres of the Hillside Environmental Education Park’s (HEEP) under one agreement. Ultimately, UConn now has 165 total acres of conservation land which is regularly monitored, researched, and maintained.
The HEEP includes a network of trails running from North Hillside Road to Hunting Lodge Road and features two wildlife observational platforms and an additional viewing platform overlooking HEEP from the back of C-Lot. HEEP is a great contribution to the Mansfield Open Space Network, which includes parks and conserved lands from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), the Town of Mansfield, and the University. Initially, the HEEP was the result of the Landfill Project, an environmental remediation project the University undertook from the 1990's to the 2000’s that culminated in the creation of the HEEP and the C-Lot parking lot, which capped the old landfill.
The HEEP provides numerous research and study opportunities in topics such as invasive species and wildlife management, habitat enhancement, wetlands mitigation, and vernal pool creation and management, to name a few. The University encourages student groups and faculty members who may be interested in the Hillside Environmental Education Park site and its remediation plan to use the site for these research and educational purposes.
As part of UConn’s Green Campus Academic Network, projects for the HEEP include developing and installing additional interpretive signage in 2018 along the HEEP's 3-miles of hiking trails. These signs, developed by expert faculty members and EcoHouse/EcoHusky students, educate the community about the various environmental and historic features that are present on the land. There are continued efforts to replace signage and maintain existing signage.

Further Information can be found here:
https://sustainability.uconn.edu/hillside-environmental-education-park/

The University also manages more than 530 acres of continuous forest area on the northeast side of the main campus at Storrs. In addition to providing a large area of natural habitat and biodiversity, the UConn Forest provides research and educational benefit as it is utilized by University professors and students from a wide variety of disciplines. The Fenton forest tract also provides hiking and other recreational opportunities for the students and community, including the blue-blazed Nipmuck trail and the DEEP-stocked fishing areas along the Fenton River, which forms the eastern boundary of UConn's Fenton Forest tract.

More information on the UConn Forest can be found here: https://sustainability.uconn.edu/trails-trees-and-forests/
http://today.uconn.edu/2010/03/land-conservation-deal-protects-more-than-500-acres/

Key: E = State Endangered, T = State Threatened, SC = State Special Concern, FE = Federally Endangered, FT = Federally Threatened, NA = Not applicable.

Common Name: Eastern hognose snake
Scientific Name: Heterodon platirhinos
Taxa: reptile
Status: SC
General Ecology: In Connecticut, these snakes are found in well-drained forest bottomlands and a matrix of open deciduous forests and early successional habitat, including powerlines. Within the early successional habitat, they preferentially use habitat that consists of sandy soils with medium to high vegetation cover and coarse woody debris. They tend to avoid dense forest, wetlands and developed areas. Paved roads may present a barrier to dispersal and connectivity within populations. Snakes are dormant between November 1 and April 1. They will overwinter in a variety of habitats, preferably at the edges of forest and within open habitats if available. They have been observed to overwinter under areas of tree roots, rodent burrows, rock crevices, or excavate their own dens in sandy soils. Many of these harmless snakes are killed by people who are convinced that they are venomous and dangerous. When confronted, the hognose snake will suck in air, spread the skin around its head and neck like a cobra, hiss, and lunge as if to strike. Take the time to learn about, understand, and respect this reptile, and share your knowledge with others. Being able to identify and educate others about the eastern hog-nosed snake can help conserve this species. The more people that are aware of the physical and behavioral identification of this unique snake, the more individuals that can be spared from unnecessary killing. If you encounter a hog-nosed snake, observe it from a distance and allow it to go on its way. All snakes will retreat from humans if given a chance.
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Common Name: Wood turtle
Scientific Name: Glyptemys insculpta
Taxa: reptile
Status: SC
General Ecology: Individuals of this species are riverine and riparian obligates, overwintering and mating in clear, cold, primarily sand-gravel and rock bottomed streams and foraging in riparian zones, fields and upland forests during the late spring and summer. They hibernate in the banks of the river in submerged tree roots between November 1 and March 31. Their summer habitat focuses within 90m (300ft of rivers) and they regularly travel 300m (0.2 mile) from rivers during this time. During summer they seek out early successional habitat: pastures, old fields, woodlands, powerline cuts and railroad beds bordering or adjacent to streams and rivers. Their habitat in Connecticut is already severely threatened by fragmentation of riverine, instream, riparian, and upland habitats, but is exacerbated by heavy adult mortality from machinery, cars, and collection. This is compounded by the species late maturity, low reproductive potential, and high nest and hatchling depredation rates.
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Common Name: Spotted turtle
Scientific Name: Clemmys guttata
Taxa: reptile
Status: SC
General Ecology: Individuals of this species are associated with wetlands and vernal pools. Over the course of a season and lifetime, individuals will travel large distances (up to 1km) over upland forest and fields between multiple wetlands. They overwinter burrowed into the mud in wetlands between Nov 1- March 15. They do not begin to reproduce until 7-10 years old and adults can live at least 30 years. This species is threatened most by any activities that reduce adult survivorship including road kills, commercial and casual collection, increased predation in areas around commercial and residential development, mortality and injury from agricultural equipment or other mechanical equipment.
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Common Name: American kestrel
Scientific Name: Falco sparverius
Taxa: bird
Status: SC
General Ecology: Habitat for this bird consists of open grassy or shrubby areas with short vegetation and natural tree cavities or nest boxes for nesting. This bird returns to breed in March - July. This bird is limited by habitat in Connecticut. It can benefit from active nest box monitoring and management to decrease competition by starlings. Availability of early successional habitat benefits this species during the post fledgling period and during migration.
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Common Name: Purple milkweed
Scientific Name: Asclepias purpurascens
Taxa: plant
Status: SC
General Ecology: Habitat - Dry soil (G & C 1991). Roadsides, fields, borders of woods, on moist or dry soil (CT herbarium labels). Blooms Jun, Jul.
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Common Name: Grassland Habitat Initiative
Scientific Name: Potential habitat
Taxa: NA
Status: NA
General Ecology: In Connecticut, grasslands are among the most threatened and rare habitats. There are seven species of breeding grassland birds and that require grasslands as their primary habitat that are state listed in Connecticut. Most of Connecticut’s grasslands would revert to forest without active management. Increasing development pressures on Connecticut’s most important grassland habitats, exacerbates this loss of habitat through natural succession.
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Common Name: Northern spring salamander
Scientific Name: Gyrinophilus porphyriticus
Taxa: amphibian
Status: T
General Ecology: This species requires cold, clean, well-oxygenated springs, brooks or seepage areas. Their favored habitat is heavily forested steep rocky ravines. Any activities that decreased the forest canopy would increase the water temperature, and impact this species. To protect these species protect waterways and their upland buffers on the property. Apply the following recommendations from Mitchell et al. 2006. Habitat Management for Amphibians and Reptiles of the Northeastern United States. PARC, Technical Publication HMG-3, Montgomery, Alabama. 108pp.: • Avoid clearing or replacing natural vegetation along stream edges. Maintenance of canopy vegetation in stream riparian zones will help keep water temperatures cool and amphibian diversity high. • Maintain stream floodplains in natural vegetation and avoid alteration. Natural vegetation in floodplains will slow flood rates, increase the nutrient content of floodplains, and replenish small pools. Complexity of habitats in such zones ensures that amphibians and reptiles will use these areas extensively. • Provide upland forested buffer habitat along the stream’s riparian zone. Buffers should be as wide as possible. A minimum of two tree heights (100-150 meters) is important for water quality, organic inputs, and riparian habitat for stream amphibians. • Leave snags, other woody debris, and rocks in streams to provide microhabitat. All these structures provide refugia for amphibians and reptiles. Juvenile and larval amphibians use these structures extensively to avoid predation by adults. • Retain natural stream channel undulations, back- water areas, and floodplains. Do not channelize streams. Such alteration of stream courses removes habitat diversity that is important to amphibians and reptiles and the food web on which they rely • Avoid storing chemicals, salt, manure, and other possible contaminants near streams. Control placement of such chemicals to prevent leakage and inadvertent input into streams. • Do not alter spring flows and do not disturb the associated seepage areas. These small habitats are critical to several species of salamanders. Alteration of any kind will cause population decline and potential extirpation. • Remove exotic vegetation. Non-native vegetation tends to overtake small streams and seepages, rendering them uninhabitable by the amphibians that need intact systems. • Restrict activities upstream that could introduce contaminants downstream (e.g., water treatment plants, mining). Think at the landscape level. Remember that whatever is introduced upstream will likely make its way all the way downstream. Contaminants can affect a large area. • Meet or exceed forestry and agricultural Best Management Practices and Streamside Management Zones standards for stream health.
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Common Name: Smooth green snake
Scientific Name: Opheodrys vernalis
Taxa: reptile
Status: SC
General Ecology: Smooth greensnakes favor moist, open habitats, such as old fields, meadows, pastures, fens, coastal grasslands, and edges of wetlands. Occasionally, this snake may inhabit sparsely forested areas with scattered shrubs and trees, such as mountaintop balds. Rural, undisturbed locations appear to be preferred, but smooth greensnakes have been found in urban and suburban areas as well. Greensnakes can be found basking on rocks, logs, or other debris. Smooth greensnakes are insectivores; they feed on a variety of insects and spiders. Preserving pastures and fields will benefit this species.
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Common Name: Savannah sparrow
Scientific Name: Passerculus sandwichensis
Taxa: bird
Status: SC
General Ecology: In Connecticut, grasslands are among the most threatened and rare habitats. There are seven species of breeding grassland birds and that require grasslands as their primary habitat that are state listed in Connecticut. Most of Connecticut’s grasslands would revert to forest without active management.
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Common Name: Common crayfish
Scientific Name: Cambarus bartonii
Taxa: invertebrate
Status: SC
General Ecology: This freshwater crustacean can be found in fast flowing streams, brooks, rivers and occasionally in ponds. The species has a life span of three to four years. Its burrows are often found in gravel and sand under larger rocks and along the edges of streams. Burrows have been known to be as deep as 1 m. Localized declines are attributed to general habitat destruction and loss. Spring to autumn delineates the period of reproduction with the offspring hatching in July and August. Low pH values and other water quality deterioration have been demonstrated to threaten juvenile and molting crayfish.
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Common Name: Purple martin
Scientific Name: Progne subis
Taxa: bird
Status: SC
General Ecology: Purple martins return to Connecticut to select breeding sites in April. Purple Martins consume primarily dragonflies and other aerial invertebrates including moths, butterflies, flies, beetles, and wasps. Purple martins rely heavily on people to provide nesting opportunities in "martin" bird condos or "gourd" colonies. These nesting colonies are most successful if placed in open areas near a large body of water (lake or wetland), and at least 40 feet from any trees. To benefit this species, protect wetlands including a 300ft buffer around wetlands; protect food sources for this bird through protecting native plants in early successional habitats and avoiding use of chemicals that will target their prey; provide more nesting opportunities and monitor and manage the nesting colonies to exclude predators and competitors. Consult with the Purple Martin Conservation Association (www.purplemartin.org) for more information.

As part of the University’s environmental compliance and sustainability efforts for new development, the University has identified and assessed major forest, wetland, and vernal pool habitat areas. The UConn forest and HEEP areas at UConn provide large forest and wetland habitat areas. The vernal pool areas on campus represent significant environmentally sensitive areas due to their seasonality and the species present.

Vernal Pools:
The common plant species growing in these wetlands include red maple (Acer rubrum), pin oak (Quercus palustris), green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), spicebush (Lindera benzoin), sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia), winterberry (Ilex sp.), highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscom), arrowwood (Vibernum recognitium), Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii), New York fern (Thelypteris noveboracensis), marsh fern (Thelypteris palustris), sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis), skunk cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus), false nettle (Boemeria cylindrical), violet (Viola sp.), Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia), jewelweed (Impatiens capensis), tussock sedge (Carex stricta), common crayfish (Cambarus bartonii), smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis), spotted turtle (Clemmys guttata), northern spring salamander (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus), eastern hognose snake (Heterodon platirhinos), and wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta)

Some of the observed amphibian species at the vernal pool sites include spotted salamanders, wood frogs, pickerel frogs, American toads, green frogs, and bull frogs. Eggs for these species were also found on the vernal pool sites.

Birds: Bird surveys have been conducted as part of construction projects. Some of the more commonly observed species are: Red-tailed Hawk, Wild Turkey, Mourning Dove, Barred Owl, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Kingbird, Barn Swallow, European Starling, Yellow-throated Vireo, Blue Jay, American Crow, Black-capped Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Red-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Veery, Wood Thrush, American Robin, Gray Catbird, Cedar Waxwing, Ovenbird, Common Yellowthroat, Scarlet Tanager, Song Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Common Grackle, Brown-headed Cowbird, Baltimore Oriole, House Finch, Indigo Bunting, American Goldfinch, American Kestrel, Savannah Sparrow, and Purple Martin

On campus and in the surrounding forest areas there are also large populations of white-tailed deer, red fox, eastern cottontail, grey squirrels, woodchucks, muskrats, skunks, etc. Trail cameras have also identified bobcats, black bears, and coyotes.

UConn’s assessment and monitoring for biodiversity primarily occurs during the planning and implementation phases of new development plans. The University works proactively to identify species or areas of concern using the Natural Diversity Data Base (NDDB) from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP). If UConn’s proposed development overlaps with any endangered species or sensitive areas, the university hires an outside expert to conduct an assessment of the site and the species on it, as well as the potential effects of the proposed development, and develop a management plan. In February, a request using the NDDB was completed to reassess a list of endangered and vulnerable species on land via a GIS overlay of state and federal natural diversity database property.
The University's management plan will make changes to the project design in order to minimize species and habitat disruption, as well as replace essential habitat lost in the development process to ensure the survival of sensitive species and protect local biodiversity.

UConn is required by both the state and Federal governments to monitor these species and habitats for five years post-development to ensure no disruption or species loss is observed and to make the necessary efforts to reverse these trends if they are observed.

Additionally, as part of UConn’s Green Campus Academic Network, there is an initiative in its beginning stages that would be responsible for organizing and performing a biotic inventory of the entire campus. This is a long term project modeled after the popular BioBlitz that occurs over a period of days at a selected location in CT, where teams of scientists and students will identify as many species as possible throughout the area.

https://mnh.uconn.edu/bioblitz/
https://ctbioblitz.uconn.edu/
https://filings.deep.ct.gov/DEEPPortal/
https://portal.ct.gov/deep-nddbrequest
Include any areas within the institutional boundary

The assessments examined land within and adjacent to the UConn Storrs campus, including Depot campus. Areas of the state and federal natural diversity data base (of the buffered areas) with our property outline represent 473,151 sf or 10.9 acres. These areas include forest, farmland, and along rivers. This Site Assessment did not preclude the possibility that species not previously reported to the Natural Diversity Database may be encountered on the site.

Natural Diversity Database information includes all information regarding listed species available to us at the time of the request. This information is a compilation of data collected over the years by the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Natural History Survey and cooperating units of DEEP, land owners, private conservation groups and the scientific community. This information is not necessarily the result of comprehensive or site-specific field investigations. Current research projects and new contributors continue to identify additional populations of species and locations of habitats of concern, as well as, enhance existing data.

The University’s Extension Forestry Program provides education for natural resource professionals, elected and appointed officials, volunteers and private woodland owners who care for this valued resource and landscape. UConn Extension Forestry partners with public agencies such as CT-DEEP Forestry Division and non-profit organizations such as the Connecticut Forest and Park Association. The program has a Forestry Committee that oversees the maintenance 2,100 acres of UConn forested land, parts of which include rivers, vernal pools, and wetlands. Much of the management is focused on the removal of invasive species and the education of the public on forestry management practices.
https://ctforestry.cahnr.uconn.edu/extension-forestry/

UConn also has an Arboretum Committee which maintains numerous tree species of particular interest in and around campus. They do so through a Tree Care Plan that identifies the policies, procedures, and practices that are used in establishing, protecting, maintaining, and removing trees at the Storrs Campus for the University of Connecticut. The overall goal of the plan is to ensure a safe, attractive, and sustainable campus forest that is consistent with the historic image and character of the University and is visually compatible with the agrarian and woodland character of the northeast Connecticut landscape. Recently, the Arboretum Committee developed a walking campus tour of UConn’s trees. The UConn Tree Warden additionally mapped a class tree map of all the class trees at UConn in celebration of the 125th anniversary of the first-class tree planting on campus.

http://www.uconnarboretum.uconn.edu/
https://sustainability.uconn.edu/tree-campus-usa/
https://arboretum.uconn.edu/map.php

The Biodiversity Research Collections (BRC) of the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut reflect the richness of the world’s biodiversity. The vertebrate holdings consist of fish, bird and mammal collections, with a particularly strong emphasis on South American mammals. The invertebrate holdings focus on insects of New England, army ant “guests”, parasites of Connecticut vertebrates and tapeworms from sharks and rays from around the world. In combination, the George Safford Torrey Herbarium and the EEB greenhouses maintain remarkable fossil, preserved and living plant collections with special concentrations in native New England plants and the region’s imperiled and invasive species. The BRC collects over 800,000 specimens used for research, scholarship, education, and outreach purposes.
http://biodiversity.uconn.edu/

The EEB Department also provides the Biota software for anyone interested in research on biodiversity.
https://owlstown.github.io/resources/robertkcolwell.org/Biota_2_User's_Manual_small.pdf

http://hydrodictyon.eeb.uconn.edu/eebedia/index.php/Main_Page
http://biodiversity.uconn.edu/

There are no deed protected areas, including Conservation Restrictions, within the UConn property in Mansfield. Permitting for development does require state review. We do have a conservation agreement for the development of the Technology Park/Discovery Drive but none of that is within the buffeted areas shown on the natural diversity data base. The areas shown on the map above represent 473,151 sf or 10.9 acres. However, I cannot translate this to estimate percentage of areas of biodiversity importance that are also protected areas (NONE) without a protection area definition or location. Some of these areas are within forest, farmland and along rivers but I cannot assume they are legally protected.