| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.13 |
| Liaison | Olivia Wiebe |
| Submission Date | Dec. 28, 2023 |
University of Idaho
OP-10: Biodiversity
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.00 / 2.00 |
Olivia
Wiebe Sustainability Manager Office of the President |
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:
Rinker Rock Creek Ranch is a legally protected area in that it is enrolled in a Conservation Easement held by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. It encompasses nearly all of the 10,400 ac of private land and allows for the utilization of agricultural resources consistent with the Grassland Reserve Program. The ranch partners with many entities to conduct work on the ranch, and these entities comprise the advisor board:
Idaho Cattle Association
Idaho Department of Fish and Game
Idaho Governor’s Office of Species Conservation
Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission
Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission
The Nature Conservancy
Wood River Land Trust
Supporting agencies include those not formally on the board:
Bureau of Land Management
Natural Resource Conservation Service
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
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:
ESA Status:
Threatened Species:
Steelhead (Snake River Basin DPS)
Chinook Salmon (Snake River fall-run ESU)
Chinook Salmon (Snake River spring/summer-run ESU)
Bull Trout
Petitioned:
Western Bumble Bee
Little Brown Bat
Northern Bog Lemming
Recovered:
Peregrine Falcon
Bald Eagle
Gray Wolf
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 methodologies used to identify endangered and vulnerable species and/or areas of biodiversity importance and any ongoing assessment and monitoring mechanisms:
The Office of Sustainability sent fillable files to staff at Rinker Rock Creek Ranch and the Taylor Wilderness Research Station that included 34 species in need of conservation listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and/or by the Idaho Department of Fish and Game and the Governor's Office of Species Conservation.
Staff from both research sites reported which of the 34 species had been recorded on the properties.
Ongoing monitoring at the Rinker Rock Creek Ranch includes monitoring for greater-sage grouse using ground-surveys and aerial surveys for leks and surveys for Columbian Spotted Frogs with high school students using nets.
A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):
The scope of this assessment was restrained to the 34 species listed by the state of Idaho and to the campuses included in the Institutional Boundary identified for this STARS submission.
A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:
Due to limited funding and personnel at Rinker Rock Ranch, no formal protection plans or program are in place. The next priority will be surveys for the federally threatened Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo once funds are available for contracting with a certified professional.
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:
Rinker Rock information: Tracey Johnson, Associate Professor of Habitat Ecology, Rinker Rock Creek Ranch
Taylor Wilderness information: Andrew Armstrong, Superintendent of the Taylor Wilderness Research Station
Assessment methodology: Olivia Wiebe, Sustainability Manager; Office of the President
Rinker Rock information: Tracey Johnson, Associate Professor of Habitat Ecology, Rinker Rock Creek Ranch
Taylor Wilderness information: Andrew Armstrong, Superintendent of the Taylor Wilderness Research Station
Assessment methodology: Olivia Wiebe, Sustainability Manager; Office of the President
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.