Overall Rating	Gold
Overall Score	78.11
Liaison	Kristin Larson
Submission Date	Oct. 23, 2023

STARS v2.2

San Diego State University
OP-10: Biodiversity

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	2.00 / 2.00 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. Close	Joshua Koss Landscape Services Manager Facilities Services

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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?:

Yes

A brief description of the legally protected areas, internationally recognized areas, priority sites for biodiversity, and/or regions of conservation importance:

The Field Stations Program (FSP) at SDSU is within the College of Sciences and manages three University-owned field stations, the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve (approx. 5,000 acres), Sky Oaks Field Station (approx. 3,000 acres), and Fortuna Mountain Research Reserve (260 acres) that is incorporated into the City of San Diego’s Mission Trails Regional Park. The mission of SDSU’s Field Stations Program is to conserve valuable lands and ecosystems and to foster research, education, and outreach. The FSP reserves consist largely of critical habitats with vulnerable flora and fauna species located in a rapidly urbanizing region of Southern California. These habitats include coastal sage scrub (SMER and Fortuna Mountain), Oak woodland (Sky Oaks and SMER), riparian areas with a free-flowing river (SMER), and chaparral. They also include important links in migration corridors for species including the Mountain lion (SMER and Sky Oaks).

Endangered and vulnerable species

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?:

Yes

A list of endangered and vulnerable species with habitats on land owned or managed by the institution, by level of extinction risk:

These habitats include coastal sage scrub (SMER and Fortuna Mountain), Oak woodland (Sky Oaks and SMER), riparian areas with a free-flowing river (SMER), and chaparral. They also include important links in migration corridors for species including the Mountain lion (SMER and Sky Oaks). Important fauna species include Mountain lion, beaver, golden eagle, steelhead trout, California Gnatcatcher, Swainson’s Thrush, Wilson’s Warbler, Least Bell’s Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Bell’s Sparrow, coast horned lizard, and coastal whiptail. Important plant species include Parry’s tetracoccus, coast live oak, Engelmann’s oak, dudleya, and others.

Areas of biodiversity importance

Has the institution conducted an assessment to identify areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution?:

Yes

A brief description of areas of biodiversity importance on land owned or managed by the institution:

Methodologies

If yes to either of the above, provide the following:

The methodologies used to identify endangered and vulnerable species and/or areas of biodiversity importance and any ongoing assessment and monitoring mechanisms:

Standard methodologies were employed in the surveys of the FSP properties for the multiple species conservation plans of San Diego and Riverside Counties.

A brief description of the scope of the assessment(s):

Standard methodologies were employed in the surveys of the FSP properties for the multiple species conservation plans of San Diego and Riverside Counties.

A brief description of the plans or programs in place to protect or positively affect identified species, habitats, and/or ecosystems:

FSP is dedicated to conserving the areas encompassed by the reserves and in working with regional partners to create buffer zones and habitat connections. FSP is part of the Multiple Species Conservation Program of San Diego County and the Riverside County Multiple Species Conservation Plan, which assures compliance with the federal Endangered Species Act and the state Endangered Species Act. FSP maintains these sites with locked gates, regular presence of managers, and other measures to prevent unauthorized intrusion into these sensitive areas.

Optional Fields

Estimated percentage of areas of biodiversity importance that are also protected areas :

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Website URL where information about the institution’s biodiversity initiatives is available:

https://fsp.sdsu.edu/

Additional documentation to support the submission:

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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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