Overall Rating	Gold
Overall Score	70.01
Liaison	Rebecca Walker
Submission Date	April 13, 2022

STARS v2.2

Southern Oregon 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	Rebecca Walker Sustainability Manager Facilities, Management, Sustainability and Planning

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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:

SOU’s Ashland Campus is settled in the foothills of the Siskiyou mountain range and our region is recognized as a global biodiversity hotspot. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature labeled it as an Area of Global Botanical Significance. There are currently eight large-scale designated pollinator habitat areas on campus, six of which are displayed and signed as Xerces Society Pollinator Habitats. The SOU Farm: A Center For Sustainability, contains a designated wetland.

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:

The following species of tree have been positively identified on the SOU Ashland Campus by multiple International Society of Arborist (ISA) certified arborists. These trees are all listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as either Near Threatened, Vulnerable, or Endangered.

Cupressus bakeri - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/34047/0 Vulnerable

Metasequoia glyptostroboides - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/32317/0 Endangered

Sequoia sempervirens - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/34051/0 Endangered

Sequoiadendron giganteum - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/34023/0 Endangered

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/34004/0 Near Threatened

Chamaecyparis obtusa - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/42212/0 Near Threatened

Abies pinsapo - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/42295/0 Endangered

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:

SOU’s Roca Creek area is used as an educationally, protected riparian site and is a “region of conservation importance”. Additionally, there is a designated Wetland at The Farm at SOU, and over 300 species of trees on campus.

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:

Professional visual assessment in connection with the use of a dichotomous key was used to identify the trees on campus. The environmentally sensitive wetland area on the Ashland campus was inspected by the Department of State Lands. SOU is committed to protecting critical wildlife and their habitat now and in the future. The SOU Tree, Bee and Bird committee oversees the protection of the trees on campus through the use of the SOU Campus Tree Care Plan.

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

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

Every year the SOU Landscape Department prioritizes tree selections based on locally grown, environmentally sustainable, and critical species for tree replacements and new plantings. In 2014 the Landscape Department planted 18 trees from the vulnerable, near threatened, threatened, or endangered tree list. We also perform visual tree health assessments annually and dedicate funds to tree preservation.

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:

http://sustainability.sou.edu

Additional documentation to support the submission:

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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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