Stanford University
OP-10: Biodiversity

San Francisquito Creek, including the Stanford portions of Los Trancos, Bear, and Corte Madera creeks, are designated as “Critical Habitat” for the local, federally-protected steelhead trout. The serpentine grasslands present at Jasper Ridge are “Critical Habitat” for the Bay checkerspot butterfly. There is a permanent 30-acre conservation easement in the lower foothills, which was designated in order to help preserve the California tiger salamander (there is also another 285 acres in the lower foothills designated “no build” for 50 years, also to help protect the tiger salamander). In summer of 2014, 90 acres of creek and riparian vegetation were permanently set aside in order to help protect the federally-protected California red-legged frog.

Scientists from the University have been studying the local flora and fauna since the founding of the University. The more than 100 years of work has resulted in a fantastic baseline database on the species and biological communities present in the area. Since the early 1990s, this baseline information has been expanded by targeted work specifically looking into species and communities considered to be at risk.

Nearly 700 species of native plants, 20 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 50 species of mammals have been recorded from Stanford lands. Additionally, more than 180 species of birds are observed on university lands with at least some regularity. Included in this diversity are many species accorded some level of either local, state, or federal protection. Three terrestrial species with federal protection are the California tiger salamander, California red-legged frog, and Bay checkerspot butterfly. Despite the fact that the Bay checkerspot butterfly has not been present on Stanford lands for a couple of decades, there is still Critical Habitat designated for them at Stanford’s Jasper Ridge, and Stanford staff still check for them annually. Finally, the local form of steelhead trout is also federally-protected. At a community level, the wetlands, serpentine grasslands, and oak woodlands are all considered environmentally sensitive.

Since the 1990s, the university has engaged in campus-wide conservation planning. The culmination of this effort came in the summer of 2013 when Stanford implemented a Habitat Conservation Plan, including approximately 3,500 acres of Stanford land. Additionally, Stanford’s Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve contains more than 1,000 acres of land set aside to support biological research. The management of this academic facility supports the preservation of local biodiversity while acting as a living laboratory for students and faculty. More information about Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve is available at http://jrbp.stanford.edu/.