Yes, Penn State monitors and protects IUCN Red Listed species, in particular the American Chestnut. and has in place Policy AD38 which delegates responsibility for environmental regulatory compliance to the Office of Physical Plant (OPP). OPP must align with Pennsylvania State’s Threatened and Endangered Species regulations.
Penn State’s Arboretum is a partner institution for the American Chestnut Foundation.
Penn State Erie, the Behrend College, operates the Lake Erie Regional Grape Research and Extension Center, which has 15 hybrid chestnut tree species bred by The American Chestnut Foundation. The goal was and is to create a chestnut tree that is as genetically close to the American species as possible, while also inheriting the resistance to chestnut blight from the Chinese species.
Penn State’s historic and ongoing work with conservation management of American Chestnuts is detailed in articles “Blight-resistant American chestnut trees nearing reality,” “American chestnut rescue will succeed, but slower than expected,” and most recently “Researchers identify new threat to American chestnut trees.”
The Penn State STARS report on biodiversity lists the endangered species supported by the Millbrook Marsh habitat (a World Database on Protected Areas IUCN management category III Natural Monument or Feature), which is owned by Penn State. The report provides the following brief description of the legally protected areas, internationally recognized areas, priority sites for biodiversity, and/or regions of conservation importance:
Millbrook Marsh is a 62-acre protected area owned by Penn State and operated by the Centre Region Recreation Authority. It is located on the edge of the University Park campus. The site consists of a 12-acre farmstead that includes a Nature Center plus an adjacent 50-acre wetland with marsh and fen habitats. This latter portion is held in a conservation easement between PSU and ClearWater Conservancy. The World Database on Protected Areas shows Millbrook Marsh Nature Center to be in IUCN management category III, Natural Monument or Feature. These areas are “generally quite small protected areas and often have high visitor value.” The adjacent Millbrook Marsh Fen is in IUCN management category V, Protected Landscape/ Seascape. As evidenced on Protected Planet’s website at https://www.protectedplanet.net/555656646 and https://www.protectedplanet.net/555556591.
The Natural Heritage Inventory of Millbrook Marsh Biological Diversity Area categorizes it as an area of Exceptional Significance. The following endangered and vulnerable species are listed:
- Bebb’s sedge (Carex bebbii): Pennsylvania Endangered
- Slender sedge (Carex lasiocarpa): Pennsylvania Rare
- Prairie sedge (Carex prairea): Pennsylvania Threatened
Protection efforts include control of invasives and encouraging native species. An annual watershed cleanup is held each spring.
Natural Heritage Inventory areas are mapped in the Campus Master Plan, which stipulates that “these areas be kept as undeveloped landscapes, free of building and parking facilities, and reserved for resource protection and for the enjoyment by the public.”
Learn more about Penn State’s progress on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals HERE and on SDG15 HERE.
