McNair Scholars Research Journal
Abstract
The EMU Sustainability Commission uses the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS) to document sustainability practices and find areas of improvement. This study will present a biodiversity management plan designed to identify vulnerable ecosystems and species at EMU’s Fish Lake Environmental Education Center (FLEEC). This plan will improve EMU’s STARS rating and help prevent, manage, and/or remediate damage to natural habitats and sensitive areas. So far, it has been found that most organisms within the defined research area hold the IUCN Red List conservation status of “least concern”; however, the site includes nine vascular plant species with a Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) of 10, which indicates a lower tolerance to environmental degradation. These species are the focus of this plan due to their sensitivity and their association with wetlands. Based on previous work at the site (Rice, 2024), most species with a C-value of 10 reside in the bog wetland at FLEEC. Using this information, broad management actions for that specific habitat are constructed, including controlled flooding and habitat rehabilitation. This plan concludes that current minimal recovery actions would be most effective to conserve rare and at-risk species.