Biodiversity
The diverse habitats found on our campuses means they are home to a rich variety of flora and fauna. From beetles to bats, hedgehogs to hoverflies.
Since the 1930s, nearly 7.5 million acres of flower-rich meadows and pastures have been lost. This has a cascade effect on our wildlife, with fewer pollinators and fewer insect-eating birds.
Across our campuses we are rewilding spaces and leaving grass to grow longer to promote biodiversity and create habitats and food sources for local wildlife.
Three new wildflower areas have been created in the last two years, on both University Park and on Sutton Bonington, with more to follow. This includes the creation of a wildflower meadow on the current lawn at Lenton Hurst House, and taking part in No Mow May each year.
Find out more about some of our biodiversity projects
We have a Biodiversity Management Plan for University Park that sets out a 10 year programme for enhancing the biodiversity of the campus.
We've seen significant increases in flora and fauna diversity on University Park, but the benefits are especially evident on Jubilee Campus - a former industrialised area that has been transformed into a green oasis.
Reduced mowing
We have reduced mowing by 25% over the last 10 years. New battery powered mowers are used on Highfields, Riverside & University Park sports grounds This has several advantages:
- Grass is left to grow longer and flower, which increases wildlife habits and sources of food
- Fuel is saved and CO2 emissions are reduced
- Vibrations from machine use is less, benefiting staff health
University honey
The university has beehives at King’s Meadow Campus in Lenton and at Bunny Park – arable farmland south of Nottingham, used for a variety of university research.
The beehives are managed on the university’s behalf by professional bee farmer, Parks Apiaries. Each year in Autumn/Winter university honey goes on sale to staff and students. It can be purchased from:
- Spar shop, The Exchange, Jubilee Campus
- Spar shop, Portland Building, University Park
- Hipps cafe, Medical School
- Costcutter shop, Sutton Bonington
- Portland Clothing Co, Portland Building, University Park
- Trent cafe, Trent Building, University Park
- Coates Café, Coates building, University Park
Get involved
Wildlife is disappearing at an alarming rate around the world. So much so that some are calling it the next mass extinction event. But we can all do something to reverse this.
Staff and students can join hands-on conservation sessions with the university grounds team and the Student Conservation Society. These sessions encourage everyone to take some time outside whilst helping to enhance our campus environments.
Meeting on Wednesday afternoons, there are a range of activities to try, even if you can only spare an hour.
- Wednesday 9 November, 1pm-3pm COP27 event – Bulb planting on University Park. Bring your own gloves if you have some. Meet outside the Psychology building.
- Wednesday 16 November, 1.30pm-3pm COP27 event - Bulb planting on Jubilee. BYO gloves if you have some. Meet next to the lake between the Dearing building and Business School South.
- Wednesday 23 November, 1.30pm-3pm – Dead hedge building at Jubilee.
- Wednesday 30 November, 1.30pm-3pm – Dead hedge building at Jubilee.
- Wednesday 7 December - no session this week
- Saturday 10 December, from 9.30am – Tree planting event at Riverside Sports Ground with UoN Sport. Breakfast provided. Contact Sean Nolan to find out more and register.
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Over 300 trees of 10 different species are being planted around the perimeter of the Riverside playing fields in a collaboration with UoN Sustainability and UoN Sport. This is to offset the CO2 emissions created by all teams travelling to BUCS Big Wednesday (BBW) 2022 sporting event at the University of Nottingham.
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As well as confirming UoN Sport’s commitment to making BBW 2022 the greenest yet, the tree planting at Riverside will create a more wildlife friendly area on the edge of some of Nottingham’s industrial areas. Over the next five years, further planting will be undertaken at Riverside whilst perimeter grass mowing will only happen twice a year to allow the grass to grow longer and wilder.
- Wednesday 14 December, 1.30pm-3pm – Planting mixed hedge on UP at Florence Boot Field.
- A new species-rich hedgerow is being established to improve biodiversity by increasing the range of habitats and food available to wildlife.
- This hedgerow is being planted as part of the construction of a ditch and bund feature. It will be created in a way that improves biodiversity and provides potential habitat for invertebrates and small mammals that live on campus through the inclusion of hibernacula features. Alongside the hedge planting, sowing wildflower seed will further attract wildlife and provide food for insects.
Join the Microsoft Teams channel for up-to-date information on planned sessions. If you have any questions, contact sustainability@nottingham.ac.uk.
Take action to help wildlife at home too. The Wildlife Trust has a huge list of simple things you can do.
Conservation Society and university staff built a 5 star bug hotel on Jubilee campus