Sustainability

Biodiversity

The University of Worcester is committed to ‘ensuring that the green spaces on campus are retained and enhanced’. We are taking positive action to:

Promote biodiversity and sustainability on the sites we manage and own
Raise awareness of biodiversity and sustainable practices amongst staff and students

The University recognises the value of biodiversity and sustainable practices to:

Both formal and informal learning about open spaces and their associated flora and fauna
The important contribution an environment makes to the quality of life

The Grounds Team manages the University playing fields and amenity spaces. Their work also includes the enhancement of trees, hedgerows and habitat availability. This is done alongside colleagues in academic departments who utilise the open spaces for conservation and education and the Conservation and Environment Student Society who amongst other things assist in the recording and monitoring of biodiversity on campus.

A Grounds Management and Biodiversity Action Plan for St John’s Campus was drawn up in 2008, reviewed in February 2011 to include a number of new campuses and sites as the University has grown significantly over the past couple of years. The revisions and can be found in the download section. This draft will be enhanced with data from a arboricultural survey currently being undertaken. The Grounds Management Plan is reviewed by the Environment Committee on an annual basis and the Biodiversity Action Plan contained within this document outlines a working programme which is regularly reviewed and updated by the Strategic Management Biodiversity Group.

Strategic Biodiversity Management Group

This Group was set up in 2009 to oversee and manage the implementation of the Grounds Management Plan and the Biodiversity Action Plan. Membership is drawn from both internal (grounds staff, academics and students) and external stakeholders including representatives from Worcestershire County Council and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust and working partnerships with other relevant organisations are being established. The Group meets three to four times a year to review and update the Biodiversity Action Plan.

Plans include the creation of a database of species surveys, improving the quality of campus hedgerows and other habitats and enhancing the conservation area.