Did you know that approximately 97% of flower-rich meadows have been lost across the UK since the 1930’s? These spaces provide numerous benefits to us and the planet including providing food and habitats for pollinators such as bees and butterflies, storing carbon, and supporting our wellbeing.

The University has taken part in Plantlife’s No Mow May initiative for the past four years and will continue to leave spaces unmown this spring, with some areas being left into the summer and beyond before they are cut. In addition to leaving spaces unmown the University has also put in 5,000m² of wildflower turf across campus with three different mixes suitable for sun, shade and a mixture of the two.

Across campus a variety of other habitats also support pollinators and subsequently other wildlife further up the food chain such as birds and bats. Habitats include scrubby areas, mown banks, mixed hedgerows, ivy, dandelions amongst the daffodils, blossom, and bug hotels.

We encourage you to take a break at lunchtimes and explore the wilder spaces on campus where, as the weather warms up, you’ll hopefully see a wealth of wildlife including bees and butterflies. Please record any wildlife sightings on campus using the iNaturalist app to help us improve our knowledge of what species are present. Various species surveys will also be taking place so please get involved when you can.