Ecology and Biodiversity

We are committed to protecting, creating and enhancing the campus for wildlife

We deliver progress against our Sustainability Strategy goal to 'realise ecology and biodiversity net gain' through collaborative partnerships to identify and monitor biodiversity on campus, and implement habitat creation and enhancement projects. We also provide opportunities to enable students and staff to engage with our work and are starting to assess our impact on biodiversity off campus.

Learn more about the various aspects of our work and how you can get involved by clicking on the links below.

Way to Sustainable strategy Events News Living Lab Campus Walks

Our key highlights

Our Nature Positive pledgeLink opens in a new window

We have made a commitment to start a journey to halt and reverse nature loss, and to actively restore biodiversity and ecosystems affected by our activities.

Wildlife records on campusLink opens in a new window

The University's iNaturalist platform is a real-time record of what species have been recorded on campus through citizen scienceLink opens in a new window. This helps enhance our knowledge of what species are present on site, and incorporate these findingsLink opens in a new window into our current and future work on campus.

Collaboration in practiceLink opens in a new window

Find out more about how we collaborate with various university departments and external partners to achieve our goals.

Our areas of impact

We are committed to protecting, creating and enhancing spaces for biodiversity across campus, whilst also incorporating the global Sustainable Development GoalsLink opens in a new window in our work. Find out more about what we do and how, by clicking on the tabs below.

Icon 3, Good Health and Well-being - Sustainable Development Goals

Icon 14, Life Below Water - Sustainable Development Goals

Icon 15, Life on Land - Sustainable Development Goals

Icon 17, Partnerships for the Goals - Sustainable Development Goals

Biodiversity monitoring

Please scroll through the pages to learn more about our work.

Species surveys

Every year, we conduct various species surveys to gain a better understanding of what species use the diverse habitats that can be found on campus. Participation in most of these surveys is open to students and staff, and the sessions are advertised on our EventsLink opens in a new window page.

We strive to contribute to national databases and thus we share our survey results with the relevant organisations such as the Mammal Society, the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, the Riverfly Partnership and Butterfly Conservation. Where possible, we make our data available even more widely via the iNaturalist or iRecordButterflies apps.

Small mammal surveysLink opens in a new window

We have been working with Warwickshire Mammal Group since 2023.

Moth surveysLink opens in a new window

Since 2023, we recorded over 100 species on campus, including species that are in decline in the UK.

Riverfly surveysLink opens in a new window

We have been undertaking these surveys since 2024 with support from Warwickshire Wildlife Trust to contribute to the Riverfly Partnership initiativeLink opens in a new window.

Hedgehog footprint tunnel surveysLink opens in a new window

In 2024 the University was awarded the prestigious Gold AwardLink opens in a new window by the Hedgehog Friendly Campus initiative, recognising our work to provide habitats for hedgehogs and raise awareness of the issues they face and how we can all make a difference.

Amphibian and reptile surveys

This survey is still in its infancy although we know that we have common frogs, toads, grass snakes as well as smooth and great crested newts on campus.

Butterfly surveys

This is a new addition to our survey repertoire in 2025. Keep an eye on our News Link opens in a new windowfor updates at the end of the season. In the meantime, new sightings will be recorded on our iNaturalist pageLink opens in a new window.

Other ways we monitor biodiversity on campus:

Biodiversity WalksLink opens in a new window

Each year we organise several of these informal introductions to the fascinating biological diversity we have on campus. These walks not only boost one's wellbeing Link opens in a new windowbut also enable participants to learn more about birds, fungi, wildflowers, pollinators, among others, as well as citizen science.

Citizen science

Another way we encourage citizen science is by conducting mini-bioblitzes on campus using the iNaturalist Link opens in a new windowapp. We also participate in the annual City Nature Challenge Link opens in a new windowas part of a multi-stakeholder collaboration in the region.
If you would like to get started with iNaturalist, use our user guide Link opens in a new windowand if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at sustainability@warwick.ac.uk or come along our next biodiversity event and we will be happy to help you.

Wildlife cameras

Our wildlife trail cameras Link opens in a new windoware deployed year-round to enable yet another non-invasive monitoring of wildlife on campus. This enables us to learn more about where, when and how wild animals use the site, including swans, egrets, pheasants, deer, badgers, hedgehogs and even led to the discovery of otters Link opens in a new windowon campus!

Wildlife-friendly campus

Please scroll through the pages to learn more about our work.

Litter picks

Warwick Wombles:
We collaborate with the Waste and Recycling Team to create a campus that is safe and enjoyable for both people and wildlife by organising monthly litter picks that are open to all students and staffLink opens in a new window. These litter picks not only help remove dangerous rubbish from the environment that could entrap wildlife or be ingested by them, but they also create an opportunity to boost one's well-being through a relaxing stroll in the fresh air, and enable participants to network with people from all across the university.
the Big Hog Friendly Litter Pick Challenge:
The University of Warwick have been participating in the Hedgehog Friendly CampusLink opens in a new window initiative since 2021Link opens in a new window, and we currently hold the prestigious Gold AwardLink opens in a new window as a recognition of our outstanding achievements within this framework.
The Big Hog Friendly Litter Pick Challenge is an annual competition among education institutions in the UK. Institutions can compete in four categories: university, college, secondary school, and primary school. We have been participating in the Challenge every year since 2022Link opens in a new window and we continue to be one of the highest scoring Universities in the country, once again reaching the top three in 2024.Link opens in a new window

Warwick Wombles Litter Pick
The Big Hog Friendly Litter Pick Challenge - Finance Green Action Team
The Big Hog Friendly Litter Pick Challenge - Transport, Energy & Sustainability Teams

Habitat management and enhancement

We collaborate with the Grounds and Gardens Team to

help with habitat management and improvement work on campus, such as hedgerow and tree plantingLink opens in a new window, coppicingLink opens in a new window, and Himalayan balsam control;
identify areas in support of improving the campus for wildlife: we have been participating in the Now Mow MayLink opens in a new window initiative since 2020 to allow seeds to set and species diversity to flourish in the future, which in turn help pollinators and provide food and shelter for small mammals and birds, among others;
create additional wildlife refugiaLink opens in a new window: as you walk around campus, you will see bird and bat boxes, bee and bug hotels, hedgehog houses, log piles and hibernacula dotted around the site. We work with the Carpentry Team, volunteers Link opens in a new windowand external organisations such as the Warwickshire Mammal GroupLink opens in a new window to create, monitor and maintain these vital elements of our wildlife-friendly campus.

Thanks to the collaborative work of the various teams across the University, our campus has a combination of landscaped and amenity zones as well as wildlife areas. This enables the campus to act as a wildlife haven in the wider urban and agricultural landscape, harbouring otters, harvest mice, an abundance of bird species and even native wild orchids.

There are permanent and temporary interpretation boards displayed across campus that provide further information about our collaborative work and some of the key ecological features of the site.

Tree planting on campus
Bug hotel building
Hibernaculum
No Mow May
Bee orchid © Paul Thompson

Partnerships

We have collaborated with the following organisations and initiatives in recent years:

City Nature ChallengeLink opens in a new window
Hedgehog Friendly CampusLink opens in a new window and their Big Hog Friendly Litter Pick Challenge
RSPB Coventry & Warwickshire Local GroupLink opens in a new window
University of Warwick Nature Conservation VolunteersLink opens in a new window
Warwickshire Bat GroupLink opens in a new window
Warwickshire branch of Butterfly ConservationLink opens in a new window - you can sign up for the All Aflutter newsletter hereLink opens in a new window
Warwickshire Mammal GroupLink opens in a new window
Warwickshire Wildlife TrustLink opens in a new window
Warwickshire Wildlife Trust Youth CommitteeLink opens in a new window

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are there "Do not feed the birds" signs on campus?

We're lucky to share our campus with a large variety of wildlife and know that this brings joy to lots of people, including visitors. Unfortunately, feeding the birds affects water quality which makes it difficult for other species to survive, can lead to the emergence of diseases, and also attracts rodents. In addition, the feeding of wild animals can reinforce unnatural behaviours, including increased aggression, that is not beneficial for the animals or the community in the long-term. We work hard to ensure that there are lots of natural food sources for birds on our campus, so they don't need any additional food.

Can I swim in the lakes and brooks on campus?

Whilst we have several waterbodies on site, these are unfortunately not deemed suitable for swimming. The requirements in terms of compliance with the University's health and safetyLink opens in a new window notice, water quality, as well as maintenance and management are beyond the resources that the University has available.

We wholeheartedly endorse the benefits of green space exploration and connection with wildlife from a mental health perspective. Thence we maintain a variety of green spaces that include various walking routes,Link opens in a new window and strive to organise monthly events Link opens in a new windowthat enable students and staff to spend time in the fresh air, and provide opportunities to meet like-minded people while engaging with nature.

Why are there "untidy" areas on campus?

We have been participating in the Now Mow MayLink opens in a new window initiative since 2020 to allow seeds to set and species diversity to flourish in the future, which in turn supports pollinators and provides food and shelter for small mammals and birds, among others. We often strive to extend this temporary management practice of selected areas in line with the Let It Bloom June movement in order to secure the future generations of sensitive species, such as orchidsLink opens in a new window.
In addition to these temporary measures, there are more permanent wilder areas on campus, which play a vital role in enabling species such as the otterLink opens in a new window and the harvest mouse to establish long-term populations on our estate.

Why are there cameras on trees around campus? If I wish to arrange a litter pick on campus, where can I leave the rubbish we collect?

We organise monthly litter picksLink opens in a new window on campus, which are open to all students and staff. However, if you wish to do your own litter pick on campus, please ensure you wear a high-vis top and be mindful of traffic, as well as the academic and residential aspects of the areas you visit.

Please place the bags of litter you collect into one of the large red general waste bins situated outside buildings or in the accommodation corrals. Please avoid leaving bags of rubbish next to bins or stuffed into the small semi-open bins that are placed along paths because, depending on the time of day, they may not be collected until the following day and thus it is highly likely that they will be torn open and their content scattered by animals overnight.

What shall I do if I find an injured wild animal or an abandoned baby animal on campus?

Unfortunately, the University do not have the expertise or the resources to help injured or abandoned wildlife found on campus. However, there is a wealth of relevant information available online, such as from Warwickshire Wildlife TrustLink opens in a new window and the RSPCALink opens in a new window.

For injured bats only, please contact the Bat Conservation TrustLink opens in a new window directly.

For assistance with hedgehogs, please contact Warwickshire Hedgehog RescueLink opens in a new window.

Please feel free to let us know what you found, where, and who took the animal from you by emailing us on sustainability@warwick.ac.uk, to enable us to keep a record and aid the future monitoring of the wildlife on campus.

What shall I do if I spot a dead wild animal on campus? How can I participate or contribute to biodiversity work on campus?

Our surveys, biodiversity walks and other activities are advertised on our Events page and social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Please also feel free to sign up as a Green Champion to receive our monthly newsletter and access to further resources.

We are keen to collect more data on the biodiversity on campus, thus we encourage everyone to record all wildlife on site, and to spend some time each day to do mini "bioblitzes" in different areas of campus using the iNaturalist app. For further information on how to contribute to citizen science, please visit the "DIY citizen science" tab.

If you have advanced species ID skills and extensive experience with species surveys and would like to help us with our biodiversity monitoring activities, please feel free to email us at sustainability@warwick.ac.uk and we’d be delighted to have a chat with you.

How can I get in touch with the Energy and Sustainability Team?

DIY citizen science

There are a lot of citizen science projects that enable people to record the wildlife they see, hereby helping to monitor the state of nature in the UK and worldwide. We urge everyone to record wildlife sightings on campus, as well as in gardens, on streets and local green spaces. There are a lot of initiatives and platforms available but in the UK many feed into the National Biodiversity Network (NBN) AtlasLink opens in a new window, and thus it is important not to upload the same sighting to multiple platforms in order to avoid duplicating data.

The initiatives and platforms are too many to list but below we included some that we have been contributing to:

iNaturalist Link opens in a new window- helps identify the plants and animals via photos or sound recordings and thus is ideal for beginners who would like to improve their species ID skills. By recording wild species and their locations, this citizen science platform creates an immensely useful database that is accessible to scientists, conservation organisations and other decision makers worldwide.
the iRecord appLink opens in a new window requires knowledge of identifying plant and animal species as it does not offer help with ID.
if you were unable to take a picture of a UK mammal but are still confident in your species ID, you can log your sighting in the Mammal Society's
Mammal Mapper app.
alternatively, sightings of hedgehogs in the UK can be recorded on the BIG Hedgehog Map, hereby contributing to the monitoring of this endangered species.
iRecord ButterfliesLink opens in a new window - this app is aimed at recording butterfly sightings in the UK and is a useful tool during the Big Butterfly CountLink opens in a new window.
for those interested in other kinds of pollinators, the Bumblebee Conservation Trust has its own recording schemes, including the Bee WalkLink opens in a new window and the Flower-Insect Timed CountsLink opens in a new window.
Froglife's Dragon Finder appLink opens in a new window is designed to aid the identification and recording of UK amphibians and reptiles.
The Big Garden BirdwatchLink opens in a new window takes place every winter, and is an excellent way to contribute to the world's largest garden wildlife survey. Instructions on how to participate are posted every year on the RSPB's website.
The City Nature ChallengeLink opens in a new window is an annual competition that is available in an ever increasing number of cities and countries around the world. It takes place towards the end of April each year, so keep an eye out for opportunities to get involved with this brilliant citizen science project in your local area, including here at the University of Warwick.
Mammal WebLink opens in a new window is an online citizen science platform that enables participants to contribute to various conservation and research projects by identifying animal species on images captured by wildlife trail cameras. The University is participating in the National Hedgehog Monitoring ProgrammeLink opens in a new window, and we encourage everyone to help with the classification of these images to aid this important research project.