Caring for nature

We're always looking to improve the impact of our estate on the environment, and this includes maintaining and, where possible, enhancing biodiversity on our campuses and ensuring they are a place for both people and wildlife to enjoy. 

BU’s Biodiversity Group, with staff and student members, is tasked with implementing our Biodiversity Policy (pdf 152kb) and Action Plan and our grounds maintenance contractor carries out the important work. The Policy and Action Plan are designed to improve the quality of habitats for wildlife on campus. In 2022 we carried out ecological surveys to understand our biodiversity baseline. We are using these to ensure that we can manage our biodiversity carefully. Key actions include:

• Supporting staff and student projects, including growing spaces on and around our campuses, including SUBU's polytunnel and a local allotment at Slades Farm managed by the Life & Environmental Sciences department and the SUBU Permaculture Society
• Managing the natural areas of our campus differently to be benefically to nature, for example managing grassland areas with less frequent cutting (including no mow May areas)
• Adding native hedgerows in some locations
• Planting more native trees using a combination of fruit trees and native broad-leaved trees 
• Reducing our use of chemical pesticides
• Sowing wildflower areas
• Investigating opportunities to integrate biodiversity into future developments, e.g. sedum roofs
• Removing and management of dominant or invasive species
• Improving bird, bat and hedgehog boxes within the woodland border on Talbot Campus
• Developing local community and stakeholder links
• Seeking out and supporting projects that will enhance the biodiversity of BU
• Conducting regular reviews with grounds maintenance contractors to identify further improvements
• Adding bird boxes to support swifts
• Supporting our Hedgehog Friendly Campus accreditation.

You can read our 2022 baseline ecological survey for Talbot Campus here. 

Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are defined by IUCN as “actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits”. The concept is grounded in the knowledge that healthy natural and managed ecosystems produce a diverse range of services on which human wellbeing depends.

We seek to invest more in NbS to help mitigate and adapt to the climate and ecological crisis where we can. This means implementing opportunities to create biodiversity net-gain on each of our sites and using nature as a solution to climate change. 

On our campuses, we already have some examples of NbS, such as the green roofs on our new buildings which soak up rainwater to prevent flooding and the planting of trees to take CO2 out of the air. We also, through engagement with other bodies and our research activity, advocate for and demonstrate the benefit of NbS so that others do the same. 

Our academic Professor Rick Stafford is one of the authors of a report by the British Ecological Society on 'Nature Based Solutions for Climate Change in the UK'. This includes an important section on using nature based solutions in the built environment recommending green rooves, raingardens, permeable paving and urban trees to reduce the urban heat island effect, prevent flooding and support biodiversity. 

Nature is one of the four frameworks of our Climate and Ecological Crisis Action Plan, so called because we are aware it is not just the climate that is being threatened, but our entire ecological system. Helping staff and students to connect with nature; to learn to understand it, to respect it, and to love it, on campus and beyond supports mental and physical wellbeing. In addition, those with a higher appreciation of nature and those who spend more recreational time in natural settings are more likely to report engaging in a range of pro-environmental behaviours, which we need to achieve our net zero ambition.   

Through the plan, we aim to recognise and reinforce the link between people, nature, and the climate in order to strengthen our response to the crisis. We see cultivating in our community an appreciation and connection with nature as the door to taking stronger action to protect it. See below for some ways you can connect further with nature.

Our students get involved in a number of conservation projects organised mostly by the Students' Union (SUBU) and the Faculty of Science & Technology.

• Join a society: There are a number of green-fingered student clubs and societies at BU, one being the Permaculture Society. Having been awarded funding by the NUS and BU, they have begun a self-sustaining project to grow food in the polytunnel on Talbot Campus. As well as sustaining their project they also aim to pass on their permaculture knowledge to others and share the student voice on the BU Biodiversity Group. Another great one to join is the Wildlife and Conservation Society!
• Growing on campus: As well as the Permaculture Society, the Faculty of Science & Technology has a range of conservation projects that student and staff can contribute to. Students have got involved with planting wildflowers and trees around campus as well as monitoring bird boxes. We also have growing space in front of Christchurch House which is used and monitored by both staff and students, and the plants grown there are used for Living Lab projects.
• Community work: Projects we have run include supporting conservation work at Slades Farm and the Stour Estuary Nature Reserve. In 2017, the Stour Project was shortlisted for an EAUC Green Gown Award in the Community category, for connecting the local people with wildlife on their doorstep. Find out more about the Green Gown Awards. ResLife and SUBU also hold regular beach cleans: join in to enjoy the sea air while cleaning up our environment, or run your own with a group of friends!
• Take a tour: our campuses are designed for you to enjoy! If you want to find out more and use them to their full extent then contact the Sustainability Team for a guided tour of our estate to find out what technologies and sustainability measures we've included to create our sustainable campuses.
• Explore with Dorset Unlocked: a community created interactive map of special places in Dorset, made by everyone for everyone in Dorset. It aims to share why we think Dorset is special and to encourage us all to explore, enjoy and value the benefits of connecting with nature and heritage. The project is led by volunteers at Bournemouth University, and collaborates with the National Trust, BCP at Hengistbury Head and everyone in Dorset who wishes to contribute to the interactive map. Find a new place to fall in love with, or share with others one you've already found!
• 'Inspired by Nature' art competition: we ran this competition for staff, students and families and received some amazing submissions inspired by a connection to and time in nature. You can see the full fantastic gallery here.

Get in touch!

If you're a staff or student interested in any of the above opportunities, email the Sustainability Team or find out more information on the SUBU Volunteering pages. We'd love to have you join in!

We would like to promote spending time in nature as a strategy to support staff and student wellbeing and mental health.

Research shows that spending at least 120 minutes in nature a week is associated with good health and wellbeing. You can find special places to go in Dorset by visiting the interactive map on Dorset Unlocked. This map was created by volunteers at BU in collaboration with the National Trust, BCP at Hengistbury Head and the Dorset community and is a great way to find new outdoor spaces to explore. The Parks Foundation offer a range of events across parks in the BCP area. 

If you are looking for some special time in nature close to campus you can arrange a nature connection staff session for your team or student group at Chapel Gate in our nature connection area led by BU staff. The U5 bus runs to Chapel Gate on Wednesdays in term time. Talbot Village Trust also offer nature connection and forest bathing opportunites at Slades Farm, including an upcoming 5-week course commencing 16th April.

We encourage you to try to get some time outdoors every day to help you to relax and unwind in any greenspace you can find. It could be a sitting on the new benches in front of Poole Gateway Building within the wildflowers, or crossing the Wallisdown Road to take a walk through the woods to Slades Park Pavilion. You could join our runnning club which happens every Tuesday at 12:30-1pm. Open to all running abilties, meet at SportBU reception ready to run across to Slades Farm through the trees!

You can also connect with nature from your desk by watching the live feed from our bird feeding station at Chapel Gate which is free to access by watching this You Tube link. We are waiting for spring to see if any birds choose to nest in our bird box with a camera inside which you can see from this live link. 

If you are out and about on the Talbot Campus look out for Swifts flying overhead and hopefully they will be making a home in our new swift boxes this summer!