Life on Land – Protect & restore ecosystems & halt biodiversity loss

Our Environmental Sustainability Policy includes our commitment to minimise impacts on biodiversity.

We have opened a woodland trail on the Coleraine campus.

This biodiversity management process saw the creation of new forest paths linked to existing campus footpaths and offers short, medium and long routes ranging from 1.5 to 3k.

The trail is open and accessible to staff, students and the wider public, enabling them to discover the numerous horticultural highlights on the campus.

Other biodiversity maintenance processes involve the annual upkeep of 312 acres of landscaped and mature parkland, The Guy Wilson daffodil garden and the Millennium Arboretum.

Our Magee campus is flanked by mature trees, the campus urban woodland extends to 1.16 hectares providing a natural habitat for wildlife as well as being excellent filters for urban pollutants.

Magee campus is also home to a growing population of Red Squirrels following the introduction of feeding boxes as part of an Ulster Wildlife initiative is home to the Students' 'Union Wellbeing Garden.

Jordanstown campus is home to a range of mature trees with 481 trees of significance across the site identified and named.

The campus parkland provides a rich source of biodiversity and valuable green spaces for students, staff and visitors to relax and enjoy.  Our Belfast City campus includes roof gardens which provide an important biodiversity source within Belfast’s urban fabric.

Inspired by the summer solstice, the inaugural mini family-friendly Breathe Festival took place in June 2021 on the Coleraine campus.

This was a celebration of emerging from lockdown and included arts and craft workshops for children and adults, nature trails, dance, yoga and mindfulness.

The University takes great pride in its estates and takes the following actions to maintain and enhance its biodiversity:

• Preserve and enhance existing valuable habitats.
• Source trees and shrubs of local provenance where possible and use native species as a first choice when designing planting schemes.
• Erect explanatory signs and maps.
• Identify areas suitable for re-wilding and maintain to establishment species rich grassland.
• Reduce the use of pesticides using mulches and hand held weeding equipment.
• Non-urgent tree felling works to be done outside the bird nesting season and hedges checked for nests.
• Habitat piles left in appropriate areas to provide sources of food, shelter and hibernation sites.
• Bird and bug boxes erected at suitable locations throughout the campus.
• The 'Plant Smart' initiative involves staff and student volunteers planting a variety of trees, shrubs and bulbs, with varying flowering times to encourage year round wildlife activity.  Over the last two planting seasons twenty thousand bulbs have been planted by staff and students enhancing our grounds and providing a food source for early season pollinators.