Biodiversity

Allotment Groups at the University

The University of Huddersfield is lucky enough to have access to an Allotment Group called the 'Feel Good Gardening Gang', which has three locations over campus. 

Used coffee grounds from the University are incorporated into the compost at the allotment and in a bid to close the loop excess produce from the allotment is utilised by the University kitchen and incorporated into the menu at International Kitchen.  

Supported by the Sustainability Team, the Staff and Student Allotment was established in the Summer of 2018 by a group of staff volunteers from Computing and Library Services. The group were awarded a group of planters located centrally on campus by Schwann Building, each planter has been adopted by teams from departments across the University who come together to exchange growing tips, harvests and company over the lunchtime period. The group have hosted picnic events at the University, attended by the Vice Chancellor Professor Bob Cryan where expertise alongside homegrown and homemade produce was shared among staff. The success of the small Staff Allotment Group has allowed us to expand the project to cover more areas of campus and to welcome the input of students too. 

If you wish to get involved with either of the allotment groups please contact us at sustainability@hud.ac.uk

  

The University is currently working to make its' campus hedgehog friendly as part of the Hedgehog Friendly Campus campaign. This campaign is particularly important to us as despite being the nations favourite mammal, the hedgehog is suffering from a dramatic population decline. Since the year 2000, urban hedgehogs have declined by 30%, and rural hedgehogs are down by 50%.

Headed by the Sustainability Team the University has assembled HudHogs, a working group to champion hedgehogs on and off of campus. Take a look below at some of the work that HudHogs have been up to over the last 12 months:

• Regular litter picks are conducted by staff on site, and through lockdown we have been encouraging staff and students to litter pick in their local community. Previously events have been hosted on campus, allowing staff and students to come together to litter pick green spaces local to the University.
• Members of HudsHogs were also given the opportunity to learn about hedgehogs surveying techniques and were even able to conduct their very own hedgehog tunnel survey in their gardens!
• Our Grounds Maintenance team have received formal training on managing the environment for hedgehogs and have introduced new measures to ensure that all areas are thoroughly checked for hedgehogs before any mowing or strimming commences. 

If you have a passion for hedgehogs or would simply like to know more, please get in touch with us here to see how you can join the campaign. Check out Daniella's Hedgehog Blog, a fellow member of HudsHogs to see why she joined the campaign and see how she's been involved so far!

You could also take a look at some of the tips below to help you make your own garden hedgehog friendly:

• Create a hedgeog Highway: a 13cmx13cm hole at the bottom of your fence to allow hogs to pass through your garden
• Build a hedgehog house or leave a log and leaf pile in a quiet corner of your garden, these will provide food and shelter for any visiting hogs
• In the summer months put out shallow bowls of water and meaty pet food to help hedgehogs fatten up ready for the winter
• If you have a body of water in your garden ensure that there is an easy route in and out, hogs are strong swimmers but need a gentle slope or some rock to help them climb out.  

 

Green Walks 

Environmental psychologists know that encounters with the natural world are beneficial for our health and wellbeing. Research suggests that exposure to nature boosts our mood and can reduce blood pressure, heart rate and muscle tension resulting in reduced levels of stress. It is because of these benefits that we are committed to creating and maintaining accessible green space for our students, staff and members of the public to enjoy.

We are very lucky to have a variety of habitats on campus including the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, woodland and managed landscaped grounds. To help you explore the environment on and around campus easily we have collaborated with local community group Environment Kirklees on their Greenstreams project to tidy up the footpaths that run along the River Colne and to open up the space for walkers to enjoy. Two short walks have been designed that incorporates the University of Huddersfield’s grounds and the River Colne catchment, these are easy to access and if you link the two routes together by walking down Kingsmill Road the route becomes a 2km circular route, the perfect distance to be completed on your lunch break! Check out the Greenstreams campus walk here!

It is important to take a break from your desk, and in addition to the benefits of interacting with nature there are even more pros of walking too! Being active gets the heart pumping faster and circulates more blood, resulting in more oxygen-rich blood getting to the brain thus boosting brain function and creativity. The positive effects on wellbeing of a walk through nature can last up to 7-hours, with sunlight exposure also being found to last up to 7-hours after an individual has experienced it. 

For more information on wellbeing for Students at the University visit the Wellbeing Support pages here, or visit the Staff Wellbeing Pages.. 

 

Planting on Campus 

 The University of Huddersfield has a densely packed town centre campus with limited greenspace; however, our aim is that with careful planning and planting we can maximise the benefits of the space that we have.  

Student realm landscaping will centre around maximising the space for biodiversity, while creating seating areas, walkways and recreational spaces that enable users to enjoy the green areas that are available on campus.  

As we continue to develop the estate and its grounds new planting regimes are being developed focusing on the introduction of native species that are both insect and bee friendly.  It is our hope that these pollinator friendly species coupled with an increase in fruit trees, bushes, herbs and other sensory species will result in a net increase in biodiversity while creating an environment that can be enjoyed by staff and students on campus.