University students plant wildflowers around accommodation blocks to create natural habitats

Nottingham Trent University students have been planting wildflowers around university halls in order to create natural habitats to support wildlife. The Conservation Society at the university sowed the flowers around Brackenhurst campus towards the end of April this year.

Students and staff have since been enjoying the flowers as they bloom. ConSoc members sowed seeds into the ground and then species such as Cowslip, Wild Foxgloves, Wild Primrose and Yellow Rattle have grown.

Lucy Yates, Sustainability Projects Coordinator at NTU said: “Wildflower Meadows are a brilliant way to increase diversity, doing best on nutrient-poor ground. They can host an enormous amount of plant species within a relatively small area.

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“With these plants come their associative organisms such as bees, hoverflies, moths and butterflies.” Lucy added: “These pollinators are incredibly valuable for food chain processes being on par with plants as the basis for much of life.

“Wildflower meadows result in a unique environment not just for social enjoyment but also practical teaching spaces to enhance our students’ learning experience as well as exciting research opportunities for both staff and students.”

Work is still ongoing with the project and will be throughout next year, but right now the wildflower benefits are being enjoyed by staff and students alike, as well as the insects. The team has agreed that every five years there will be an updated management plan drawn up by the society in association with School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences (ARES) staff coordinated through the ARES Land Users Group.

It is hoped too that, with support from teams across the university, ConSoc may be able to measure the carbon sequestration contributions of wildflower and subsequent tree planting in order to help NTU achieve its Net Zero Carbon 2040 Target.

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust works closely with its Business Partner NTU and sees this as great inspiration for any organisation to help with their Net Zero Carbon targets and a perfect way for organisations to take part in The Wildlife Trusts campaign 30 Days Wild to take wild action for nature in June and beyond.

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