Grass on campus
We often leave some areas of campus unmown to encourage growth which creates habitats for pollinators. You can see these areas at the rear of Murray Health and the Technology Park at City Campus, and stretches of the riverside at the Sir Tom Cowie Campus at St Peter's.
Where the grass is cut frequently, we're able to leave most of the cuttings on site, as they benefit nature by returning valuable nitrogen and trace nutrients back to the soil, and help to loosen hard soils. This makes oxygen and nutrients available to grassroots and helps to retain moisture. We recycle any green waste locally and bring it back to University grounds for use as compost.
Wildflowers
We plant wildflower meadows to provide shelter and food for important pollinators. These include beetles, bees, and butterflies, many of which are in decline. The wildflower meadows also help counteract the 'urban heat island' effect by which cities heat up more than rural areas during hot summers. Wildflower grasslands are also beneficial for our wellbeing! Looking at wildflower meadows can reduce heart rate and make you feel happier.
We've sown two wildflower areas on City Campus and once they're established, we expect to see an array of different flowers.
Plants on campus
We plant native species, including hawthorn, mahonia, and holly. These are hardy plants that are non-invasive and were chosen to provide shelter and food for wildlife and support pollinators. Where possible, we plant single flowered species as they provide more nectar and pollen than double flowers.
We don't use any insecticide on any of our landscaped areas, as this would kill all beneficial insects. We use minimal herbicides to control perennial weeds in shrub beds and use recycled mulch products to suppress weed growth and retain moisture.