Within the context of a university or college, biodiversity can make the world of difference to the environment in which we teach, learn and work. Physical and mental health outcomes of green space and initiatives play a role in our sense of self and institutional culture and ambitions- it may also influence retention and recruitment of students and staff.
Biological diversity encompasses the variation of life on earth and in its simplest form, it is measured by the number and variety of species in an area. Globally, the rate of loss is recognisably a serious concern that requires concerted international action to prevent an irreversible pattern of ecological damage. Whilst the science may feel abstract and distant to some roles within the sector, it truly effects us all.
If you would like to learn more about managing biodiversity at your institution then why not view our Biodiversity Guide. This practical guide is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Global Universities Partnership on Environment and Sustainability (GUPES).
To connect with like-minded EAUC Members, join the EAUC's Biodiversity Community of Practice. This group is for EAUC members only.
SDG Accord Report 2024 - Case Studies
SDG Accord Report 2023 - Case Studies
VOICES – using your creative voice for science
SDG Accord Report 2022 - Case Studies
Launch of the second annual SDG report; ‘Progress towards the Global Goals in the University and College sector'.
We recognise that as an SDG Accord signatory, institutions have great stories to tell on how SDGs are being integrated within their community. As part of the institutional SDG...
The Pedagogy of Transition: Educating for the Future We Want
Just One Tree
Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Nature-based Solutions for Disaster and Climate Resilience
Cambridge University launches its 10-year vision for biodiversity
Sustainability Leadership Scorecard (SLS) Annual Report 2020
World Environment Day 2020
Hedgehog Friendly Campus
For this session we heard from Anya Doherty at Foodsteps about calculating carbon foot prints for food and catering outlets and Bekki Laycock on community gardens and NUS...
'Our Sustainable Food Journey’, a report on the University of Cambridge’s Sustainable Food Policy, in particular quantifying the impact this has had since its...
Enhancing the benefits of trees on Campus - University of Leeds
BREEAM UK Strategic Ecology Framework
The University of Winchester has teamed up with the conservation group Hampshire Swifts to develop a ground-breaking initiative to save the Swift population of Winchester.
Sustainability: our sector’s current best chance of responding to the urgent demands of climate science – new report A cross-sector partnership advocating for a...
Sometimes the concept of climate change is difficult to reconcile with real life events. It can be hard to imagine the impact that severe weather events and long term climate...
Daffodil Eco-friendly Agro Support Centre, Bangladesh Vehicle exhaust is a major source of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) and the main emission sources of air pollution...
The Benefits of Urban Greening
Palm Oil and Biodiversity Webinar
University of Suffolk: Brickmakers Wood Living Lab
The impact of the University of Northampton’s new Waterside Campus development on bird diversity and abundance
Academic researcher Callum Egan, working in the field of human-computer interaction, is developing permaculture-inspired sustainability gardens at Edinburgh Napier...
The University of Westminster is take a different approach to communicating the benefits of going vegetarian by using the 'Part-time Carnivore Loyalty Card'
Celebrate Camberwell!
Catching fire for carbon reductions
Leicester for Life
From coal to cloud - Newcastle University Urban Sciences Building
Campus Transformation – a campus for the 21st Century
New College new learning
What is Climate Change?
This interactive workshop explores how collaboration can be used to measure and communicate the benefits provided by campus greenspace.
The primary purpose of this Standard is to define the requirements and principles for managing and improving biodiversity at the University. This Standard supports the...
The University of St Andrews released a Sustainable food Policy and a Sustainable food action plan in 2018. They are both available to download from here. The details of...
The 2018 Activity Guide set includes a total of 235 hands-on school ground activities, written by 187 organizations. 48 of the activities are new this year! This...
EAUC-Scotland's virtual 'Promoting Sustainable Behaviours Sharing Series' March edition discussed Community Growing Projects. We have produced a best...
Environmental conservation is an important issue in today’s world, and there are lots of ways to help in your own backyard. Now more than ever, it is vital to preserve our...
Aix Marseille Université : Semaine du Troc Vert An annual invitation to exchange plants an seeds in order to learn about biodiversity. Aix Marseille...
This 30-minute masterclass from Edie will break down how organisations can effectively align their sustainability strategies with the UN’s Sustainable Development...
MDX goes green
Maintaining the green. Living the sporting dream
The Public Bodies Climate Change Duties came into play in 2016 with annual reports due each November. The universities and colleges of Scotland are supported by SSN and the...
A look at the 'Wider Influence' section of the Scottish Public Bodies Climate Change Duties Reporting which is due each year on 30 November
Three London Plane trees were planted in a specially designed trench in Howard Street, Salford, Greater Manchester in June 2015 with the aim of capturing the impact that trees...
More trees mean better health. Trees can clean the air, cool the temperature, quieten the noise and lighten your mood. Planting more trees means investing in our future health...
To celebrate World Environment Day, the Society for the Environment, in partnership with a number of its Licensed Bodies, put together a number of activities to promote the...
This case study explores the purpose, difficulties and benefits of an Education for Sustainable Development focus in an inner city primary school. It describes the processes...
Connecting with nature should be part of every child’s life as it has the potential to aid nature’s revival while benefiting the child. To embed nature connection...
With the kind support of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and the University of Essex we’ve established a clear definition of connection to nature and a method for...
The RSPB believes that every child should be entitled to regular contact with the natural environment.
An article by Carin Moffatt and Cathy Dzerefos, WESSA
University grounds managers discuss such issues as biodiversity at the University Horticultural Officers Group
Jamie Agombar, Head of Sustainability, NUS emailed the Biodiversity Community of Practice with the following request, “We are working with The Woodland Trust on their...
Information on Scottish Environment as Health Service with useful links on well-being through environment.
Transition University of St Andrews is part of the UK-based Transition Network, and a long-lasting example of a Transition University. Launched in 2009 by a group of...
University of Leeds has been working on a new ‘biodiversity standard’. This is an overarching document with site-specific action plans sitting underneath it...
Swansea University is blessed with a wealth of habitats, from the beach and dunes of the Bay to the woodland and gardens of Singleton. These habitats are home to a rich variety...
On Friday 26th August 2016, the Community Engagement Topic Support Network met to explore the use and value of mapping ways to engage with sustainability in and...
The Biodiversity Index – a tool for facilities management.
Oxford Brookes University Habitat Phase One Survey Toolkit.
Manduyog Biodiversity Conservation Program The Aklan State University nestles at the foot of the majestic Manduyog Hill which is naturally blessed with a cool and green...
Helping bees and other pollinators The University has over the past few years been trying to create habitat and by doing so broaden species range and biodiversity across...
“Greening the City” Nottingham Trent University is one of the largest and most popular universities in the UK. Nearly 27,000 students study with us across three...
This workshop presentation is from the “Learning and Legacy: The Role of Education in Creating Healthier and Happier Cities” EAUC Annual Conference 2016, presented...
Our planet’s diverse, thriving ecosystems may seem like permanent fixtures, but they’re actually vulnerable to collapse. Jungles can become deserts, and reefs can...
The University of Worcester's nature trail for spring and summer.
The University of Worcester's nature trail for winter and autumn.
Pearl Costello, Environmental Officer, Royal Agricultural University emailed the Biodiversity Community of Practice asking, “I have a quick biodiversity question for...
Sarah Roberts, Sustainable Projects Officer, University of Leicester emailed the Biodiversity Community of Practice network to ask, “A subject has come up recently in...
The Campus Forest project aspires to build, within the same campus, a display of ecosystems characteristic to the biogeographic environment of the Spanish University of Cordoba....
Ben Tongue, Environmental Manager, University of Bradford emailed the Biodiversity Community of Practice to ask, “I’m looking at beefing up our biodiversity...
Keele University has 60 ha of woodlands, mostly planted in the 19th century, including large commercial plantations. For the past 50 years Keele University has managed all this...
Keele University is situated in 250 ha of landscaped grounds to the west of the Potteries conurbation in North Staffordshire, UK and has a wide variety of flora and fauna. Some...
Records of biodiversity, plants, animals and fungi have been collected at Keele over the past 40 years. These records are available on the Keele website for anyone to use,...
Benefiting from Biodiversity In 2010 University College Cork (UCC) became the first 3rd level educational institution in the world to be accredited with the prestigious...
The management of woodland at Queen’s University Belfast is an important part of the grounds maintenance. A variety of semi natural woodland, planted coniferous woodland...
The club DD "Vert'Vet" of ENVT contributing for several years to the realization of projects in favor of biodiversity (botany, aquatic, ornithological and...
Abstract This study is concerned with the analyses of the quality of water in terms of its physical, chemical and biological characteristics; the aquatic resources in terms...
Fiji National University (FNU), Nature Trust of Fiji and Nature Fiji have discussed a project which would see rainforest being protected in the area comprising the Garrick...
University of Wollongong (UOW) has successfully trialled a new method of planting wetland plants in the university pond network. Establishment of plants on pond embankments and...
Professor Mohamed Tahiri I started in 2007 with a Switzerland NGO that specialised in the environment and I worked with a local team for at least one year in an application...
Being still within the UN-decade of biodiversity and still being far from reaching the goals in biodiversity conservation at the same time, the consequences of degrading...
The Lisandro Alvarado University has an Agroecológicas Technology Demonstration Centre (CenecoAgro) for combating desertification. Species have been added to the...
Sarah Roberts, Sustainable Projects Officer, University of Leicester emailed the Biodiversity Community of Practice with the following request which prompted many responses from...
Loughborough University has begun the development of a Science & Enterprise Park to the west of the main campus. This area of campus and the adjoining habitats are the most...
The vision of Fruit Routes is to plant fruit and nut trees along cycle paths and footpaths planted by people who live, work and pass through these places. The project focuses on...
This autumn, two groups of architecture students created Bug Hotels for Headington Hill Hall Gardens and Harcourt Hill arboretum. The bug hotels provide nesting areas for...
Oxford Brookes University Centre for Ecology, Environment and Conservation has developed an iPad Toolkit, which enables users to efficiently conduct Phase One ecological...
As part of our commitment to sustainability, our university has committed to increasing the land used on campus for growing food and biodiversity. With this in mind, we...
Over the course of the year, a number of community and environmental projects have come to fruition at Birley Campus. A joint Insect hotel project is well underway between...
This year 20 varieties of apple, plum, cherry and pear trees were planted at our recently opened Birley Campus. With the help of Hulme Community Garden Centre who for the...
A large proportion of the development comprises of grass covered surfaces, including natural sports pitches, parkland grassland, amenity grassland and reinforced grass...
The creation of a fresh water pond and swale, with a variety of planting communities including fringe/edge planting, wetland/grassland planting and shallow and deep water...
A mixed native wildflower meadow was planted to encourage a diverse range of flora and fauna. Mixed mass bulb planting provides a colourful display which blooms from spring...
The wide variety of trees and plant species on campus are an important factor in enhancing and preserving a high level of biodiversity. A large proportion of trees on campus are...
The biodiversity value of the campus is considered a priority by the University, so conservation is of the upmost importance and all development projects carried out on campus...
The Biodiversity Index is an interactive web-based tool that enables people with little knowledge of ecology to do a rapid but scientific assessment of the level of plant...