University of Exeter Nature Positive Pledge
University of Exeter Nature Positive Pledge
The University of Exeter took a pledge to become a Nature Positive University in 2022. You can read about this here.
This means that we aim to become nature positive in all aspects of our activities – from research and teaching to our beautiful campuses and impacts of our supply chain.
The goals of the Nature Positive Strategy are to enhance biodiversity through protection, restoration and expansion where possible, and to increase the direct and indirect benefits accrued from biodiversity by people (via estates management, teaching, research, operations and supply chain).
The University applies a principle of Protect-Enhance-Extend to biodiversity impacted by University activities, including on our Estates but also more broadly.
Baseline
The University of Exeter has been collecting baseline data on nature on its campuses in Exeter (Streatham and St Luke’s) and Cornwall (Penryn Campus).
The number of biodiversity units (following Defra’s biodiversity net gain calculations) have been recorded for campuses at Streatham (2021), St Luke’s (2021), Penryn (2019) and Duryard (2023).
The Biodiversity Net Gain units per hectare are
- Streatham - 6.3
- St Lukes - 3.8
- Lower Hoopern Valley - 9.5
- Penryn - 6.1
Bird surveys have been carried out on Streatham and St Luke’s campuses since 2008. The results of the spring/summer birds surveys on our campuses during two visits – early visit in March 2024 and late visit in May 2024 – are in. Please visit the Grounds' Team blog for further info - it can be found here.
We have set up UK butterfly monitoring scheme transect (https://ukbms.org/) and a BeeWalk (www.beewalk.org.uk) in the Lower Hoopern Valley.
Targets
Our targets are outlined in the Nature Positive Strategy but are all aimed at achieving five key objectives –
1) Improve the biodiversity value of University campuses by maintaining a sustainable and well-connected ecosystem with viable wildlife populations on University landholdings, and reduce impacts of estates operations and capital projects on biodiversity.
The University will look holistically at campus development, allowing for space for wildlife populations to potentially shift around and use different areas. When considering net gain for biodiversity after development we will include both formal planning developments and permitted development on campus.
2) Increase the natural capital value of University campuses and areas we can influence.
The benefits that we gain from nature will be enhanced by thoughtful planning and by converting grey infrastructure to green where possible.
3) Increase how we engage/connect people with nature (via teaching, volunteering, research).
4) Provide positive benefits to staff, students and local communities as a result of nature-based interventions.
5) Reduce the impact of our operations, supply chain and global activities on biodiversity and the environment.
Actions
Our targets are outlined in the Nature Positive Strategy but are all aimed at achieving five key objectives –
1) Improve the biodiversity value of University campuses by maintaining a sustainable and well-connected ecosystem with viable wildlife populations on University landholdings, and reduce impacts of estates operations and capital projects on biodiversity.
The University will look holistically at campus development, allowing for space for wildlife populations to potentially shift around and use different areas. When considering net gain for biodiversity after development we will include both formal planning developments and permitted development on campus.
2) Increase the natural capital value of University campuses and areas we can influence.
The benefits that we gain from nature will be enhanced by thoughtful planning and by converting grey infrastructure to green where possible.
3) Increase how we engage/connect people with nature (via teaching, volunteering, research).
4) Provide positive benefits to staff, students and local communities as a result of nature-based interventions.
5) Reduce the impact of our operations, supply chain and global activities on biodiversity and the environment.
Highlights
We worked with our Grounds Team and our Green consultant students to run a No Mow May campaign reducing mowing in certain areas of campus, including social media and events to
encourage sustainable management of grassland– check out their activities on the Grounds Team blog https://sites.exeter.ac.uk/buddingnews/2024/07/08/no-mow-may-green-consultants-project/
The Grounds Team then left some areas long throughout the summer and managed some in autumn by carrying out a cut and collect which help increase plant species diversity and conserve grassland.
We are starting work to manage our part of the watershed – by working with nature in the Lower Hoopern Valley to help slow the flow of water from campus and benefit freshwater biodiversity, by creating a greater variety of habitats, and reducing over shading and over deepening of the Taddiforde Brook.
We are developing a monitoring plan for our on campus species biodiversity, including protected species – we have compiled information on bat species recorded on campus – we have 13 of the UK’s 18 species including the Lesser horseshoe bat and Greater horseshoe bat which are species of conservation concern in the UK. A real success story was a maternity roost of Lesser horseshoe bats – our Estates team worked with ecological consultants to mitigate for and monitor the impacts of essential roof maintenance and the number of bats in the roost has grown.
Our excellent Grounds Team have continued their work on butterflies – repeating the egg counts for the Brown hairstreak butterfly, a species recorded as vulnerable on the GB Red list of Endangered species. The UKBMS transect recorded 814 butterflies of 19 different species! The Bee Walk resulted in 135 bumblebees recorded from 7 different species.
We reached 604 people at 32 events including events on nature-friendly growing, biodiversity monitoring, and inviting staff, students and the local community to take part in foraging walks, along with our arts based engagement including a nature on campus photo competition!
Last updated 7/11/2024
