The Birds, the Bees…and the Biodiversity Officers
The University’s Sustainability Team have recently been joined by two students, Temi and Mariam, who are helping the team to deliver on their ambitious biodiversity and adaptation work.
Our new Biodiversity Officers have already been involved in several projects and initiatives, which they discuss below in their first (of many!) blogs! There is also an opportunity for you to get involved in our biodiversity work so please read on, share, engage, and take a moment to enjoy the wonder of nature that is all around you…yes, even in the middle of Glasgow!
A real conversation always contains an invitation (David Whyte, English Poet)
Authors:
Doctoral researcher, 吃瓜tv Centre for Doctoral Training (SCDT) in Energy-efficient Indoor Climate Control for Optimised Health (EICCOH), Department of Architecture
Doctoral researcher, 吃瓜tv Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences (SIPBS), Department of Pharmacy and biomedical sciences
Life as Biodiversity Officers
When most people think of university life, they probably imagine lectures, deadlines, coffee addictions, and the occasional emotional support meal deal. What they don’t usually imagine is two Biodiversity Officers wandering around campus excitedly pointing at mallards, debating wildflower seeds, and taking pictures of moss. And yet, here we are.
We wanted to take a moment to celebrate the amazing biodiversity work already happening across our university estate and share what we’ve been getting up to as part of the.
This programme helps universities improve biodiversity through habitat protection, ecological surveys, student engagement, and nature-friendly management. While that sounds very formal, in reality, it means we get incredibly excited about ponds, meadows, bird boxes, wetlands, and basically anything that moves, flies, blooms, or pollinates.
Biodiversity On Campus
A major part of the project so far has been understanding what biodiversity already exists across our three university sites: the John Anderson city campus, Stepps Playing Fields, and the Ross Priory Estate in the Loch Lomond National Park. Professional ecological surveys will soon map habitats and identify species to guide future biodiversity improvements.
During a recent visit to the Stepps site, we saw first-hand how much wildlife is already thriving in naturalised areas around the playing fields. We spotted birds, a family of mallards, deer, foxes, insects, and extensive wetland and long grassland habitats. These spaces are supporting far more biodiversity than people might expect. It was a wonderful reminder that nature doesn’t always need grand gestures; sometimes it just needs space.
Our Amazing Collaborators
One thing we’ve both loved about this work is how collaborative it has been. A lot of biodiversity work depends on the people who manage these spaces every day, and the Grounds and Gardens team deserves serious credit for balancing operational needs with biodiversity improvements.
From maintaining habitats and managing invasive species to supporting meadow projects, they have been incredibly supportive. We are also lucky to have so many people across the university contributing their ideas and energy, including the Green Office, the Sustainability Team, Estates colleagues, external consultants, researchers, and fellow students.
Our Future Plans
We have several exciting developmental plans in the works that are not yet on the ground but will be soon!
- Wildflower Meadow Project: This project will transform grassland into a species-rich patch for pollinators. This will improve ecological connectivity, resulting in fewer patches of empty lawn and more flowers, bees, butterflies, and colour across our spaces.
- Rain Garden Parklet: This space will help reduce flooding, support biodiversity, and improve climate resilience. It will manage rainfall runoff while providing a beautiful green space to grow microgreens and endangered plant species, creating great opportunities for outdoor learning.
- Upcoming Events: Over the next few months, we hope to organise collaborative BioBlitz events, biodiversity walks, and citizen science activities. We will also be running surveys, volunteering opportunities, and awareness campaigns.