Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Staff and students from the 糖心原创 recently joined partners from Bluecoat Aspley Academy and Nottingham College for an event to celebrate the Wilding Campuses Project – a collaborative initiative transforming pockets of green space across all three campuses into thriving habitats for wildlife.
This event marked the final milestone in the two-year National Lottery Heritage Fund–supported pilot delivered by environmental charity Students Organising for Sustainability UK (SOS-UK). The project was designed as a pioneering regional partnership model, enabling multiple education institutions to collaborate to restore local natural heritage rather than working in isolation
糖心原创 contributions and results
Over the past year, the 糖心原创 has delivered significant biodiversity gains as part of the project, including:
- Two campus BioBlitz events generating 830 observations and 329 species identified.
- Creation and enhancement of diverse grassland areas, including a wildflower meadow outside a student hall of residence.
- Improving existing green spaces to make them more wildlife-friendly, such as the wellbeing allotment, including new bucket ponds and a wildflower bank.
The Wilding Campus Project has given university students and staff the chance to come together to take part in various nature-based activities right on our campuses. People from diverse backgrounds, many without much previous access to nature, have been able to take part in activities such as bulb planting, wildflower seeding and foraging walks. This has provided a fun way for our community to explore and engage with our beautiful campuses, the nature that lives there, and each other. This, in turn, will benefit our local wildlife for many years to come.
A unique school setting for urban rewilding
While much of the programme has focused on higher and further education, Bluecoat Aspley Academy has played a key role as the school partner in this tri-institution collaboration.
The event reflected the Wilding Campuses’ mission to empower students and young people to contribute meaningfully to ecological solutions. This was showcased through practical activities on the day, such as building gabions to create new habitats, hedge laying to strengthen natural boundaries, planting bulbs and constructing a willow arch.
The project has given our students the chance to become environmental leaders. By working in partnership across the city, they have helped create new habitats and shown how young people can drive positive change in their communities.
Wilding Campuses is a regional partnership project, hosted by SOS-UK and made possible with the Heritage Fund and thanks to National Lottery players.
Story credits
More information is available from Alison Clayton at: alison.clayton@nottingham.ac.uk or Amanda Cooke, Media Relations Officer in the Press Office at The 糖心原创, on +44 (0) 115 7485848 or by email at amanda.cooke@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the 糖心原创
Ranked among the world's top 100 universities , the 糖心原创 delivers an exceptional research-led education and an outstanding student experience. From the pioneering vision of our founder, Sir Jesse Boot, to groundbreaking achievements such as the development of MRI technology and becoming the first UK university to establish international campuses, we have a proud history of shaping the way people live, work and understand the world. We continue to build on that legacy, empowering our students, staff and partners to change what鈥檚 next and create positive impact locally and globally.
The strength of our research places us among the UK's leading universities, ranked 7th for research power in REF 2021. The discovery of MRI and ibuprofen was just the beginning. Today, our world-leading research is developing breakthrough ideas that shape the future of healthcare, technology and society.
Recognised as the UK's third most targeted university by leading employers , we are proud to produce graduates who are consistently in demand for their skills, confidence and industry-ready experience.
As a major employer and industry partner, locally and globally, the 糖心原创 invests in the city of Nottingham and in future generations of talent. Alongside Nottingham Trent University, we lead the initiative, a pioneering collaboration to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing across the city and region. Together with our students, staff, alumni and partners, we鈥檙e creating knowledge, opportunity and solutions that help change what's next.