With funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, this Nottingham-based pilot focuses on restoring nature into spaces where staff and students work and learn. It is a partnership between the 糖心原创, Nottingham College and Bluecoat Aspley Academy.
Biodiversity and healthy ecosystems are crucial for the survival of all life on earth. But nature is under threat, not least in the UK where we are one of the most nature depleted countries in the world. And consequently, we are also increasingly disconnected from nature.
Over two years (May 2024 – May 2026), the collaborative Wilding Campuses project aims to address this by increasing the abundance and diversity of threatened species on and around our campuses. Crucially, it will also empower students, staff and young people across Nottingham to reconnect with nature and tackle the ecological crisis through practical skills sessions, and engagement and wellbeing activities.
Take part in activities
Everyone is welcome to attend any event and all equipment is provided. See below for all the events that are currently planned. New opportunities are frequently added.
University wide bioblitzes - April and May 2026
Help us survey the wildlife on University Park. Spend an afternoon - or whatever time you have - exploring our beautiful campus and recording the nature that you see. This will help us to understand and monitor the wildlife that calls our university home so that we may make better decisions about how to enhance and protect it.
University Park Bioblitz - Wednesday 29 April 12.30-3pm
Full training will be given but you will need a phone and the app . You may also like to download the .
- Training: 12.30pm - 1pm
- Bioblitzing around campus: 1pm - 3.30pm
Please register here so we have an idea of numbers:
More details for Jubilee and Sutton Bonington campuses coming soon.
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Share your Wilding Campuses experiences to help keep the project going
Thank you to everyone who has kindly volunteered with Wilding Campuses over the past couple of years. Your time, support and enthusiasm has made this project possible.
As we look to continue and grow Wilding Campuses, we’re gathering feedback from those who have taken part in two or more activities. This will help us better understand and showcase the impact of the project.
Volunteer case studies
If you’ve been involved and would be happy to share your experience, we’d love to hear from you. Please complete this short Microsoft Form if you would like to submit a case study: .
Participants will be compensated for their time and those selected will receive further guidance on what to include in their case study.
Impact survey
If you don't have time to do a case study, please complete this short survey instead to help us better understand the overall impact of the project on both students and campus. This will also help us to capture the most important changes you've experienced, how the project has benefited you personally (e.g., skills, confidence, opportunities), and how it has benefited your university (e.g., engagement, awareness, grounds, community impact).
Free training - support nature and biodiversity in education settings
If you are passionate about nature, biodiversity and helping people to connect to the world around them, joining the as a nature and biodiversity champion is the perfect opportunity for you to share your knowledge and skills. Through tailored training sessions delivered by the team at , you will receive ready-made activity guides and resources to use with your local education settings, whether it is mapping/creating habitats, aiding planting schemes, or rejuvenating a pond.
Please complete the to receive further information and training dates.
If you have any questions or would like to know more, please email ca-eastmidlands@nottingham.ac.uk.
Important information
- Grounds can provide PPE essential to the task as needed, including gloves, eye protection and hi-vis vests.
- Volunteers should provide their own footwear and will not be permitted to work with inadequate footwear on tasks where risk of foot injury is possible.
- First Aid kit will be provided on site.
If you plan on attending any events, please read this Risk Assessment.
Help us spread the word
Whilst these events are open to all, we are keen to engage with staff and students may not already have much connection with nature. This includes those from working class backgrounds, people of colour, students studying non-environmental courses, those with caring responsibilities and those with disabilities. Get in touch if you can help reach these groups.
Contact the Sustainability Team
Biodiversity at UoN
The university has some of the greenest campuses in the UK. They support a diverse range of habitats and species and are enjoyed by our staff, students, and the local community. The Wilding Campus project will tie in with work already underway to enhance and protect our beautiful green spaces for the benefit of all. A new biodiversity steering group, made up of staff and students, from across schools and operations, is driving this agenda.
Recent surveys have helped establish campus biodiversity baselines so we can set effective improvement targets. For example, as part of the Wild Campuses project, the university has committed to rewilding 15% of our land.
Wilding Campuses is a regional partnership project to restore local natural heritage, led by SOS-UK and made possible with the Heritage Fund and thanks to National Lottery players.