Biodiversity
At both sites, the emphasis of the Gardening Team has very much been on sustainable practice, and Head Gardener Andy Pullin and his team have worked with the Sustainability and Gardens Committees to introduce nature-friendly measures, particularly at Leckhampton.
These include renovation of the existing meadows by clearing out moss and thatch and re-seeding with a 'throw-and-go’ seed mix that was developed at the Cambridge University Botanic Gardens to encourage bees and other pollinators. Senior Gardener Matt Mace has started a propagation programme in the College greenhouses and these home-grown perennial plants now surround the Kho Building, attracting a bonanza of bees, butterflies, beetles, dragonflies and other beneficial insects.
The team also installed wildlife cameras in various locations at Leckhampton which have captured an array of nocturnal wildlife including badgers, foxes, hedgehogs, deer and more. You can see clips from those, along with some other wildlife captured on the wing or hoof on our Wildlife Videos page.
Students, Fellows and staff are now recording their wildlife sightings on an app called iNaturalist, which you can also download to help us build a picture of wildlife flora and fauna across the College grounds.
Download iNaturalist (Android, iOS)
How to use the iNaturalist app.
