Biodiversity plan launched to benefit plants, animals and more
The University of Edinburgh’s first ever biodiversity plan will protect and enhance green spaces on campus, and in the wider community, for all who enjoy them.
Biodiversity means the variety of life on earth including different species of plants, fungi, animals, bacteria, the differences within species and different ecosystems such as marine, freshwater, grassland and forest.
Biodiverse green spaces are great for the species that call them home but for the benefit of humans too in terms of our health and wellbeing, and also helping us adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change.
The University of Edinburgh recognises the nature crisis as equally important to the climate crisis and University owned and managed sites encompass a range of habitats and species, with many opportunities to conserve and enhance conditions for biodiversity.
The Biodiversity Plan 2022 states:
“We are committed to actively enhancing conditions for and promoting biodiversity on our grounds. We support biodiversity in our local neighbourhoods and region, to improve the health and well-being of staff, students and the wider community.”
University of Edinburgh Department for Social Responsibility and Sustainability (SRS) invites you to participate in a Bioblitz at the University of Edinburgh:
Wednesday 4 May – Edinburgh BioQuarter & The Western General
Participation is open to all NHS staff and visitors, as well as University staff and students.
The purpose of this bioblitz will be to record as many animal species as possible on sites between 8am and 8pm on the day, using iNaturalist:
To take part, you just need to download the iNaturalist app and make sure location is enabled on your phone. You can either take photos of animals you encounter while the app is open or just take photos normally (with location enabled) and upload them to the app later on. If you don’t want to use the app, you can send the photos to Elizabeth (bioblitz organiser – email below) so that we can upload them for you. All photos taken will become part of each campus site Collection that we have already created.
You can go out at any time or location convenient to you to make observations, and if you’re not sure of a species, iNaturalist naturalists will help with identifications once photos are uploaded.
By participating, you will be helping us to better understand the range of animal species on the University of Edinburgh campuses, including our shared hospital sites, as part of our species audit work for the University biodiversity strategy.
Bioblitzes will be taking place across our campuses during the week of 2 May, 2022.
Drop-ins are welcome however advance registration encouraged. Further guidance will be sent to you once you register.
Please contact Elizabeth Vander Meer if you have any questions.
