Students audit the nature on their doorstep during campus-wide bioblitz

Students and colleagues at National Star Ullenwood are set to work in partnership with local wildlife and nature experts to survey the biodiversity on campus.

Working alongside the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust we’ll be surveying part of the campus to establish what insects, butterflies, moths, bees, birds, trees, wildflowers, bats and other mammals call Ullenwood their home!

The activities will be tailored to those taking part. There will be lots of sensory activities and students will be encouraged to touch, smell and collect items during the 24-hour survey.

Sustainability lead Elaine Hodgin said: ‘Students are curious and engaged in outdoor learning opportunities. They enjoy being part of the Hedgehog Friendly Campus group, make the most of the student allotments growing produce for StarBistro, our on-site café. We have an established orchard and other raised beds for the student groups to use.

Being responsible, sustainable and ethical to leave a better environment for future generations is something we are passionate about at National Star.’

Bioblitz Timetable

Thursday 19 June

11am – 1pm: Invertebrates

Gloucestershire Invertebrate Group will be coming along to survey a section of the campus.

We will have spotter sheets for students to use so they can count the number of invertebrates they see.

1pm – 2/.30pm: Drop-in lunchtime activities for colleagues

This will include identification sessions, biodiversity arts and crafts and flower art

2.30pm – 4.30/5pm: Flowers, grasses, hedgerows and trees

This session will be a combination of surveying the trees and hedgerows, the grassland/meadows. There will be several activities to encourage students to engage with the colours and shapes of the flora on campus.

8.30pm – 10.30pm: Moth trapping and bat walk

This session will start by turning on the moth trap and explaining how it works, followed by a bat walk using bat detectors (provided by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust). The Ullenwood area has a number of bat species and our bat walk leader will help us to spot them.

Friday 20 June

8.30am – 10am: Moth trap reveal!

We will check the moth traps in the morning and see what moths live at Ullenwood

10 – 11.30am: Bird walk and survey

We will be walking a set route to listen and spot birds, using spotter sheets. We will have bird soft toys with birdsong sounds available for students to familiarise themselves with the sounds of birds we see and hear.

11.30am – 1pm: Bioblitz round-up and celebration

We will round-up the species spotted during the bioblitz.

Our vision for biodiversity at National Star

• Improve the biodiversity value of the National Star estate and contribute to local, regional and national biodiversity targets.
• To conserve and enhance habitats that create better, more inter-connected places for wildlife across National Star, ‘connecting’ our estate with other green spaces such as The Cotswold Way, Pittville Park and Crickley Hill Country Park.
• Manage and develop our green spaces to provide benefits such as educational value and psychological wellbeing to students, residents and colleagues.
• Break down barriers between green and grey space within the National Star estate.
• Engage with, and educate students, colleagues and other interested parties on biodiversity.