Biodiversity

DMU’s campus is a city centre campus which presents challenges for biodiversity but the university is committed to enhancing biodiversity across its site. These commitments are set out in the university’s Biodiversity Policy which has been agreed and adopted by the Operational Leadership Group (OLG) and the University Leadership Board. The policy is reviewed annually and is supported by an action plan, progress against which is reported annually to the OLG and the University Leadership Board. This progress is also reported through the annual Sustainability Report which is available online.

Our commitments within our policy and action plan are to continually improve our environmental performance through effective and appropriate environmental management practices. Wherever practical to do so DMU will avoid or limit the use of environmentally-damaging substances, materials and processes. We are also committed to publicly promoting our Biodiversity Policy and our reporting our performance in these areas.

Specifically we will:

• Conduct ecological surveys for new developments to identify and retain areas and features which are beneficial to biodiversity
• Comply with relevant legislation and check our compliance through the environmental management system on an annual basis
• Work with our students and our staff to develop annual projects to promote and enhance biodiversity on campus
• Review our policy and action plan on an annual basis and report progress to the OLG and the University Leadership Board.

Our progress in this area has included:

• Running bat box making workshops for students to make bat boxes to put up around campus
• Holding a workshop about bat conservation with a representative from the local wildlife trust
• Planting projects around the campus with students to grow edible herbs and to enhance biodiversity and in particular bees

Any feedback relating to DMU’s work around biodiversity can be sent to sustainability@dmu.ac.uk