Biodiversity
What is Biodiversity?
Half Price Derbyshire Wildlife Trust Membership Offer
Working in partnership with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust the University is proud to offer its staff and students half price membership. This offer is available until 8 December 2011.
To take advantage of this offer you must quote UNIDERBY11 and provide your staff/student number.
For more information about this offer and the benefits of being a member of the Trust, please contact:
Ann Ridgway
Membership Officer, Derbyshire Wildlife Trust
Direct line: 01773 881189
www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk
Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth and includes all species of plants and animals and the natural systems that support them. Biodiversity is a core component of sustainable development and has an important role to play in developing locally distinctive and sustainable communities.
Conservation of biodiversity is vital in our response to climate change and in the delivery of key services including flood, flood management, pollination and provision of clean air and water.
Public authorities such as universities have a key role to play in conserving biodiversity through their work in developing and implementing policies, managing land and buildings, developing infrastructure, engaging with business and the public, conducting research, making decisions about procurement and implementing environmental programmes.
What are we aiming for?
The University of Derby has a duty to conserve biodiversity whilst exercising our functions. The duty was introduced by the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (PDF, 512kb) which came into force in 2006.
We will aim to raise the profile and visibility of biodiversity as well as making it an integral part of policy and decision making.
Why is this important?
We're facing a global crisis. More and more species are facing extinction largely due to human activities and not natural causes. Even species that were very common thirty years ago are now dropping at an alarming rate. The dramatic decline in common Britain garden birds for example such as song thrushes, house sparrows and starlings, each of which have more than halved since the early 1970s shows that no species is entirely free from the threat.
It is critical that we all play our part in conserving biodiversity which includes restoring and enhancing species populations and habitats, as well as protecting them.
What are we doing?
During 2010 the University undertook an Initial Ecological Audit, the findings of which have been used to develop our first Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP).
The Ecological Audit (PDF, 2.41 mb) provides an overview of the types of the habitats and species present on each tutorial site and Sturgess Fields and the BAP (PDF, 1.85 mb) states the measures we will implement over the next 5 years to ensure we conserve, protect and enhance our local environment. We are already making progress by putting up bird feeders, bird tables and bird and bat boxes.
Although integrated into the BAP, a separate habitat management plan exists for Sturgess Fields (PDF, 56 kb). Work is currently underway to complete the works advised within this plan which includes cutting the grass in the meadow area to prevent the loss of biodiversity that would occur if the area is unmanaged and allowed to revert to scrubland.
Date for your diary
On Saturday 5 November 2011 the University of Derby will proudly host the Lowland Derbyshire Biodiversity Partnership Annual Forum.
More News
The Summer issue of Derbyshire Biodiversity News (pdf 1.4 MB) is now available to download. This issue includes:
- Three more Local Nature Reserves for Derbyshire
- Natural Environment White Paper
- Limestone Journeys
- The Derwent Valley Landscape Partnership projects receives funding
- River Ecclesbourne
- Grounds for a Change
- Latest OPAL survey pack
- Derby Tree Warden Network
- Common Ragwort
- Community Action Grants.
Bees
For the second year running, the University of Derby has sponsored a bee hive (PDF, 242 kb) in the Midlands area by working in partnership with the British Beekeepers Association. Their factsheet (PDF, 629 kb) provides a very useful overview of the honey bee.
The University is also proud to be working in partnership with a local resident and beekeeper who has been allocated an area of our Kedleston Road Campus for two of his many beehives.
What you can do?
If you are interested in getting involved with any element of the biodiversity agenda at the university, please contact the Environment Services Team on Ext 1093.
For more information about biodiversity in Derbyshire visit www.derbyshirebiodiversity.org.uk.
