Our Valuing Nature Action Plan aims to transform the University’s estate into a thriving environment where people and wildlife coexist, addressing both the climate and ecological crises. The plan focuses on creating biodiverse green spaces across campus to support pollinators, birds, hedgehogs, and other wildlife. It also emphasizes fostering connections between nature and the wellbeing of our staff, students, and the surrounding community.

The University of Manchester was named the UK’s most sustainable University at the QS EduData Summit 2024. We were awarded the title of ‘Sustainability Champion’ in celebration of our standout achievements within the area of environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance.

The University’s landscape and services team has recently installed a new Bug Hotel, nestled in the corner of our Williamson building. The Bug Hotel is made using recycled wood, as well as foliage and twigs that were found around the campus grounds. As the number of pollinators in the UK is in decline, this project aims to provide these important insects a home.  

Our environmental sustainability strategy, Our Sustainable Future, describes how we will reduce our carbon footprint, promote sustainability in our teaching and learning and research and innovation, and engage and support our community in the transition to a more sustainable society. Our strategy sets out the practical steps we are committing to, where it is already clear how best to protect and enhance our environment. We commit to transparency in reporting our progress towards our sustainability goals. We also outline our commitment to collaboration and deep enquiry where the solutions are less obvious, the challenges more complex or we need to be part of a broader shift to make the necessary changes possible.

To help promote biodiversity on campus, we’ve developed:

• an online, interactive campus Tree Trail highlighting 50 of the 1,500 trees across Oxford Road Campus, North Campus and Whitworth Park.
• a tree plan requiring the planting of two trees for every one removed by our campus developments.
• UMAPIT (University of Manchester Animal Positions and Information Tracker) – a bespoke app to allows the public to record sightings of urban wildlife species.

We ensure our biodiversity hotspots are taken care of:

The Firs is located on the University’s Fallowfield campus and houses a suite of facilities for environmental research, monitoring and engagement.

Our UNESCO World Heritage site, Jodrell Bank, is another area rich in biodiversity. 

We’ve also transformed a former road into Brunswick Park – a pocket park to enhance green space and wellbeing on campus.

We utilise sustainable water extraction technologies on associated university grounds off campus.

This includes using sustainable urban drainage techniques to minimise surface water run-off and flood risks in an environmentally friendly way by mimicking natural water systems such as ponds, wetlands, swales and basins.

We support the Kindling Trust, a local organisation aiming to combat climate change, biodiversity loss, and economic inequity, by challenging and subverting the industrial food system. We buy vegetables through Kindling’s operatives and have taken shares in Kindling Farm – a new blueprint for fair, organic and ecological farming.