‘Biodiversity is closer than you think’ says Professor Adam Hart, as UoG plants trees to support nature
University of Gloucestershire is highlighting the importance of protecting and supporting nature through words and deeds, ahead of International Day for Biological Diversity on 22 May.
As part of its ongoing commitment to enhancing biodiversity across its campuses in Cheltenham and Gloucester, the University has planted 12 new apple and pear trees at Park Campus.
Donated by Dr Matt Wood, Senior Lecturer in Biosciences at the University, the new orchard will contribute to carbon reduction, support local wildlife and habitats, and provide free fruit for students in the years to come.
The trees were planted by members of the student-led Biosciences Society alongside University Vice-Chancellor Dame Clare Marchant DBE, Cheltenham MP Max Wilkinson and UoG Students’ Union mascot, Glossy the goat.
The planting reflects a wider message being championed by Professor Adam Hart, Professor of Conservation Ecology at the University, who is encouraging people to rethink what biodiversity means, and where they can find it.
“When we hear the word ‘biodiversity’, it’s very easy to picture somewhere far away, most likely with Sir David Attenborough’s voice in the background,” said Professor Hart.
“Tropical rainforests, African savannahs and coral reefs are often what come to mind. But biodiversity isn’t something ‘out there’. It’s right here, under our feet, in our gardens, and along the pavements we walk every day.”
Professor Hart explained that biodiversity includes everything from trees and birds to insects, fungi and the microorganisms in the soil – all of which play a vital role in supporting life.
“The large, charismatic species tend to capture our attention, but they are only a tiny part of the story,” he said. “For every elephant or whale, there are countless less celebrated organisms quietly keeping the world running. Pollinators help produce our food, soil organisms recycle nutrients, and urban trees cool our cities and improve air quality.
“In the UK, biodiversity is woven into daily life far more than we realise. It’s in the weeds pushing through cracks in the pavement, the moss on a garden wall and the birds in our hedgerows.”
Despite its importance, biodiversity is declining globally due to habitat loss, pollution, climate change and changes in land use. But Professor Hart says small local actions can make a meaningful difference.
“Not everyone can protect a rainforest, but anyone can make space for wildlife in a garden or on a balcony,” he said. “Perhaps the most important step is simply to notice. The more we understand the richness of life around us, the more likely we are to care about it.”
International Day for Biological Diversity, organised by the United Nations, takes place annually on 22 May to raise awareness of the importance of protecting the natural world.
Image: Students from the University’s Biosciences Society and Glossy the goat at the tree-planting event at Park Campus