Students take action to improve biodiversity on campus

Over 100 Marketing students recently took part in a biodiversity challenge to engage 18-25 year olds in nature as part of a consumer insights module. The students were tasked with coming up with a proposal to support this objective with the top three projects being funded by the University’s Estates department and installed on campus by the cohort. Ideas from other proposals are also considered in future estates related plans so other innovative ideas from the students are still put to use.

Proposals aimed to improve biodiversity and wildlife-friendly areas on campus with a variety of plants and herbs that can be used for meal ingredients or sustainable dyes, increasing the amount of green, colourful spaces and wellness gardens, and introducing bug hotels and rain catchers. The projects would also help educate others on environmental issues and improve the mental health of students at the University. 

The winning project was from Marketing and Digital Marketing students; Alice Feest, Joshua Guyler, Chloe Haylor, Jake Jones, Dorothy King, and Isabella Lartey. The project involved creating a wildlife-friendly area in front of Milldam building to enhance the visual aesthetics of the grounds whilst creating a more peaceful environment for students. The winners received £500 towards their project and were able to make it a reality by working with peers from their cohort to produce the plots on campus. Second place received £350 and third place £150 to contribute towards their respective projects.

Alice Feest, one of the winning students said, “It was a great experience being able to see our proposal come to life, it felt like we were actively making an impact and positive change for nature.”

The experience will help the students apply new knowledge to their marketing campaigns and inspire them to take action in nature whilst also raising money for the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust. The idea for the project came from considering the ethical responsibilities of marketing associated with over consumption by engaging with nature, contemplating how to overcome these issues and encouraging people to feel more connected with the outside world. Additionally, the project helps to encourage positive connotations associated with environmental conservation and to educate on biodiversity with support from the Trust. 

A fundraising day called Earth Fest was also held in the week prior to the planting day and consisted of stalls in Portland Atrium with hand-made crafts for sale from the students, herbs and biodegradable pots as well as interactive educational resources and engaging activities such as an activity wall, origami workshops and Eco Splash (a version of the Ice Bucket Challenge!) The festival enabled the students to put into practice their marketing and campaign skills to promote the event to fellow students, increased environmental awareness and raised money for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust.

Craig Whitelock from the Trust said, “The project benefits students through connecting them with the work Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust does and bringing students who might not consider nature a focus in their lives as something to appreciate and even take action. The hope is this encourages them to think differently about their everyday actions and consider the environment and being advocates for nature amongst their peers. By creating these outdoor spaces students benefit from wellbeing as nature offers space to relax and unwind and in busy lives we all need these opportunities.”

The work students completed on this module helped increase knowledge and awareness on environmental sustainability, enabled students to put their learning into practice and helped raise money for a worthwhile cause. The finished products can be seen in flower beds outside Milldam building and in planters in Portland Courtyard which will be moved across campus to be on display for the graduation celebrations later this summer.

Image credit: Kev Bradshaw