Wildflower project set to boost biodiversity at university campus this summer

A team of Wrexham Glyndwr University staff and students have added fresh green shoots to their local environment – with the help of Keep Wales Tidy and Incredible Edibles Wrexham.

As part of the Welsh Government’s Local Places for Nature project, a 30 metre square donation of wildflower turf was given to the university by Keep Wales Tidy.

University staff, student Green Champions, and volunteers from the Incredible Edibles Wrexham project all worked together during a socially-distanced event last autumn – before current lockdown regulations came in – to build a wildflower verge on the university’s Plas Coch campus on Mold Road in Wrexham.

The verge, which runs between the university campus and the Racecourse Ground, has now been planted with the wildflower turf.

Wrexham Glyndwr University Senior Health, Safety and Environment officer, Jenny Thomas, said: “While it may not look like much at the moment, the turf is another reason for us all to look to the coming months with hope.

“All being well, in the summer it will be a riot of colour and attract lots of pollinators like bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

“Wildflowers not only provide food to a wide range of insects in the summer – but their seeds can also provide a food source to birds and small mammals over the winter when food is scarce. In addition, an area of taller plants will provide cover for larger animals, including hedgehogs, to help them move safely from one area to another to find food.

“Wrexham Glyndwr University is among dozens of universities across the UK who have signed up to the Hedgehog Friendly Campus initiative.

“A team of staff and students is working towards securing Hedgehog Friendly Campus status for Glyndwr – as we’ve had reports of hedgehogs at both the Plas Coch and Regent Street campuses.

“Once the wildflowers develop, this area will be a boost for our staff and students, for our local community – and of course for our hedgehogs and other wildlife!

“We’d like to thank our partners at Incredible Edible Wrexham and Keep Wales Tidy for all their help planting the site up.

“Everyone put in a fantastic effort to get the area cleared and the turf planted on a wet autumn day – while of course maintaining a safe social distance.”

Find out more about Wrexham Glyndwr University’s sustainability work here.