The University’s Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) outlines the University’s approach to managing nature and sets out clear actions to enhance biodiversity across the estate.
Our commitments
The University of Cambridge has a commitment to maintain and improve the condition of broad habitat types across our estate.
Our pledge to deliver more than 10% biodiversity net gain for new developments has now been superseded by the national requirement, but we continue to seize opportunities to improve nature on the estate as part of building, farming, and grounds maintenance operations.
We seek to deliver a significant and measurable improvement in the biodiversity of our estate, as well as across the Greater Cambridge Area. We encourage action, research, and innovation to enhance and protect biodiversity for future generations, educating and inspiring an appreciation of the natural environment.
More information on our targets can be found in our BAP.
The University of Cambridge has also signed a nature positive pledge. We are a founding member of the global Nature Positive Universities network formed in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and launched at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15) in Montreal, Canada on Thursday 8 December 2022. This commits us to start a Nature Positive journey, looking at how we can help reverse biodiversity decline locally and through our supply chains.
From planting and maintenance to public engagement, we aim to improve biodiversity across the University of Cambridge estate.
Our approach
Our initiatives are grounded in best practice and data. We manage a number of sites to increase biodiversity and enable public access (see below).
Ecological Advisory Panel
The Environmental Sustainability Team work closely with the Ecological Advisory Panel of ecological experts to drive forward the delivery of biodiversity-related work. A mix of Cambridge academics and conservation practitioners, the Panel experts help develop and oversee delivery of BAP actions including our recent Woodland Management Plan update and our new operational habitat maintenance guides.
Work on the Estate
The Operational Grounds Team is responsible for delivering much of the University’s BAP on our operational estate, for example, maintaining the green spaces around our sites and creating wildflower areas. To support this, we embed nature-positive practices within our Grounds Teams. We also collaborate with Cambridge City Council, which manages parks, trees, and verges within the city. Through training provided by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust and local ecologists, we engage and share knowledge to strengthen skills and understanding across our teams.
This ongoing programme offers opportunities for team members managing our sites to discuss challenges, share ideas, and enhance practical skills. It also enables our teams to share valuable feedback from students, staff, and the public to improve our biodiversity-friendly practices in response to common queries. We conduct similar engagement and advisory work on our rural estate, partnering with the Rural Surveyor and Farm Manager to support individual projects and promote best practices.
Mapping and monitoring
The first principle in our BAP is to maintain a data and research driven approach to biodiversity work, and to evaluate our actions with a view to sharing what we learn. This starts with having a foundational knowledge of the ecology on our estate and a framework for continued measurement of habitat condition and species recording. We have completed baseline surveys (below) and will conduct our first major resurvey in 2025 to check on our progress to BAP targets.
University Biodiversity Baseline
Before developing the BAP, we commissioned a Biodiversity Baseline based on habitat and species data collected from 2017-2018, as well as research records and local natural history knowledge.
iRecord
iRecord is an online tool that all members of the University can use to help capture and record wildlife data across the estate and Cambridge. To use the tool, log in or sign up to iRecord. Make sure you choose the ‘Cambridge University and Colleges’ activity when submitting any records on University or College land.
More information on its use can be found on the iRecord User Guide, iRecord Quick Start Guide and How to use iRecord pages.
Colleges Biodiversity Baseline Summary Report
The Biodiversity Baseline Summary Report provides a review of all wildlife present on College sites, highlighting the diversity of species and habitats that exist. This baseline data will enable the Colleges to enhance the biodiversity in their green spaces and work with partners to improve the city for wildlife on a landscape scale.
Our biodiversity
We own land with a huge variety of habitats, from lowland meadows to around 65 hectares (more than 160 football pitches) of woodland. These sites play a specific role in supporting the relationship between increasing biodiversity, supporting academic research, and engaging University members and the wider public.
The following is a list of publicly accessible land that we encourage readers to visit:
Cambridge University Botanic Garden
A collection of over 8,000 plant species from across the globe, with 30 different garden areas to explore! Most of the Botanic Garden is accessible without steps or stairs, except for a few heritage features.
Madingley Hall Gardens
Eight acres of landscaped gardens, shrubs, perennials and trees as well as an 18th century walled garden and the Yew topiary gardens. An accessible flat gravel paths run through the expanse of the gardens.
800 Wood
A native multi-purpose woodland, 800 Wood is the largest planting project ever undertaken by the University of Cambridge. Adjacent to Madingley Wood, it contributed 50% towards the county’s Local Habitat Action Plan aimed at creating 20 hectares of new Woodland by 2010 to link up ancient woodland clusters. Further information can be found on the UK Government website and Forestry Commission’s Woodland Creation Case Study. You can access 800 Wood from this location.
Our progress
Read about Our progress [under construction].