Coventry University creates a buzz as biodiverse campus recognised with Bees’ Needs Champions Award
Coventry University's edible garden in spring
Monday 09 October 2023
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Coventry University has won the prestigious Bees’ Needs Champions Award for its dedication to creating a biodiverse campus where people and nature can flourish together.
Bees and other pollinating insects are an essential part of the environment and play a crucial role in food production. The Bees’ Needs Champions Award was presented by the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and highlights Coventry University’s exceptional efforts in creating a pollinator hub and insect breeding corridors through the gardens on its Coventry city centre campus.
The university’s edible garden, which is located between The Hub and the George Eliot buildings, is used as a pollinator hub and consists of vegetables, fruit and herbs that showcase the growing and use of food for students, staff and visitors to campus, which allows users to harvest crops at the appropriate time.
We are delighted to have our efforts in demonstrating pollinator-friendly habitats and food sources to the public recognised by DEFRA Bees’ Needs Champions Awards. Insect pollinators are important for our environment and for biodiversity. Without them, seed production by wild plants as well as flowers, vegetables and fruit grown in gardens would be jeopardised.
Our grounds and the sustainability teams will continue to develop and deliver our student engagement and volunteer programme where we promote the importance of biodiversity, as everyone has a part to play to encourage more beautiful butterflies and buzzing bees in your local area.
We are also delivering more biodiverse projects, planting schemes and initiatives to benefit people and wildlife, such as the new garden currently being created on the footprint of the demolished Alan Berry Building, providing wildflower areas, herbaceous planting and fruit trees, expanding pollinator corridors across campus.
Jamie Whitehouse, Grounds and Public Realm Manager, Coventry University
Other areas of Coventry University that are contributing to immediate wildlife corridors include the fruit trail, which will continue to be developed later this year, with the planting of several fruiting trees; Starley Gardens which has fruiting trees and wildlife friendly planting; Bishop’s Palace Gardens provides an array of early spring plants and bulbs which are a rich resource for wildlife; and The Hub’s new raised planted area displays bee friendly plants from May to November.
