Out and About

To the Moon Challenge

Join in as the University of Cambridge community seeks to achieve two clear targets, to clock up a combined distance, equivalent to travelling around the world, and then to travel to the moon.

Distance around the World = 40,075 km

Distance to the Moon = 384,400 km

You can clock up distance by walking, running, cycling, swimming or wheelchair racing!

After a difficult year for some, we cannot wait to get away and what better way than going to the moon with your colleagues, friends and University community!

For more information and to get started here

iRecord: Share Your Wildlife Sightings to Support Local Biodiversity

In 2020, the University published its first Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP). One of its aspirations was to engage with the University community to understand which species are using the estate and how this changes over time.

We would like to invite staff and students to get involved in our biological recording project, using iRecord.  This simply involves providing information on when and where a particular species was found.

Biological records can be added to national and international datasets, used for research or conservation and help inform planning and development, as well as wildlife legislation.

To find our more and to get up and running on the iRecord app, visit the Sustainability webpages

You can join the Biodiversity Yammer Group too!

Thursday  |  06 May  |  12:00 - 13:00

Biodiversity Break

Are you interested in biodiversity on campus? Join us for our first informal lunchtime chat to find out about what's already happening.

Aimed at staff from all institutions across the University's estate, all the way from operational grounds teams and College gardeners to academics and professional office-based staff - this event is open to all with an interest.

This event will be hosted by Rachel Steward, the biodiversity lead within the University's Sustainability Team and Chantal Helm from the Botanic Garden.

We will also be joined by Jo Wilkinson who will get the ball rolling by introducing the Hedgehog Friendly Campus scheme and highlighting the practical support, as well as resources and free training sessions, on offer. The remainder of our lunch hour 'biodiversity break' will then look at getting an improved understanding how we might better support you to improve our grounds for biodiversity and highlighting some of the ways you can already get involved, including making a start on recording the biodiversity already there.

1 – Leave a Mess! 

Resist the urge to keep all parts of your outside space tidy. Leave fallen leaves, broken ceramic plant pots, plant stalks and general organic debris as micro habitats. 

2 – Take a break... 

End the work day with a cuppa outdoors, be still until it is drunk.

3 – Mow less 

Cut that grass less often or better still leave patches (or a whole lawn) uncut, don't worry about bald spots for they are great from solitary insects. 

4 – Feed the bees 

Plant nectar rich, native plants to feed visiting invertebrates. 

5 – Add a hedgehog hole in your fence... 

Hang a nest box, create a feeder station or cut a hole in your fence as a wildlife corridor. 

6 – Make a splash! 

Create a small pond or water source, ensuring a ramp as an escape route for any creatures that fall in or add a few large pebbles as perches for drinking or bathing from.

7 – Just breathe 

Go outside close your eyes and just breathe! 

8 – Picnic time! 

Go out at lunchtime and eat picnic style.

9 – Read outdoors... 

Read a page of your book/magazine/newspaper outdoors. 

10 – Take a walk... 

Go for a lunch time walk and take in a rainbow of natural colours (one step further is create a photographic collage of the result and post on Yammer or some such online medium)