Financial

Incorporating biodiversity into campus development plans can save money. For example, natural cooling from living walls and roofs can cut the cost of running air conditioning equipment and landscaping costs can be reduced by incorporating soft landscape features and systems, such as Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS).

Managing land for biodiversity rather than for ‘high intervention horticulture’ can also lead to many cost savings. You could consider:

Leaving grass unmown for part of the year;
Using native species, particularly that are chosen specifically for the local conditions (e.g. micro-climate, soil type, shade, sun), that are more likely to thrive with less management or watering;
Reducing or eliminating chemical use;
Using less water on lawns; and
Making your own mulch and compost by shredding tree and shrub waste.

You may be able to generate an income through woodland managing practices such as coppicing. The poles that are cut from coppice woodland may have commercial value and be used in products such as firewood, fence panels and charcoal.

In this section…

Financial

Connect

Stay Informed