December2019

BiodiversityPlan

2019-2024

December2019

UniversityofSuffolkBiodiversityPlan

2019-2024IntroductionAs part of its Sustainability Policy, theUniversity of Suffolk is committed to ensuring thatsustainability and biodiversity opportunities are identified and implemented whenconsidering land use, development, and construction practices in the way in which theCampusandUniversityEstateismanaged.ThisBiodiversityPlanisdesignedtoensurethatbiodiversitybecomesanintegralpartoftheUniversityandwiderregionalhabitatnetworksthroughtheapplicationofprojectsandplansthat meet the ambitions of the University Strategy and the United Nations SustainabilityDevelopmentGoals (SDG’s). ThisplanplacesaparticularemphasisonSDG’s4,14,15and17.ThekeyobjectivesoftheBiodiversityPlanare:

• ToenhancethequalityofhabitatbiodiversityontheEstatesunder whichtheUniversityhasmanagementandoperationalfunction;• Tomeet andwhere possible exceed theWildlife and Country Side Act and associated UK Wildlife and Habitat regulations; with an emphasisonbiodiversitynetgain;• To enhance thequality of life andwellbeing for staff and students andexpandthestudentexperience,makingtheUniversityofSuffolk adesirableplacetolive,workandstudy;• To create additional Living Lab curriculum and research opportunities as a valuable teaching resource, for undergraduate andpostgraduateresearchprojects;• To further develop partnership links with industry, initiating and implementingknowledgeexchange;• To comply with Section 40 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006) requiring public bodies to conserve biodiversitythroughbothconservationandenhancement;• To further develop community links and engagements with local schools, charities and wildlife groups, and continue to increase awarenessofthenaturalenvironment;

Biodiversity and in particular urban biodiversity is a complex and frequently undervaluedassetwithindecision-making.Toassistinidentifyingcorevaluesanddirectingfundingandresourcesactivitywithaccountability, theEstatesDepartmentwilladhere to the followingthreecoreprioritiesintheimplementationofthePlan.

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BiodiversityCorePriorities

• Priority1: Protect existing biodiversity, ensuring understanding of condition andspeciesvalue;

• Priority2: Enhancebiodiversityandecologicalcorridorswherepossible, ensuringtheinclusionofbiodiversitydecision–makingwithinall construction,maintenanceprogrammesandprojectswhere applicable,whilstfurtheringourambitionsandthoseoftheIpswich BoroughCouncil,OpenSpaceandBiodiversityPolicy2013–2023 andtheIpswichWildlifeNetwork;

• Priority3: Promoteengagement,researchandeducation,ensuringthe

inclusionofstudents,staffandthewidercommunitywhere appropriate.

ContextThe University of Suffolk is an urban Campus, located in Ipswich, Suffolk in the East ofEngland.Thequalityof thenaturalenvironment inSuffolk is reflectedby theareaof landprotected forwildlife.ManyofSuffolk’snationallydesignatedwildlife sitesaredesignatedfor their European and International importance and 8% of the county is nationallyprotectedasSitesofSpecialScientific Interest (SSSI)due to the importanceof thespeciesandhabitatsfoundhere.Afurther5%ofthecountyislocallydesignatedasCountyWildlifeSites(CWS).Withoutthesesites,muchofSuffolk’swildlifewouldhavebeenlostorseverelydepleted. Protected sites, habitat areas and greenspaces are not only hotspots forbiodiversity providing crucial homes for wildlife; they also provide a range of importantecosystemservicesonwhichwealldependthrough;

• Provisioningservices:suchasfood,freshwater,wood,fibre,geneticresourcesandmedicines.

• Regulatingservices:obtainedfromtheregulationofecosystemprocessessuchasclimateregulation,naturalhazardregulation,waterpurificationandwastemanagement,pollinationorpestcontrol.

• Habitatservices:toprovidehabitatformigratoryspeciesandtomaintaintheviabilityofgenepools.

• Culturalservicesincludingnon-materialbenefitsthatpeopleobtainfromecosystemssuchasspiritualenrichment,intellectualdevelopment,recreationandaestheticvalues.

Suffolk’s Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP), which comprises our list of priority species andhabitats, isembedded in localplanningpolicies. Impactson legallyprotectedspeciesareamaterial consideration in the planning process whilst impacts on priority species andhabitats are also capable of being material considerations. The National Planning PolicyFramework (NPPF) includesa rangeof requirements to conserveandenhance thenaturalenvironment as well as requiring local council plans to promote the preservation,restorationandre-creationofpriorityhabitats,ecologicalnetworksandtheprotectionandrecoveryofpriorityspeciespopulations.

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Thosewho livewithin 500metres of accessible green space are 24%more likely tomeetrecommendedlevelsofphysicalexercise.DepartmentofHealthandUKNationalEcosystemAssessment figures suggest that adequate access to greenspace can lead to reductions insedentarybehaviour,providing£2billion/yr.savingstotreatmentofcoronaryheartdisease,cancerandstrokes. Urbangreenspacecanfacilitatesocialcontactandgiverisetostrongneighbourhoods and reductions in crime. Ipswich has 500 hectares of green space andwildlife habitats within the town,which in addition to providing areas for recreation andwell-beingarealsoimportantforthemanagementofwaterandfloodingwithinthetown.SiteCharacteristicsTheUniversity of Suffolk estate is amulti-building, located on an urban site;with privateaccess roads and a public highway. The site can be roughly segmented into two sections,separated by Fore Street, which splits the recently developed areas on thewaterfront ofNeptunequay,fromtheolderareaofourcampustothenorth.BoththeNorthCampusandthe Waterfront sites have several public entrances/exit, as can be observed in Figure 1;Figure2identifiesuniversitybuildingsonthesitemap.

The Estate is bounded to the southwest by the Waterfront a predominantly mixedresidential and business pedestrianised development and to the north by New SuffolkCollege.EastoftheEstateisAlexandriaPark,accessedviaBackHamletandresidentialareasbeyond.Duke Street runs north to southwith theWaterfront building situated to thewest. LongStreetandNewStreetareprivatelyownedbyUoSandsituatedonNorthCampus.To theeastofNorthCampusliesBrickmakersWood,ownedbytheUniversityandcurrentlyundercharitylease.SitecharacterisationformsthepreliminarystagesofourwiderBiodiversityStrategyanditisimportant to highlight the challenges of bio-ecological assessments within an urbanlandscape; as heterogeneity in both natural and urban ecosystems is relative to blockpatches of habitat on a variety of scales. This biodiversity Plan and it’s resultantimplementation programs will therefore use a nested hierarchical approach based uponoverall site compartmentalisation assessments, on-going monitoring and improvementwithin the constraints of the biophysical landscape, the built environment and soil covertypes. Underpinned by the overarching requirement to establish ecological corridors insupportofourobjectivesandprincipleswherepossible.

Figure1:UniversityofSuffolklocationcontext

Figure2:SimplifiedUniversitysitemap

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Currentlythesiteandit’slanduse,withtheexceptionofBrickmakersWood,canbedefinedaslightcommercial;withamixtureofmultipleofficebuildingsandhardsurfaces,withsmallareasofamenityshrubsandgrassland,exhibitingalowbiodiversityvalue.HistoricLandUseNorth Campus: Historic map searches confirm that the North Campus site whereBrickmakersWoodissituatedwasfromthe1670’saclaypit.ThewoodlandescarpmentisoneofthekeytopographicalfeaturesnowtobefoundintheWoodandowesit’shistorytotheBrickandTileWorksthatfullyestablisheditselftherepossiblyatsometimebeforethe1850’s.DuringWWIandWWIIthewoodlandandareatothewestofBrickmakerswasusedfor aircraft part engineering manufacture and later for the storage of vehicle and gasassociatedwithbarrageballoonfilling.The remaining part of North Campus was originally a tightly packed early VictorianresidentialareareferredtoasThePotteries,until1939whenthehousesweredemolished,with the majority of the inhabitants moved prior to the outbreak of WW2. After sitingvacant, in poor condition, the land was regenerated for educational purposes in the late1960’s.Waterfront: The Waterfront area, including the James Hehir building and associated carparks, sits on the Ipswichwet dock,which opened in 1842; although a dock and harbourhavebeenpresentonthissiteforcenturies.Historicallythisareahasbeendenselypackedwithheavytolight industrialuseassociatedwithbusinessesservicingthedock, inadditiontothemanufactureofgas,fertilisersandengineeringparts.GeologyThegeologyacrosstheCampusisvariableandsiteinvestigationscarriedoutin1986,showthatmadegroundexists at variabledepthsover alluviumand terrace gravels, over glacialvalleyinfillandupperchalk,withnoLondonclay.Groundwaterliesatanaverageofabout2to3m.

KeyDesignations Thefollowingtablesummarisethekeyecologicalandhabitatdesignationseitheronsite,orwithin1kmoftheUniversityofSuffolk

Table1:KeyDesignations

StatutoryDesignation Description DistancefromSiteRAMSAR StourandOrwellEstuary >1kmSSSI StourandOrwellEstuary >1kmUniversityfallswithintheImpactRiskZoneforbothoftheaboveSSSI StokeTunnel 1kmNitrateVulnerableZone Onsite–allareas OnsiteDesignatedHabitats DeciduousWoodland/NationalForestInventory Brickmakerswood OnsiteDeciduousWoodland/NationalForestInventory AlexandraPark SiteBoundaryEastDeciduousWoodland/NationalForestInventory HolywellsPark 527mSEDeciduousWoodland/NationalForestInventory FinbarsWalk 540mNESpecies IdentifiedbyMAGICDefra/SBIS-CommonNamesBirds Curlew,Lapwing,Redshank,Turtledove,Yellow

Wagtail,HedgeAccentor(Dunnock)*,CommonStarling*,SongThrush*,HouseSparrow*,HerrringGull,Swift,Raptors

(*SuffolkPriorityspecies)

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Mammals CommonPipistrelle,SopranoPipistrelle,daubentons,Hedgehog

AssociatedSuffolkPrioritySpecies

ReptilesandAmphibiansGreatCrestedNewt,CommonToad Asabove

BeesandWaspsWeevilHuntingWasp,5-BandedTailedDiggerWasp

Asabove

BeetlesNecklaceGroundBeetle,StagBeetle Asabove

ButterfliesandMothsWall,GoatMoth,FourSpottedMoth Asabove

MossesandLiverwortThatchMoss,ChalkScrewMoss Asabove

PlantsBroad-leavedCudweed,RedHemp-nettle,AnnualKnawel,Fine-leavedsandwort,Ash,Elm

Asabove

BiodiversityCompartmentsTheUniversityCampushasbeendividedintositecompartments,asindicated,fortargetedmanagementandspecifichabitats.TheseareasfollowsrecordedinTable2:UOSBiodiversityMasterDesignations.Conditionstatushasbeenrankedusingthefollowingdeterminations:

• Favourable:Areaiswellmanagedandincontinuousimprovingcondition,enhancedbiodiversityevident;

• Favourableimproving:Areaiswellmanaged,withconditionimproving;• Adequate:Areaismanaged,hassomeevidenceofbiodiversity,butfurther

improvementprogrammesrequireimplementing;• Inadequate:Areahasmaintenancemanagement,withlowbiodiversityvalue

Table2:UOSBiodiversityMasterDesignationsCampusLocation SiteLocation SiteDescription ConditionNorthCampus BrickmakersWood

TM17221441714+acresdeciduousurbanwoodland,withAshtree’s,newlydevelopedpondarea.Stagbeetlepopulation.JointERCandUOSManagementProgramme1

AmenityAreaArts1TM1717144251

Amenitygrasslandandshrubs–ManagementProgramme2

AmenityAreaArts2TM1715844189

AmenitylandscapingManagementProgramme3

AtriumEastTM1766244242

Amenitygrassed-bushes,5trees

AtriumWestTM1697544242

AmenityGrassed–bushes,<5treesManagementProgramme4

Waterfront WFCoprolitestreetTM1703544051

Amenitygrassed<5trees

WFGreenroofTM1701344078

Greenroofwith5xSedumspeciesplanting

JamesHehir(JH)TM1706343820

Madeground,withpartialbeefriendlynativespeciesseedplantingManagementProgramme5

JHGreenRoofTM1702943841

Greenroof:semi-intensive,withamoderatevegetationplantingincluding,sedum,herbs,grassesandwildflowers.NestingboxforPeregrineFalconManagementProgramme6

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LivingLaboratoriesSince 2016 the University Estates department has driven the University’s commitment toembedding sustainability across the organisation through the creation of onsite CampusLivingLaboratories.LivingLabsarearecognisedmeansofreplicatingreal-lifesustainabilitychallengeswithinaphysical framework, that facilitates student,operational andacademicstaff knowledge transference; through engagement, internal and external partnershipcollaborationandthetestingofinnovativemanagementpracticesandtechnology. Manyoftheseincludeprogrammesforbiodiversityrestoration,andenhancementandseekto not only meet the Biodiversity Plan objectives, but to provide a platform for theacquisitionofinsightsintothepracticalapplicationofabiodiversitybasedprogramofworksand provide opportunities for research and curriculum engagement in assessment andsurveyingwork toobtainmetrics andmeasureperformance. This is an integral approachinto ensuring the Biodiversity Plan’s success and ensuring a campuswide translation intoecologicalgain.TheUniversityhasdeveloped3mainEcologicalLivingLabsforbiodiversity,withafourthinthepipelineattheAdastralPark,DigitechHub.

• BrickmakersWood• JamesHehir:LivingRoof–LivingLab• AmenitySpaces

BrickmakersWoodBrickmakersWood is a University owned 3.5 acre brown field urban woodland on NorthCampus abutting Alexandra Park. Following an audit in 2015 the site was found to be indeleteriouscondition,withevidenceofsubstancemisuseandanti-socialbehaviour.AspartofourEstatescommitmenttosustainabilityalongtermpeppercornleasewasextendedtoERCT; a regional cancer care and well being woodland charity whose exemplary work insocial sustainability and biodiversity align with the Universities strategic vision to seek toaddresstheSDG’swithinit’sownactivitiesandresearch.

EstablishingaWoodlandLivingLabwithinthecontextof the work ERCT undertake and set against theconnected framework of the SDG’s, has enabled thecreation of a transdisciplinary, multistakeholderresource where innovations and learning possibilitiescan take place. Where activities are mutuallybeneficial; with a shared investment in deepeningknowledge, widening research application andenhancing thewell-being and skills acquisition of thecommunitiesbothorganisationsserve.The Living LabProject has provides curriculumaccessfor Wildlife, Radiotherapy, Oncology and TeacherTraining students, affording them designatedcurriculumtimetoworkwithinthewoodlandonteambuilding conservation activities along with clinicalrepresentatives from all four partner NHS Trusts,academicSENandnatureconservationspecialists.

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WithassistancefromaPostcodeLotterygrantanewwildlifepondandheritageorchardhasbeencreatedtosupportusergroupsoutsideofacademiaandtoactasaresearchsite forevaluating localised improvements to Urban Biodiversity in the Alexandra Ward. Thisresourceformsthebasisofalongitudinalstudy,workingwiththenewWildlife,EcologyandConservation undergraduates, targeting indicator species and evaluating improvements tolocalairqualityandthebroaderIpswichhabitat.JamesHehir:livingRoofThe Living Roof – Living Lab is situatedon the green roof section of theUniversity JamesHehirbuilding.Greenroofshavebeenwidelyrecognisedasprovidingsignificantprivateandpublicbenefitstourbanenvironments.Thesebenefitsincludeimprovedstormwatercontrol,better air quality, lower energy consumption, enhanced biodiversity, natural urban heatsinks and healthier, more beautiful skylines. And as such form an important part of theUniversityBiodiversityPlan.A preliminary Condition Review was conducted by Estates on both the James Hehir andWaterfront roofs inSeptember2017. The reviewsought tobroadlyassess thegreen roofinfrastructure and undertake a basic quadrat inventory of flora species as verification forrestorationwork and a qualified specialist Survey in 2018. The green roof infrastructureconditionwasobserved tobe in poor repair in parts, however, self-seedednative speciessuch asGeranium,BloodyCransbill andWhite StoneCropwereevident,with a varietyofnon-nativegrassesandsedumssurvivingfromtheoriginalplantingscheme.Raptorandseabird activity was also evident, with a good range of insect species in the south easterncorner.

FollowingextensivecollaborationandwithhelpfromtheHawkandOwlTrust,thefirststageofManagement Programme 5 (MP5), has now been completed,with a Peregrine nestingbox,feedingtableandwildlifecamerainstalled.Inadditiontothenestingboxon-goingrestorationworksareunderwayonthegreenroofbeds,withsupplementalplantingofa22specieswildflowerseedmix.AmenitySpaceThere are a number of amenity spaces as identified in theBiodiversityDesignation Table,across both North Campus and the Waterfront. Biodiversity improvement works are

Over the AY 2018/19 a number of excitinginitiativessawtheInstallationofaLivingRoofLiving Labs project; supported by theUniversity of Suffolk Foundation Board,Buglife,HawkandOwlTrustand theWildlifeEcology and Conservation Science degreestaff and students. Since 2014, a pair ofperegrineshasnested ina speciallybuiltboxon top of the Mill tower, but after the boxwas destroyed by wind, and with buildingwork underway, the University approachedtheHawkandOwlTrusttobuildanewboxontheJamesHehir.

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currently underway across this part of our estate. Management Programme 2 is beingundertakenwithastudentintern,tocreateawildlifeareaandextendtheecologicalcorridorfrom Brickmakers Wood into the Campus. Management Programme 3, has seen somewildlifenaturalisationplantingwithBuglifetointroducenativebluebellsandwildgarlic,withfurtherworksunderwaythroughtoupgradetheamenityplantingacrossthisareatobalanceavisualaestheticwithwildlifesupportingplantingschemes.

BiodiversityActionPlanTheUniversityofSuffolkBiodiversityActionPlanistheimplementationdocumentthatunderpinstheBiodiversityPlan2019to2024.ItsetsoutthebroaderUniversityObjectivesandidentifiesawiderangeofManagementProgramsandinitiativesforimplementationtodriveforwardourstrategicaims.

ThisActionPlanwillbereviewedonanannualbasis.

TheActionPlanisavailableatAnnexAtothisdocument.

AimToensurethatbiodiversitybecomesanintegralpartoftheUniversityandwiderregionalhabitatnetworksthroughtheapplicationofprojectsandplansthatmeettheambitionsoftheUniversityStrategyandtheUnitedNationsSustainabilityDevelopmentGoals(SDG’s).

Management Programme 4, is also inprogress, with the installation of Swiftnesting boxes and call system on theAtrium Roof and a proposedwildflowermeadowtobesown inAY2020/21oncetheHoldBuildingworksarecompleted.