Nature Positive is a term that refers to the reversing of nature loss and encourages ecosystem recovery. The Nature Positive Universities network is comprised of over 500 higher educational institutions worldwide who have all committed to protecting biodiversity by signing the Nature Positive Pledge. The network was jointly founded by the University of Oxford and the UN Environment Programme in December 2022. If you’re interested in finding out more about Nature Positive and how as a student you can get involved, keep reading!
Image: The aim of the Nature Positive Universities group; reversing the biodiversity loss curve. Credit: Nature Positive Universities.
What is the student ambassador programme?
If you are a student and interested in the Nature Positive ethos, check out the Student Ambassador Programme. Every year, Nature Positive Universities welcome students to apply for this program, giving them the opportunity to play a part in #GenerationRestoration while collaborating with students from other universities on a global scale.
The programme is an exciting blend of practical and collaborative activities, with no two days being the same!
Some benefits you will gain upon joining the programme:
Experience volunteering with mentors at University of Oxford
A chance to make a difference on our campus
Networking with a global community of environmental activists
Resources and training to help you organise events and activities
A certificate documenting your role
A chance to exercise your personal skills such as social media, communications, design, organising events, translation and biological identification and survey techniques
Image: Nature Positive student ambassadors volunteering in a field. Credit: Nature Positive Universities.
How can I apply?
Applying for the programme only takes 10 minutes and could seriously boost your CV, if you are interested in working within the environmental or urban planning sector.
To find out more on what the sustainable campus team are doing to fulfil the Nature Positive Pledge, check out our blog post on Biodiversity Net Gain, or visit the Biodiversity page on our website!
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) are key to building sustainable cities and countering the influence of urbanisation. These eco-friendly solutions maintain habitats, support natural cycles, and protect human communities. Since 2023, it is now a legal requirement for all new major developments to include SuDS in their planning.
Newcastle University has great research infrastructure in this area, including the UKCRIC National Green Infrastructure Facility (“the living laboratory”) and the Newcastle Urban Observatory. This blog will explore how SuDS work and their importance, using a current student’s project as a steering guide. Enjoy!
What are SuDS and why are they important?
The main purpose of SuDS is to mimic the natural processes that urbanisation has impeded, i.e. the infiltration of water into the ground. Smaller projects use methods like installing green roofs or rain gardens while large-scale projects use basins and swales (flood ditches).
Check out this helpful video for an in-depth explanation of SuDS, linking their function to the University’s Green Infrastructure Facility:
So, what are the actual benefits of SuDS over traditional drain systems? SuDS are known to:
Decrease risk from flooding
Reduce flood damage costs
Improve water quality
Act as a carbon store
Support biodiverse habitats and animals
Image: Snapshot of a hidden drainage grate among greenery and purple flowers. Demonstrates the contrast between manmade installations and natural stores. Credit: John Donoghue.
“Domestic SuDS Planter: Design, Construction and Evaluation”
During her study, Madeleine Tate found herself drawn to water and flood management, which inspired her MEng dissertation project. Madeleine chose to install and test a sustainable planter box at Kensington Terrace accommodation. The research aim was to combat the issue of increased storm water affecting the residential sector. Kensington Terrace proved to be a perfect location:
“Everyday I go into university I walk past and check on it. It’s quite easy to collect data from.”
Image: Close up photograph of the SuDS planter, showing the pipe diversion, the overlaying gravel, and the blooming plants. Credit: Madeleine Tate.
Madeleine’s planter collects rainwater from the roof and interrupts its flow by slowing it down. The water flow is filtered a variety of soil layers within the planter (see image below for a layer breakdown). After the water has moved through the layers, it passes through a geotextile, finally exiting the planter via an outlet. This outlet deposits water back into the drain system. Thus, the mechanism slows down the journey from roof to drain, giving the traditional system more time to cope. Crucially, this reduces flood and Combined Sewer Overflow risk.
Interestingly, the planter itself was made from a reused intermediate bulk container, which was cut down and repainted. How innovative!
Image: Diagram showing how the planter in Kensington Terrace works. Shows soil layers and step-by-step route of rainwater through the system. Credit: Madeleine Tate.
Project Success
Madeleine’s planter is still in the process of collecting data but has so far proven to be a success! Here we can see a graph comparing inflow levels to outflow levels for rainfall events in May and June 2024. The orange outflow dataset is consistently lower than the blue inflow dataset, by up to 75%. This mirrors the slow pace of the flow travelling through the soil layers.
Image: A graph tracking water inflow and outflow in the planter for events from May 1st – June 19th. Credit: Madeleine Tate.
The Future of Planters and SuDS
Due to its success, the planter installation will remain at Kensington Terrace and will continue to produce meaningful data. Madeleine is now in the process of starting her PhD, looking at how these planters can be scaled up. She is collaborating with Newcastle City Council to project datasets, visualising a city where these planters are installed in all houses and drainpipes. In what Madeleine deems the “snowballing effect,” this initial planter innovation will open the door for more similar schemes:
“The future should bring more research; more use and more awareness”
As the threat of climate change becomes more imminent, SuDS and modelling wide-scale integration will prove to be an important tool for risk prevention. If no action is taken, water systems are bound to collapse due to heavier rainfall.
I would like to thank Madeleine Tate for her extensive help and her informative graphics. She ensured that my first post on the sustainability blog was both inspiring and educational! For more information about the UKCRIC National Green Infrastructure Facility, click here. If you are interested in learning what Sustainable Campus are doing for water management, click here.
