Our community and the environment
We're working with our surroundings to make a positive change to both our wider community and its environment.
The impacts of our actions are not just confined to the University, they reach into the local community and environment too. We want to make sure that we're working with our surroundings to bring about positive change.
Supporting our community
350+ students
participated in Sustainability Clinic pilots with local organisations in 2022-23.
500 employee volunteers
contributed 1,300+ hours of their time during the Big Community Challenge 2024.
58,311 global attendees
at York Festival of Ideas in 2024, with over 251 events and 228,731 website views.
Chairing and supporting
the re-launch of York Climate Commission in 2024 to help York become a more climate-resilient and sustainable city.
Our partnership with York Cares
We work with York Cares, an employee-volunteering charity that brings businesses, employees and communities together to work on environment-related community projects across the city.
Each year, staff from the University of York are given the opportunity to volunteer for York Cares’ Big Community Challenge, which brings employers together over a month to make a transformational change in urban green spaces across the city. It is an opportunity to come together, to be part of something big in the city and to make a real difference to our local environment.
The Sustainability Clinic
The award-winning Sustainability Clinic is part of our suite of York Interdisciplinary Modules (YIMs) available for undergraduate and postgraduate students from all Departments/Schools to take as an elective module while they study at the University.
In this module, student teams work with local, regional and national organisations to help solve a sustainability problem that matters to their partner. Since September 2023, our students have partnered with a wide range of organisations, including the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, York Minster, The Rugby Football League, and North Yorkshire Moors Railway.
Making city connections: YorkCliConnect
Set up in April 2023, YorkCliConnect is an official YESI network at the University. It was established as a city-wide network that aims to support and strengthen the local community that understands, communicates and takes action on the Climate and Nature Emergencies we are all facing.
By connecting people, projects and organisations in York we facilitate the sharing of knowledge and resources, reduce duplication of effort, support and encourage one another, and ultimately help empower necessary change.
Our campus grounds and biodiversity
Green Flag status
since 2013 in recognition of the quality of our green spaces.
Hedgehog Friendly Campus
Platinum status for being a suitable and safe place for hedgehogs to thrive.
12,800 wildlife observations
recorded on iNaturalist during the York City Nature Challenge 2024.
500 tansy plants
were planted by volunteers on Campus East during last year’s Big Community Challenge with York Cares.
Promoting biodiversity
York is a campus university renowned for its green spaces and lakes and wildlife is everywhere. Our lakes and wetlands make an especially popular place for many species of birds including ducks, geese, swans, grebes, moorhens, coots and herons.
Our campus is interwoven with an array of habitats and species that play an important role in the local ecosystem, as well as adding to its beauty. Conserving these habitats alongside our growth is of the utmost importance.
Monitoring and maintaining our green spaces, flora and fauna is a key part of our Grounds Team's role. Our Ecological Management Plan details how we aim to promote biodiversity on campus.
Our campus tree trails
York is an open campus University which staff, students and the general public can explore and enjoy. Getting outdoors is key to fostering a sense of connection with the natural world and our outdoor spaces are perfect for this. Since 2013, we've maintained our Green Flag status, which is the national standard for publicly accessible parks and green spaces.
Our campus is home to over 70 different tree species, both native and non-native to the British Isles. Discover more about them with our guided walking tree trails, a great way to explore campus in all four seasons.
Biodiversity Living Labs
York Living Labs brings together our University community to work on sustainability problems on campus, and use the campus as a test-bed for sustainability solutions which have wider impact.
Our Biodiversity Living Lab aims to enhance our understanding of biodiversity found on campus and discover methods to improve it, all while involving our community and celebrating the remarkable biodiversity right in our own doorstep. Our Biodiversity Living Lab management committee comprises of staff and students who are interested in advancing the University's biodiversity initiatives.
Birds on campus
Our Biodiversity Living Labs committee have put together some maps to help identify the different types of bird species that can be found on Campus East and Campus West.
These maps have been designed by Millie and Erin, our Biodiversity Living Lab interns.
, 279kb)Our strategic goals
As outlined in our Sustainability Plan 2021 - 2030, we aim to use our research, teaching, resources, and networks to drive impactful change and civic engagement, addressing societal needs and fostering a sustainable society.
Collaborative climate action
To be instrumental in the development of structured collaboration and empowering processes and alliances within our City and community to achieve climate neutrality for the region.
Driving sustainable solutions
Identify, empower and facilitate development of ambitious sustainable solutions to civic, business and community led challenges.
Spaces for innovation and collaboration
Creation of inclusive facilities and shared spaces (both real and virtual) on campus and beyond, to stimulate creative and innovative interactions, skill sharing and partnerships to support action planning and engagement that showcases York as an exemplar pilot city in addressing sustainability challenges.
What you can do
Find out ways you can engage with our local community and explore the biodiversity on campus.