Sustainability Clinic spotlight: Urban green space initiatives with Thirteen Group
Posted on 22 April 2025
A team of six students from the Department of Environment and Geography has collaborated with Thirteen Group to enhance biodiversity in low-income urban areas. Their research-led project, part of the University’s Sustainability Clinic, provided valuable insights and recommendations to support Thirteen Group’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive communities.
The project: addressing biodiversity loss in urban development
Biodiversity plays a crucial role in ecosystem health, climate regulation, and community well-being. However, urban development often leads to habitat loss, particularly in areas facing socio-economic challenges. To tackle this issue, students focused on three key sites in Middlesbrough—Pallister Park, Dyke House, and Hemlington.
Students used these sites to develop a comprehensive report to guide Thirteen Group's next steps in improving green spaces across its housing estates. By reviewing biodiversity initiatives from similar organisations, the student team identified evidence-based strategies tailored to each site. Their recommendations balance ecological improvements with social and economic benefits, ensuring that urban green spaces support thriving, inclusive communities.
Emma Ralph, one of the participating students, reflected on the experience:
“I began the project excited by its transferable employability skills and it definitely exceeded my expectations. The project allowed me to become more knowledgeable on the real issues that challenge sustainability, by allowing me to consider the challenges that face sustainability in the corporate world. It provided me with new professional skills that a student would otherwise not get to have, such as learning the needs of a multidisciplinary organisation in order to produce a successful project proposal. I really enjoyed the nature of the project research with my team, but also appreciated the opportunity to consult the company in one of their boardrooms and create professional relationships within the industry.”
Key recommendations
Through extensive research and site analysis, the students proposed three core green space initiatives for Thirteen Group:
- Communal and edible gardens: enhancing community engagement and accessibility to green spaces while providing fresh produce.
- Green landscaping: incorporating wildflower meadows, tree planting, and pollinator-friendly environments to boost biodiversity.
- Green roofs: installing vegetation on bus shelters to improve insulation, manage rain water runoff, and create wildlife habitats.
Presenting to industry leaders
The students had the opportunity to present their findings in-person to senior leaders at Thirteen Group, including CEO Matt Forrest. Their report was well-received, sparking discussions on the practicalities of implementing the recommendations. The students were also invited to attend Thirteen Group’s internal Environmental Champions Meeting, where they engaged in discussions on biodiversity net gain legislation, carbon footprint tracking and sustainability funding opportunities.
A highlight of the experience was a site visit to Middle Marsh Reserve, a former housing estate transformed into a thriving biodiversity corridor. Led by environmental specialist John Woods, the visit demonstrated the real-world impact of urban habitat restoration and the potential for rewilding initiatives in housing estates.
Samantha Bradley, Environmental Impacts Advisor at Thirteen Group and a University of York alumna, praised the students’ contributions:
“The Sustainability Clinic matched us with six dedicated and enthusiastic students who delivered a thorough and insightful project. Thirteen Group is now investigating the feasibility of their recommendations to improve green spaces across our housing estates. If successful, these initiatives will create greener, cleaner, and better places to live. We would gladly collaborate with York students again.”
CEO Matt Forrest also commended the team’s professionalism and impact:
“I was hugely impressed by how articulate and considered the students were. One key takeaway from our discussions was the long-term commitment required to sustain these initiatives. If any of the students are interested, we’d be happy to facilitate visits to the area to provide insight into the realities of working in community-driven environmental projects.”
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Next steps: turning research into action
As a direct result of the students team’s recommendations, Thirteen Group’s estates team is conducting a feasibility study on installing green roofs on storage garages across Teesside—an expansion of their original idea for bus shelter green roofs. Moving forward, Thirteen Group remains committed to integrating biodiversity strategies into future housing developments, using student research as a foundation for meaningful change.
In March 2025, the student team presenting their Sustainability Clinic project at the annual Student Sustainability Research Conference in Leeds.
A huge thanks to the Sustainability Clinic student team and Thirteen Group for sharing their project with us (student team: Emma Ralph, Eleanor Tullet, Abbie Moore, Josh Proctor, Dylan Shale, and Alec Joly).