Nature Positive University Alliance
The University continues to be a member of the Nature Positive University Alliance (NPUA), a global network of universities that have pledged to work towards a global “nature positive” goal in order to halt, prevent and reverse nature loss through addressing their own impacts and restoring ecosystems harmed by their activities.
Several students from the University have become Student Ambassadors for NPUA, allowing them to join an international network of students wanting to make changes for nature on their campus. The students have had access to resources and training, volunteering opportunities and workshops to help them to make changes on campus and gain skills that will help them in their future careers.
Langley Mead
Langley Mead is a University of Reading owned site consisting of over 18 hectares of countryside along the banks of the River Loddon, made accessible to the public for recreation and enjoyment as a Suitable Alternative Natural Greenspace (SANG). The site has been the subject of an ongoing project to restore agricultural land back to the biodiverse landscape that once existed there. The project is led by University of Reading as part of development proposals for the South of the M4 Strategic Development Location (SDL). It aims to create an area that provides a visually stimulating, attractive and educational environment for local people to visit and to enjoy.
Outdoor Learning Spaces
In collaboration with local schools, a number of outdoor learning spaces have been created and identified for use on the Langley Mead site. An designated area of ancient woodland is to be used by local school groups to help those who struggle with engaging with learning in a classroom environment, to help promote more informal learning opportunities. A meadow classroom has also been created next to St Mary’s school to help enhance environmental education. The site benefits from the creation of a wildlife pond, bee mounds and habitat boxes for birds and hedgehogs to help promote and enhance local biodiversity.
Meadow Restoration
Arable farmland at Langley Mead is being steadily restored into meadow habitats to help sustain local biodiversity. This transition has seen an increase in native wildflowers, and the subsequent return of a more diverse habitat for pollinators, birds and small mammals. To further promote meadow habitats and their importance to biodiversity, the Estates team at the University have been increasing awareness within the local community by offering learning opportunities and events on site, such as National Meadows Day on the 6th of July. This day allowed visitors to take a guided tour through the meadows at Langley Mead. There was also an information stall, self-guided walks and a wildlife activity sheet for children to ensure the day, and the environment, could be enjoyed by all.
Ecological Surveys
The sites at Langley Mead are regularly surveyed and monitored by ecologists, to prove and ensure that any work conducted by our estates team on site, not only protects existing wildlife, but also enhances it. This has led to the protection of Ancient Woodland habitats and changes to mowing schedules to accommodate nesting birds.
University of Reading Nature Park
The University of Reading Nature Park project is looking to offer local schools increased opportunities to access nature-based learning on campus, as well as select satellite locations, aligned with the National Education Nature Park initiative.
Launched in October 2023, the National Education Nature Park scheme looks to bring together green spaces from education settings across England in a virtual nature park. It enables children and young people to get involved in practical action to improve biodiversity at their setting, but also links nature education within the curriculum to a wide range of subjects.
Currently, the University of Reading Nature Park is in its pilot phase, with select schools being invited onto campus to help create and shape the project, with an intended full launch in March 2026 in line with the Universities centenary.
Our goals are to:
- Provide unique access for pupils to new habitats and areas of high biodiversity on our campus, which is home to over 2,000 different species of plants, animals and fungi.
- Offer bespoke educational resources and activities linked to the National Curriculum, created by climate, education and environmental experts.
- Enable students to explore and investigate biodiversity, sustainability and climate, encouraging them to apply their findings to enhance their own school environments.
- Showcase ideas for how schools can enhance biodiversity on their own campuses.
- Provide access to specialist educational facilities such as the Atmospheric Observatory and Cole Museum of Zoology to enhance learning opportunities.
Transforming outdoor learning
As part of our centenary, we’re transforming the historic Walled Garden into a new hub for outdoor learning. It will showcase university research and our history of outdoor education, linking to National Curriculum themes, including:
- biodiversity
- climate change
- changing hydrology
- food production and security.
We will also have an 'Action Zone' that will let pupils take part in hands-on tasks and experiments.
Through showcasing ideas for enhancing biodiversity on school campuses, we hope to inspire young people to apply their findings to enhance their own school environments, create new or improved green spaces in education settings for nature to thrive and to support Climate Action Plans.