Fruit of the toon
Biodiversity initiative kicks off with ‘urban orchard’ project.
Photo: Zoe Webb
Newcastle University and local Councillors have ‘peared’ up to launch a new biodiversity strategy by laying the foundations of a prototype ‘urban orchard’. A crack team of six-year-old children from Chillingham Road Primary School, with the support of Councillor Nigel Todd (Deputy Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport at Newcastle City Council), helped launch the project by planting fruit trees at Cochrane Park Allotment, colloquially known as ‘wor lotty’. It is hoped that once established, the local community may enjoy the fruits of their labours for many years to come.
After a learning session delivered by student teachers, the children pitted their wits against one another in a photography competition, exploring Cochrane Park and taking photos of things related to biodiversity. Some very imaginative children declared they were “exploring Madagascar!”, despite the fact that they very obviously weren’t.
It is through engagement projects like this that the University hopes to promote biodiversity and the wider issues relating to it to both within the University environment and with external bodies through improving the University estate and the local environment.
Staff and students have been heavily involved through the various Autumn and Winter activities, with many more being planned for 2012. If you would like to get involved and help to improve our campus environment or want any more information regarding the University’s biodiversity commitment, please get in touch with the University’s Biodiversity Coordinator, Zoe Webb (zoe.webb@newcastle.ac.uk)
