Hartpury University and Hartpury College have joined the national pilot of Nature Friendly Grounds, a new awards programme developed by SOS-UK to support educational institutions in embedding nature-positive action across their estates.
The pilot marks an important step in Hartpury’s continued commitment to sustainability and biodiversity enhancement, aligning closely with the institution’s wider sustainability focus within its Hartpury 2030 Strategy.
A living laboratory for nature recovery
Set across a 360-hectare estate, Hartpury is uniquely positioned to integrate wildlife conservation, sustainable land management and student learning. Participation in Nature Friendly Grounds will support the institution in building on existing biodiversity initiatives while establishing the estate as a leading case study for best practice in integrating wildlife into working landscapes.
Hartpury has already undertaken a range of biodiversity-focused actions, including:
· Participation in No Mow May and the creation of wildflower meadows
· Increased use of wildlife-friendly perennial planting schemes
· Use of biological pest control methods on the farm
· Expanded planting of cover crops and herbal leys
· Trialling bio-acoustic bird monitoring schemes
The Nature Friendly Grounds framework provides an opportunity to take this work further, embedding structured operational actions, habitat restoration and student-led monitoring into a cohesive, evidence-based approach.
Embedding nature into education and operations
The programme guides institutions through operational baselining, leadership development, strategy alignment, grounds management and education engagement, before progressing to specialist conservation modules focused on habitat and species recovery.
For Hartpury, this structured framework complements the expertise already delivered through its animal and environmental programmes, including:
· BSc (Hons) Animal Behaviour and Welfare
· MSc Biodiversity Conservation
· Level 3 Extended Certificate in Countryside Management
· A-level in Environmental Science
By embedding the programme into teaching and applied learning, students will gain hands-on experience in habitat assessment, wildlife surveying, land management strategy and sustainability reporting, developing practical industry skills alongside academic knowledge.
Participation in the pilot reinforces Hartpury’s ambition to position its estate as a fully integrated outdoor classroom, demonstrating best practice in sustainable land use, biodiversity recovery and climate resilience.
Jackie Jobes, Director of Sustainability at Hartpury University and Hartpury College, said: “Joining the Nature Friendly Grounds pilot is an exciting step forward for Hartpury. Our estate provides a unique opportunity to embed biodiversity enhancement into a working agricultural and educational environment. This programme gives us a structured framework to strengthen and evidence the positive actions we are already taking, while empowering our students to play a leading role in shaping nature-positive land management. Our ambition is for Hartpury to be recognised as a living example of how education estates can contribute meaningfully to wildlife recovery and sustainable land use.”
The national roll-out of Nature Friendly Grounds is planned for autumn 2026. Hartpury’s involvement in the pilot phase ensures the institution is at the forefront of shaping how educational estates across the UK contribute meaningfully to nature recovery.
