Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 launches first Dutch university Tiny Forest
Mini forest increases the ecological value of the campus
The Utrecht Science Park has become a bit greener. The Green Office of Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 started planting a Tiny Forest there on 21 November: a dense, indigenous forest the size of a tennis court. This mini forest will be the first Tiny Forest in the Netherlands to be managed by a university. The project was initiated by two students of the Utrechtse Biologen Vereniging.
On 21 November 2019, university staff and students started planting five hundred indigenous trees and plants. The end result increases the ecological value of the campus and provides a home for local insect, bird and other animal species. This week, an from IVN Nature Education's biodiversity study showed that Tiny Forests attracts hundreds of different animal and plant species.
Research tiles
The location of this mini forest offers a great opportunity for research by the Biology Department of Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 and the Biology Study Association, but also by the students of Hogeschool Utrecht, with whom Utrecht 木瓜福利影视 shares the Science Park. The possibility of research in the mini forest was a guiding principle from the start of the project. With this in mind, so-called research tiles have been integrated into the design. These tiles can be used by biology students to keep a close eye on the ever-evolving ecosystem and to gain valuable insights into the diversity of species in the mini forest.
The sum of this new mini forest and the wealth of knowledge and commitment present at the Science Park will ensure that this Tiny Forest will be the subject of many future research projects and theses. By continuing to build on lessons learned from previous research, and by implementing the knowledge gained from tiny forests in other places in the Netherlands, the university can ensure an impact on a larger scale than its campus alone. The aim is to contribute to increasing biodiversity in the rest of the Netherlands and beyond.