Spring has arrived with daffodils and crocuses starting to bloom around campus, complementing the sustainability changes that have taken place throughout March.

Lancaster has an engaged community of staff who are passionate about sustainability. This spring has brought a flurry of gardening projects and spring-cleaning suggestions. Here are some examples of positive change on and off campus this March:

New charity recycling bins on campus

If you are planning a spring clean and have items to donate, you can now bring them onto campus and donate easily at either ReStore Lancaster or one of the new British Heart Foundation charity donation bins dotted around campus. Find out more about the locations of the bins and the items they accept.

LUMS tackle waste and recycling

The Lancaster University Management School (LUMS) sustainability staff working group have updated the signage around their building to encourage more staff and students to recycle. Expanding on the existing signage, they hope to showcase the variety of items that can be recycled and decrease the amount of waste going to landfill. If you would like a copy of the posters or digital screen notices to use in your building, or if you're a LUMS staff member interested in joining the staff sustainability working group then please contact Izzy Hoggmascall.

Gardens in Ghana

Lancaster University Ghana have created a Tribute Garden Project called ‘Blooming Hope’. It is a garden dedicated to remembering loved ones and raising awareness during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This project was more than just a sustainability effort. Led by Natalie Parry-Amegatcher, Alumni Relations Officer at LU Ghana, discarded sacks and tires were repurposed into a serene garden for breast cancer survivors and their families, finding a way to blend environmental responsibility with social impact. The result was not just a beautiful green space but a testament to the power of sustainable innovation and human compassion.

Join in the City Nature Challenge

Lancashire has been entered for this year's City Nature Challenge – an international event that encourages people around the world to document wildlife in their own areas. Between 24-28 April you can submit observations of wildlife to iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/) - a free global citizen science platform for nature which can be used by anyone regardless of experience.

City centre garden update thanks to University funding

Lancaster University's Wind Turbine Community Benefit Fund supports local projects striving to make a meaningful impact, and you can look forward to monthly highlights of the projects that the fund helps. This month’s focus is the Storey Institute Gardens - a project to help refurbish and replace the sculptures in the garden that had previously been stolen. The new round of funding for the Wind Turbine Community Benefit Fund is open now until the end of June – find out more about how to apply for a local project.

Got a sustainability story?

The University’s Sustainability team want to hear more from anyone who is working to advance sustainability in any way across Lancaster University, no matter how big or small.

Send your stories, suggestions, ideas, and feedback to sustainability@lancaster.ac.uk.