Pembroke College Biodiversity Audit

In Trinity Term, a number of Pembroke students worked to gather the data that would allow us to participate in the Conference of Oxford Colleges Biodiversity Audit.

They spent a number of days around the College Main Site, the Geoffrey Arthur Building, and the Sportsground, measuring trees, birds, insects and earthworms.

Analysis of this data, undertaken by the Department of Biology and natcap research, showed that more than 17 tonnes of carbon is stored in Pembroke’s vegetation, with 12 tonnes of this being at the Sportsground. The students also identified 26 different species of birds, four of those on the RSPB’s Red List. More than a thousand insects were recorded over the days of data collection.

We hope that this biodiversity baseline will provide a starting point for us to focus our works, and measure the success of various biodiversity-enhancing projects, as the audit will be repeated each year.

Biodiversity research is continuing at the College, particularly on the Sportsground, where a mist netting and bird ringing demonstration occurred last Saturday. Regular trips to the Sportsground are run during term time, and large numbers of students benefit from access to this area, something which is unique among the Oxford Colleges.

If you're a current student and would like to get involved in future biodiversity research, message us and we'll put you in touch with Barbara Francik, the JCR Environmental Rep.

Read more about Pembroke’s Sustainability efforts here