Strengthening biodiversity together

Utrecht University aims to strengthen biodiversity globally and locally. This week, in the run-up to World Biodiversity Day, is all about local, regional and national cooperation on biodiversity restoration.

Twelve universities and colleges joined forces to make a video on biodiversity restoration. In the video, the various educational institutions explain what they are doing to restore (local) biodiversity. #HogerOnderwijsBloeit

On 17 May, the design and management plan for biodiversity restoration was adopted by the Executive Board of Utrecht University. This plan contains a list of actions that will be carried out from now until 2035. The university wants to restore biodiversity in its own area and strengthen the natural connection with the surrounding landscape. The plan will soon be made public.

On 18 May, Utrechtse Heuvelrug National Park director Gijs de Kruif and President of the UU Executive Board Anton Pijpers signed a collaboration agreement. To enforce the collaboration, the Utrecht Science Park has become a sister park of the National Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug (NPUH).  The signing took place at the opening of the first biodiversity hub in the Utrecht Science Park.

‘Cooperation on biodiversity restoration is essential,' says Anton Pijpers. 'By working together on connections in the landscape and doing research on how we can effectively regreen the region, the impact on restoration becomes much greater,' he says.

‘This cooperation with Utrecht University is important for the National Park Utrechtse Heuvelrug, because together we can, based on knowledge, lift nature within NPUH to a higher level', says Gijs de Kruif, director of NPUH.

Want to know more about what the university is doing to strengthen biodiversity? Go to www.uu.nl/biodiversity