Winner biodiversity competition: Biodiversity hubs

How do we make the Utrecht Science Park in built-up areas more biodiverse? That was the key question in the UU biodiversity competition, which took place from March to May 2021. The entries flooded in, because as it turns out, the university community is brimming with ideas.
From all corners of the university fresh, original ideas emerged to boost biodiversity in the Science Park. It was therefore a difficult task for the jury to select a winner. They have now decided and we are proud to announce that Remy Visscher, a landscaper at the Utrecht University Botanic Gardens, submitted the winning idea. The jury selected the idea for its originality, feasibility and the extent to which the design actually contributes to biodiversity.
Biodiversity Hubs
Remy made a design that functions as a small biotope. The 'hubs' can be applied to different places in the Utrecht Science Park and make the project scalable. The design shows a combination of a seating area, a wadi and an elevation, planted with (indigenous) plants. A wadi is a shallow depression in the landscape with sand or gravel and plants, which can retain and infiltrate water. Tree trunks and stones can be placed along the edges of the hub to further enhance biodiversity. Remy's design is really going to be executed.
