Grass strip experiment

You don’t have to look any further than Heidelberglaan to see the steps Utrecht University is taking towards more biodiversity. Whether it’s adding a ‘grass pavement’, or other ways to make room for more life, the UU is making long-term plans for Heidelberglaan while changing the way it’s currently managed. As time passes, the street layout will change, and its greenery will be managed in a more ecological manner.

As changes are taking place in the background, small experiments are already possible. An example of this is the trial with the so-called grass strip in front of the Administration Building (right in front of the Green Office). This summer, the Facility Service Centre and the Green Office of the UU ventured into a trial with this patch of green. Scroll down to the bottom of this article to see which plant species appeared.
 

What kind of experiment is this?

For a while now, the vegetation on this strip has not been mowed. It will be left alone, so that the UU can see what will happen. Only the grass on the edges of the strip has been mowed, to leave room for people to sit.

What will the outcome be? Several scenarios are possible. In the least favourable case, nettles, thistles, and other plants considered undesirable for a residential-work area will spring up. In that case, landscaper will have to intervene. In the best case scenario, a dazzling range of colourful and indigenous flowers will offer eye candy to passers-by while also being good for biodiversity. But of course, it’s hard to make nature fit into a box. Scenarios in-between are also possible, and we as UU are curious to see the result.

What challenges will the university face?

We have talked about getting to a more Biodiversity campus, but what challenge does the university face? Henk Legger, Technical Maintenance Manager of Outdoor Space, takes us through this topic. “To start with, one challenge which the university definitely does not have is a lack of necessary knowledge. We have all kinds of experts in house, whether that be in operations or among our scientists. When there are gaps in our knowledge, we can solicit advice from consultancy firms or nature organisations. We can always turn to Cruydhoeck – for example – with questions about sowing (seeding, seed) policy. One thing which brings a more complex challenge than one would think is..."

On the way to a more biodiverse campus

Anjelle Rademakers, Green Office UU manager, believes that it is crucial for the university community to be aware of the processes within it. "That way, anyone who wants to can have a say and contribute knowledge and ideas to strengthen the process. We know that this strip of grass is not going to solve the biodiversity problem - it is too far from other greenery and it is too small an area for that. Actual change, however, can occur through new policies, such as the one the UU FSC is currently drafting. In the meantime, this experiment gives us a chance to get people thinking and to invite them to talk."

Plant species

At the time of writing, here are the plant species which seized this new opportunity on the grass strip in front of the Green Office:

• 

  Yarrow - Achillea millefolium

  Native

  Not to be confused with cow parsley (which has a different leaf shape). It attracts beneficial insects such as butterflies, bees and beetles. In the garden it is a welcome guest because it increases the fragrance of plants that are nearby. Yarrow has medicinal effects: it is astringent, wound healing, anti-inflammatory, stimulates digestion and has a beneficial effect on blood circulation. It owes its Latin name to the Greek hero Achilles, who took yarrow on his campaigns to treat his army's war wounds. It can also speed up the composting process in your compost pile, and if you run out of hops in your brewery, yarrow is a great substitute.

• 

  Fall dandelion (Scorzoneroides autumnalis)

  Native

  Easy to confuse with the common dandelion, the fall dandelion has a branched stem. It is an important species for bees because this flower still blooms in the fall, when many other plants have already finished blooming. The presence of the fall dandelion shows that this is a nutrient rich moist soil. 

• 

  Clover (Trifolium repens)

  Native

  The clover is one of the most common species in the Netherlands and it is found in both cultivated and natural grasslands. It is an important source of nectar for honeybees. The Tolakker, UU's farm, likes to work with clover in its pastures. The clover remove nitrogen from the air, reducing the need to fertilize the pastures. In the fall, it releases the nitrogen again which helps to counteract mold growth in the grass. Clover is also very valuable in animal feed as a protein additive. All in all, a very useful plant!

• 

  Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill (Geranium molle)

  Endemic exotic species

  Dove’s-foot Crane’s-bill is a species of geranium with very small purple flowers. You have to closely to spot them, but roadsides are often full of them, giving them a purple tinge. It is an important host plant for certain butterflies such as the brown argus. Like other geraniums, the flowers and leaves of the dove’s-foot’s crane’s-bill are edible! You can toss them in a salad, decorate a cake with them, or make tea from them.

• 

  Bull Thistle (Cirsium vulgare)

  Native

  Despite its prickly appearance, bull thistle is also sold as an ornamental plant, thanks to its beautiful large purple flowers. Insects love the thistle. It attracts a whole variety of critters: from bees and bumblebees to hoverflies, beetles and bugs. It is also a host plant for various moths and the colourful painted lady butterfly. Once the flower has finished blooming, a new category of animals arrives for their daily menu: Siskins, linnets, tree sparrows and goldfinches love the seeds. With this knowledge, you can look at what is often considered a nasty stinging plant from a different point of view.

• 

  Ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris)

  Native

  A plant species made interesting by the conflicts of interest which it creates. The ragwort is a host plant for certain insects such as the cinnabar moth, which absorbs the poison from the leaves to deter other animals from eating it. Horses and cows are particularly sensitive to the poison in the ragwort, however. They will know not to eat the live plant, but they are at risk if the plant is accidentally mixed into dried hay or if the flattened and loose bits lay on the ground. This makes this plant species rather undesirable for a campus.

• 

  Common Daisy (Bellis perennis)

  Native

  Daisies are edible and can add a nice touch to a salad, or even a soup! The warmth of the soup triggers the flowers to fully open, which creates a beautiful effect in your soup bowl. Daisies can also help you get a sense of the weather. They are wide open in the sun, but they close back up when it gets dark or rainy. 

• 

  Roaming wrapper

  Invasive exotic species

  The various subspecies of wrapper do not occur naturally in Dutch grasslands. Unlike native species, wrappers add little to nothing to the ecosystem. They are mostly just a hazard. Unsuspecting birds can get plastic in their stomachs by pecking at it in search of those tempting breadcrumbs. If consumed frequently, this can lead to death. The packaging can also start to 'roam'. It is then carried by the wind to other landscapes and end up in open water, with all the harmful consequences this entails.