Students from Northamptonshire-based Moulton College are at the heart of efforts to monitor and encourage biodiversity at the College’s estate and farm.

Spanning more than 456 hectares, Moulton College is home to both 4,000 students and an extraordinary array of wildlife, including barn owls, yellowhammers, otters and hedgehogs.

With nearly one in six species threatened with extinction in Great Britain, the College’s efforts to support biodiversity play a vital role in national initiatives to protect and restore native wildlife habitats – helping to strengthen the productivity and resilience of UK farming.

Now Higher Education students studying Animal and Zoology are leading several research projects to help support the College’s ecological health.  Mel Reynolds, Higher Education Subject Lead, explains: “Moulton College has a long and rich history as an agricultural college, providing thousands of students with what is essentially a ‘living’ classroom in which to learn.

“The College has been conducting wildlife surveys for more than four decades, laying the groundwork for ongoing monitoring of the site and the legions of species it is home to. Biodiversity efforts are fundamental to supporting soil health, pollination and pest and disease resistance, which in turn help crops, livestock and agriculture to thrive. With the rapid decline of important habitats and species across the UK, monitoring and encouraging biodiversity is pivotal to the future of farming.”

As part of their work to understand and protect local biodiversity, the students utilise technology including camera traps, ecological data software and techniques such as footprint tunnels, aquatic surveys and moth light traps to monitor wildlife.

Earlier this year, the group used bird surveys to document avian diversity across the College’s woodlands, farmland and more built-up areas using mobile apps and statistical analysis to assess species. It revealed the presence of common birds like barn owls, moorhens and woodpigeons, while the songs of rarer linnets, starlings and yellowhammers were also captured.

Meanwhile, aquatic surveys using kick sampling techniques have revealed thriving invertebrate communities in streams and ponds, with detritivores – organisms or creatures that feed on decaying organic matter – forming a crucial link in local food webs.

The results of the latest studies have been startling, revealing that Moulton College is home to more than 250 plant species, 200+ invertebrates, 50 bird species and 30 mammals, including several with high conservation status.

Mel adds: “Engaging our students in biodiversity monitoring provides practical learning opportunities and gives us valuable data to record our rich landscape. As part of their studies and research projects, the students have also been working on plans to further enhance the habitat and improve biodiversity, including the addition of wildflower strips, log piles and wetland patches.”

Looking ahead, students and staff plan to underpin efforts with a central reporting system, Biodiversity champions, and updated habitat mapping surveys, alongside rewilding projects.

Mel concludes: “Biodiversity is part of who we are and underpins our sustainability efforts as a College as we move towards becoming carbon neutral. Our students don’t just learn about ecology, they live it, explore it, and contribute to lasting change.”

To find out more about Moulton College’s Higher Education courses in Animal and Zoology, visit www.moulton.ac.uk/he/subjects/animal-welfare