Environmental Management
Green Waste
Through the use of a shredder and a wood chipper the department
recycles 60% of its green waste back onto the beds or
pathways. All other green waste, such as grass clippings and
weeds is recycled by the local authority at their Harewood Whin
site.
Biodiversity
At York St John University we are very aware at
how important our natural surroundings are, and are very keen to
protect the natural insect, animal and plant species indigenous
to the area in which we work and live. A number of areas have
been kept specifically to encourage local wildlife and there
is a dedicated garden on our Lord Mayors Walk Campus, where
students are welcome to be involved in its care. Different types of
habitat boxes/homes are made by the Grounds Team and are located on
each of its sites.
Use of Chemicals
The section limits its use of chemicals through using bark mulch
and where necessary environmentally safe chemicals.
Tree Policy
We endeavour to inspect all campus trees (well over 500) within
a three year period. These inspections are used as a basis
for a winter work programme that is mainly carried out by the
specially trained in-house work force. The majority of these
trees have been numbered and entered onto a plan of the campus. We
have a number of rare and unusual trees, such as the Firmiana
platanifolia (Japanese Parasol Tree) planted in the Peace Garden, a
very old weeping Ulmus glabra ‘Camperdownii’ (Weeping Elm) and
Ulmus vugaris (English Elm) one of a handful that survive in
York.