Biodiversity

King's is committed to enhancing the habitats on our campuses, halls of residence and sports grounds for the benefit of our students, staff, visitors and wider communities.

Protecting and enhancing biodiversity on our campuses is not only beneficial for wildlife, it can have significant wellbeing benefits for everyone using these spaces.

We have worked with the London Wildlife Trust to create a Biodiversity Action Plan for the university. This sets out the good practice and existing ecological value of our sites, such as initiatives including bird and bat boxes, and green roofs at the Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute. It also sets out where King's can improve habitats and green infrastructure under four broad themes:

• Building exteriors
• New capital developments
• Grounds and open space
• Sports grounds

As an urban university, we aim to increase and improve access to nature through the spaces we manage. The Memorial Garden at Guy's Campus is open to our students and staff, as well as the general public, providing green space in a central London location.

In June 2022, part of a silver-medal winning RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022 garden was gifted from St Mungo's to King's, and was installed at Guy's Campus. Where possible, we work with local partners such as Business Improvement Districts to improve local biodiversity and access to nature including working with Team London Bridge to create a 'pocket park' accessible to the public and located outside the Greenwood Theatre.

Working on trees at King's

Landscapes, contractors and any others working on our sites should be aware that under Section 211 of the Town and Country Planning Act (1990), any tree in a conservation area is also protected even if a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is not in force. There is a requirement to notify the local planning authority six weeks before any planned works on trees in a conservation area.

Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) protect trees that make a significant impact on their local surroundings, and it is an offence to cut down, lop, top, uproot, willfully damage or willfully destroy a protected tree without permission from the local Council.

In 2012, King's commissioned a tree condition survey across its estate, this involved a visual assessment of trees to assess tree health and to outline any proposed remedial works. Results of this survey are available by contacting sustainability@kcl.ac.uk. The assessment did not include determining whether any TPOs covered the trees, so it is still necessary to check before undertaking any work to trees onsite, and obtain any necessary consent.