Alumni Sustainability Newsletter
May 2024
As World Environment Day approaches, we've got a host of sustainability updates to share with you. We're thrilled to showcase groundbreaking updates from York researchers on conservation efforts, details on how you can join our next Alumni Action Day at the beautiful Wheldrake Ings Nature Reserve, and more.
alumni action day at Wheldrake ings nature reserve
Help restore a beautiful nature reserve and boost your wellbeing in the process.
As this year’s World Environment Day (#GenerationRestoration) is approaching, we’d like to invite alumni, students, staff and local residents to help conservation of the beautiful nature reserve in Wheldrake, York. During the event, we will remove Marsh Ragwort from the wildflower meadows, which is considered to be an invasive species. By removing it, we can encourage surrounding plants to grow. No prior experience is necessary as guidance will be provided. There will be a talk by a member of the National Nature Reserve about the site and their activities.
We encourage volunteers of all ages as long as they are able to take part safely. It's a fantastic opportunity to meet new people, enjoy fresh air, and contribute to the sustainability of the beautiful nature reserve!
If you're outside of York, you can get still get involved with the World Environment Day activities by checking this interactive map to find events and activities near you.
Photo from a previous volunteering day at Wheldrake Ings
Photo from a previous volunteering day at Wheldrake Ings
Thanks for taking part in the City nature Challenge!
At our last action day the Alumni Sustainability Network took part in City Nature Challenge, a 4-day worldwide bioblitz event, and we collectively made 213 observations of 140 different species during the challenge, which is a great achievement! All the observations made from 26 and 29 April 2024 will be used for research to understand biodiversity of the area.
Although this year’s City Nature Challenge is over, you can still join our Alumni Sustainability Network project on iNaturalist, an app that allows users to share photos of their observations of nature and identify them with the help of others. The app is easy to use and you only need your smartphone's camera to record an observation. By joining our project on iNaturalist, you can connect with fellow alumni who share your passion for sustainability, learn more about local ecosystems, and share your own observations of nature with our global community.
Mica cap mushrooms, a seven spotted ladybird, and Red Deadnettle. All spotted by Alumni and Staff during the City Nature Challenge.
Mica cap mushrooms, a seven spotted ladybird, and Red Deadnettle. All spotted by Alumni and Staff during the City Nature Challenge.
Are conservation efforts working?
A York study suggests they could be.
A new study co-authored by University of York researchers, published in the scientific journal Science, provides the strongest evidence to date that nature conservation efforts are working and that they can be effective in reducing the impacts of climate change.
Experts say the findings are crucial, with more than 44,000 species at risk of extinction and billions of people around the world reliant on a thriving ecosystem.
"What we show with this paper is that conservation is, in fact, working to halt and reverse biodiversity loss."
Keep up to date with sustainability events
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Date |
Name |
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21 May |
YESI International Fellows Seminar Series: The Ecosystem Services of Lahore's Urban Parks |
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23 May |
YESI/IGDC International Fellows Seminar: The use of indigenous underutilized plant species to achieve sustainable food security in the Global South: a case study from Ghana |
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23 May |
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29 May |
YESI International Fellows Seminar: Foodscapes as Nutrition Intervention Tools in the Global South |
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4 June |
FixOurFood Webinar: Food Procurement and Provision in Early Years Settings webinar |
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5 June |
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8 June |
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3-9 June |
Thank you!
We hope you've enjoyed reading the May edition of our sustainability newsletter. If you'd like to get involved in shaping the Sustainability Network, please get in touch at alumni@york.ac.uk.
You can also find more information by heading to our Sustainability Network webpage.
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