Wildlife garden at Trinity Halls

We want to create a wildlife garden in Trinity Hall to encourage and foster biodiversity in our green spaces.

In 2019, Ireland declared a Biodiversity Emergency; 15% of species in Ireland are at severe risk of extinction, including one third of Ireland’s 98 bee species, which are vital for pollination. This is due to the sustained reduction of suitable habitats for wildlife caused by deforestation, the building of roads and housing, and the use of pesticides and herbicides. Therefore, we aim to boost Trinity’s role in protecting and fostering biodiversity by creating a wildlife garden in Trinity Hall. This will include a range of native wildflowers to provide food and shelter for insects and butterflies, as well as features to attract and home some of Ireland’s most endangered species. Examples of native species we will plant include Dandelions, Selfheal, Clovers, Yellow Rattle and Mahonia, which provide pollen and nectar throughout the whole year, and stinging nettles (for butterflies). We aim to plant 17 different species of wildflower in celebration of the United Nations’ Sustainability Goals! The garden could also include features such as a ‘bee hotel’ to encourage bees to visit our garden, a bird-feed and a log pile for small mammals (beetles, worms, small amphibians). Importantly, no harmful pesticides or herbicides will be used in the garden. This will allow wildlife to flourish, thereby protecting Irish biodiversity, and help Irish farmers and future generations who rely on pollinating insects for food production and healthy ecosystems. In order to track the biodiversity of our wildflower garden, we will utilise Ireland’s Citizen Science Portal to record sightings of biodiversity. This feeds directly into outputs such as Red Lists and conservation management initiatives in Ireland, helping to monitor biodiversity progress. The app ‘Biodiversity Data Capture’ will also be of great use to assess the impact of our wildlife garden.

This project will be carried out in Trinity Hall’s garden. We would like to work with the Green Campus Committee and Trinity’s Horticultural Society, as well as other student volunteers to aid the creation and maintenance of the wildlife garden.

In our budgeting, we spoke to the Grange Growers Garden Centre in Kilternan. Approximately 1.5 grams of 100% wildflower seed is used to sow one square metre of land; we can purchase 100g of wildflower seed for €28. Additionally, soil will cost us approximately €80 and compost will be €60. A bird-feeder would be purchasable for approximately €30 and a ‘bee-hotel’ for €20. It is likely that we will be able to source logs and wood chippings through Trinity’s tree maintenance team. Gardening equipment will cost no more than €100. This brings our estimated budget to €320.

Due to this project being carried out in an outdoor environment, the impact of COVID-19 will not be significant. As long as we comply with the up-to-date rules for social distancing, this project will not be affected by the pandemic. For example, those tending to the garden can easily maintain a 2m distance and wear masks if necessary.