Staff from the Corporate Sustainability and Grounds teams, and students from the Department of Biology, are working in collaboration with Lancashire County Council (LCC) and the Tree Council to create a small but perfectly formed forest along the picturesque Ormskirk campus Trim Trail.
Micro-forests are tiny, fast-growing, ultra-dense and highly biodiverse native forests which are usually no bigger than a tennis court.
Edge Hill’s micro-forest – part-funded by Biffa, the University’s waste management partner – returns a plot of grassland to its original status as woodland to improve local air quality and boost biodiversity.
Keziah Stott, Corporate Sustainability Manager, said: “This small plot really will make a big difference to biodiversity.
“The micro-forest is Edge Hill’s latest contribution to sustainability, supporting the creation of new habitats and in turn our Biodiversity Action Plan.”
Grounds manager Neil Toner added: “The Grounds team are always keen to contribute and support improving biodiversity and projects in collaboration with students and key stakeholders. This was a real team effort.”
The ground was specially prepared, with soil being cultivated to a depth of about 30cm and combined with an organic growing medium.
This preparation creates perfect growing conditions for young trees.
The warm, well-drained, aerated soil, rich in nutrients and full of fungi, allows the young trees to concentrate more of their energies on vertical growth and less on simply staying alive in a stressed environment.
Dr Anne Oxbrough, Head of Biology, added: “Students from our department were keen to help prepare the ground and plant the new vegetation.
“We’re all really excited to watch our new micro-forest grow and the plot will really help bring to life the topics our students are studying.”
As the approximately 850 young trees – known as whips – grow, they will:
- pump out oxygen and capture harmful particle emissions in their canopies, offsetting some of the carbon emissions created on campus and by local homes, vehicles and businesses;
- mediate the worst of the weather by casting shade in summer and providing a windbreak during storms;
- abstract water during the growing season, reducing the likelihood of waterlogging and localised flooding.
This is the latest in a series of projects undertaken by Edge Hill University as it moves towards a more sustainable future.
Ongoing efforts have seen the University campus recognised as one of the country’s best green spaces, winning a Green Flag Award every year for the last 14 years. And in 2024, the University made a three-year commitment to ensure all electricity is sourced from renewables.
Find out more about Edge Hill University’s commitment to sustainability.
March 20, 2026
