The world is facing the sixth global mass extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) estimates that there are currently 16,306 endangered animal and plant species in the world. Together we can play our collective part to protect them by increasing biodiversity in the Sussex area. 

Help your fellow University of Sussex staff and students to create biodiversity projects that can help increase the diversity of local animal and plant life and enable us to set aside more of our campus land for nature as we work towards our vision of creating the most biodiverse university in the UK.

You can get involved in three ways: 

1. Join the Big Biodiversity Conversation 

We’re inviting you to add your voice to the Big Biodiversity Conversation, which we are launching today. 

This conversation will allow you and your fellow students and staff to suggest biodiversity projects close to your heart, rate and comment on others’ ideas, and help us to understand which biodiversity projects you want to see on and around our Campus. 

So, join the conversation here before 10am Friday 01 April and join us at the Big Biodiversity Conversation workshop on 28 April 2022. 

2. Race for the Planet 

It’s not too late to join our community of runners and cyclists for the Brighton Marathon Weekend on 10 April 2022. We still have some spaces for the Brighton Marathon, the BM10K (10km run/walk) and the BM Ride (50km bike ride) events.

By joining Team Sussex – made up of our staff, students and alumni – in racing for the planet, you can help fundraise for the biodiversity projects selected through the Big Biodiversity Conversation. You’ll also get fit and make new connections. 

Staff, students and our community partners will be able to use the money that you fundraise to deliver real improvements through biodiversity projects selected in the Big Biodiversity Conversation. 

The deadline for signing up for an event is 10am 18 March, so find out more here and sign up now if you want to race for the planet.  

3. Donate to the Team Sussex Fund for Biodiversity Projects  

Don’t worry, if you’re not able to take part in the Marathon Weekend, you can still support biodiversity projects on and around our campus by promoting our fundraising campaign to your friends, family and local community. Share our JustGiving page and/or donate here. 

The donations that you encourage could support a range of projects from increasing the biodiversity of our existing green space to planting living walls and installing bee hotels, hoverfly lagoons and hedgehog houses to create more habitat for insects, plants and animals.  

Your support means the world to us.

Gifts of all sizes, large and small, from alumni, staff, students and friends will help us deliver a more sustainable future.