Nature is an essential ally in climate adaptation, and the University of Antwerp wants to actively focus on strengthening biodiversity on its campuses and helping to raise nature awareness. Although important milestones have already been achieved - such as extensively managed grasslands, high-quality forest habitats, improved water features, and various campus-specific projects (including vegetable gardens, sheep as nature managers, and nesting boxes) - much potential remains untapped, especially on the Stadscampus. In this highly paved environment, substantial greening becomes essential due to climate change.
Breakthrough actions 2025-2026:
- initiating two transformative de-paving projects on the Stadscampus where identified concrete surfaces can be transformed into green places to stay;
- extra trees in the inner courtyard of Campus Middelheim for more shade and ecological value;
- improvement of the hydrological situation at Campus Drie Eiken.
These actions are complemented by campus-specific initiatives such as ecological green management, biodiversity-friendly planting, de-paving of parking lots, green facades, and the establishment of local nature management teams. Addressing a number of inhibiting barriers through policy can lead to tangible 'nature' gains in a relatively short time -- on all campuses.
Get involved!
- Fancy rolling up your sleeves? Then join our vegetable garden community at Campus Groenenborger or Campus Drie Eiken. Contact us at climate@uantwerpen.be.
- Become responsible for one of the wallgardens on the Stadscampus. Along many of our buildings on the City Campus you will find façade gardens. They bring color to the street and enhance biodiversity. To keep them in tip-top shape, we are looking for meters and peters to: weed the weeds, water during dry periods, to prune, clean up litter. We are we still looking for help in Lange Sint-Annastraat 7 and Kleine Kauwenberg 14. Contact us at climate@uantwerpen.be.
- Join the Nature Management Group in the ObsIdentify App! 📲 so you can help monitor biodiversity on campuses, view other members' discoveries and participate in group challenges. Become part of our community!
Do you have an idea to further strengthen biodiversity at UAntwerpen, and would like to develop it further under the umbrella of the climate team? Pitch your project in a text or video via climate@uantwerpen.be.