Waterside Farm is being transformed into an area of biodiversity, enhancing the already high carbon holding capacity of the site, demonstrating an exemplary approach to land stewardship in a sustainable and ecologically positive manner. RGU is working alongside environmental consultancy firm The Habitat People to bring it back to its more natural state. The weekly “Waterside Wednesdays” volunteer sessions are regularly attended by students, staff and the local community with additional volunteer opportunities taking place throughout the year. Sign up to be a Waterside Wednesday volunteer by emailing WatersideFarm1@live.rgu.ac.uk.
The project is creating a habitat for a range of threatened species whilst safeguarding this area for the future. The restoration of the site includes reintroducing wetlands by adding reedbeds in specific areas of Waterside Farm as well as having controlled flooding in place to allow the reedbeds to mature. The SRM Foundation has also generously donated £100,000 to help the vision for Waterside Farm become a reality.
The University purchased Waterside Farm, which is just off the South Deeside Road, in 2006 but the area has a long history with military maps showing that in the 1700s the River Dee was a two-stream waterway, and maps produced in the 19th Century show the river was diverted to a single channel as a result of agricultural activity on the site.
The project also provides an opportunity for the University to showcase its green credentials by acting as custodians of this biodiverse space. The restoration of Waterside Farm is a clear demonstration that the University is not just speaking about climate and biodiversity action but is doing it. There has and will be further opportunities for the RGU community to get involved in volunteering at the site in the future.
Waterside Farm in the News
RGU has launched one of the largest biodiversity projects on a university campus in Scotland, aiming to transform a 55-acre site into a thriving habitat for both flora and fauna.