Protecting life on land requires action well beyond the boundaries of our campuses. At ARU, we work with conservation organisations, local authorities, land managers, farmers, communities and international partners to turn ecological knowledge into practical action for nature.
These partnerships connect research with conservation practice, bring communities into conversations about biodiversity, and ensure that evidence can inform decisions about how land and habitats are managed. Through citizen science, community engagement, knowledge exchange and policy influence, ARU is helping people understand the pressures facing nature and take part in protecting and restoring it. ARU's Centre for Ecology, Evolution and the Environment describes collaborations ranging from local councils to international policy processes, while the Applied Ecology Research Group explicitly uses its research to engage the public and improve decision-making for natural-resource management.
Using pioneering science to protect the British Swallowtail
In 2025, ARU researchers joined forces with Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park and conservation biobank Nature's SAFE on an innovative project investigating whether cryopreservation could help secure the future of the British Swallowtail butterfly. The species is found exclusively in East Anglia, predominantly in the Norfolk Broads, and is classified as vulnerable on the GB Red List. The research is testing whether butterfly eggs can be successfully frozen at-196°C, reared and compared with non-frozen controls. If successful, researchers hope the technique could ultimately help preserve British Swallowtail genetic material for future breeding and reintroduction programmes, opening up a potentially important new tool for terrestrial species conservation.
Working with conservation partners to protect local biodiversity
ARU academics and students work with local conservation groups to understand and protect biodiversity in the communities surrounding our campuses. At Chelmsford, collaboration and habitat restoration have helped transform the River Chelmer Millpond, with ARU receiving a Living Landscapes Award from Essex Wildlife Trust for its restoration. The Millpond now forms part of the Chelmer Valley Heritage & Nature Trail, helping connect biodiversity conservation on campus with the wider landscape and creating opportunities for people to encounter and learn about local wildlife.
Putting citizen science to work for conservation
Citizen science is an important bridge between ARU's research and public participation in biodiversity conservation. Our Applied Ecology Research Group uses citizen science alongside ecological modelling, GIS, drones and remote sensing to understand environmental change, while its research is explicitly used to engage and educate the public and support decision-making for natural-resource management and sustainable development. The group's work also includes co-produced research designed around the priorities of local and Indigenous communities, connecting ecological expertise with the knowledge and needs of people living alongside threatened ecosystems.
Mobilising the public to monitor wildlife
We also create opportunities for our own community to participate directly in understanding local biodiversity. Staff and students can record wildlife sightings through ARUgreen, while biodiversity trails at Cambridge and Chelmsford make campus habitats more visible and accessible. Sightings recorded around the campuses include species such as otters, grass snakes, slow worms, kingfishers, sparrowhawks and little egrets. These activities connect everyday encounters with wildlife to ARU's wider commitment to understanding and protecting the natural environment.
Bringing farmers, researchers and practitioners together around regenerative agriculture
ARU in Writtle provides another powerful route for engagement with the people who manage our landscapes. In February 2024, Writtle hosted the Writtle Farmers' Club annual conference, bringing farmers practising environmentally sensitive techniques together with academics and practitioners to discuss regenerative agriculture. The event focused particularly on soil health, resilient local food chains, ecosystem improvement and climate change mitigation, with speakers including regenerative farmers and no-till farming specialists. The emphasis on knowledge exchange and collaboration connects ARU's expertise with those making day-to-day decisions about how agricultural land is managed.
Connecting conservation education with organisations on the ground
ARU's conservation partnerships also create pathways through which students can contribute to real environmental challenges. The MSc Applied Wildlife Conservation enables students to collaborate with conservation organisations on real-world environmental projects, live briefs and research challenges, while ARU's Writtle conservation provision has links with local wildlife trusts, country parks and Environment Agency projects. This connects conservation education with organisations responsible for protecting habitats and managing landscapes, building practical conservation capability as well as extending ARU's engagement with the sector.
Raised awareness about plastic pollution amongst governments and citizens
Research on microplastics, plastic pollution and pollution caused by discarded cigarette butts led by Professor Danielle Green and Bas Boots has raised public awareness of these issues around the world. Dr Green has contributed to outreach and awareness globally, through invited talks (eg to the Royal Society of Chemistry in 2017), at public sector workshops (eg for the UK government in 2019), and through media engagement. Most notably, the research on cigarette butts was in the top 5% for media attention of any research article tracked using Altmetric, scoring higher than 99% of its contemporaries and generating widespread public engagement through television, radio and online news outlets, and on social media. The issues raised by Professor Green’s microplastics research has been cited in posters as part of anti-litter campaigns in New Zealand, inspired community clean-up events, been used as evidence in support of a smoking ban proposal at Lake Tahoe, Nevada, California and more broadly, been used by journalists for educational outreach.
Last updated: October 2026
To request additions, corrections or changes to the information in these pages, please contact: Dr Zareen Bharucha: [email protected]. Please use the subject line ‘ARU SDG’.