by Roisin Gowen

Humans have historically placed themselves superior to nature. Although it is common knowledge that we rely heavily on natural capital and resources, we have kept ourselves at a distance to our environment, rather than accepting that we are deeply embedded in it through our reliance, but also by our mere existence on this earth. As climate change becomes more integrated into our everyday vocabulary, more and more new terms have emerged to help scientists, sociologists, and politicians alike to grasp ways to solve our current environmental issues.

‘Nature-based solutions’ is amongst these new concepts that aim to integrate nature into the ways in which we tackle these environmental challenges by mimicking processes that occur in the natural world. This concept follows the path of other newly popularized terms such as ‘ecosystem services’ and ‘natural capital’ that are leading a movement towards greater emphasis on the relationships between society and the environment and the ways in which humans perceive and use nature. Rather than looking purely scientifically for solutions to environmental problems, nature-based solutions aim to bring humans more in line with nature by searching for answers within nature itself. Environmental action is being more realised as a multidisciplinary discourse. Therefore, environmental issues and initiatives are becoming more considered on multiple planes, such as environmental, ecological, social, cultural, economic and political. 

we have kept ourselves at a distance to our environment, rather than accepting that we are deeply embedded in it through our reliance

“Connecting Nature” is a framework being funded through Trinity that is inspired by nature-based solutions and aims to help small-scale organisations and cities adopt this concept. I was fortunate to be able to speak to Marcus Collier, Professor of Botany in Trinity, about his involvement in this project and why nature based-solutions is a very promising avenue for future environmental action. 

“Connecting Nature” is based on innovative action instead of research action, as it looks to the surrounding environments to help guide environmental action that is beneficial on an environmental, ecological, political and social scale. Moreover, this framework was designed to be available as a tool to guide the implementation of nature-based solutions. Prof. Collier noted that there is a lot of “untapped knowledge” in urban spaces and that we can source information from our cities and surroundings to be able to scale them up to effective large-scale environmental action. For many organisations and cities, motivations for making positive environmental changes must often come with a supplementary case for growth within their cities or businesses. By implementing more nature-based solutions, particularly in urban areas and cities where we are often more disconnected from nature, we will become more integrated with natural capital and resources, and have a more circular approach to the way in which we rely on nature. 

“Connecting Nature” aims to put a value on resources so that we pay for them rather than depleting them. The framework has three main phases; Planning, Delivery, and Stewardship, of which each phase has seven different elements that must be considered at each phase. An important aspect of this process is the ‘co-production of planning’, where shared knowledge and multidisciplinary opinions are valued for creating an interrelation between all the parties involved. Collier emphasized how nature can be a powerful tool to bring people together and can be used to build cohesion in communities. This cohesion goes beyond relations between individuals in society but also extends to the relations between individuals and their surrounding natural environments.

by Aoife Robertson

Disposing of our waste correctly can often feel confusing, especially if we don’t know what can be recycled or where to put it. Trinity generated nearly 60 tons of waste during the month of September 2021 and this number is expected to rise to over 130 tons per month as we make a full return to pre-Covid teaching and activities. However, up to 40% of domestic waste in Trinity is contaminated by incorrectly disposed items, meaning that this waste cannot be recycled and instead is treated as general, black bin waste. With this in mind and with many students on campus for the first time, we are here to give you the breakdown of waste on Trinity campus!

It is important to note that Trinity consists of many campuses, not just the city centre location that we all know and love. With the exception of Tallaght Hospital, all Trinity campuses follow the same waste management system so whether you are in Halls, Front Square or the TBSI, this article can act as a one-stop-shop for all your waste disposal needs!

Mixed, dry recyclables

Trinity has an incredible waste management system and facilitates the recycling of many different types of waste. The simplest of recyclables are mixed, dry recyclables including paper, plastic and aluminium. To dispose of mixed dry recyclables, you can use the numerous green bins that are found in nearly every building on campus. There are also four “Solar Belly” bins placed in Fellow’s Square and beside the Cricket Pitch. These bins are easily identified by their green lids and shouldn’t be confused with their black lidded, general waste counterparts. When disposing of mixed, dry recyclables don’t forget the golden rule; They must be clean and dry, otherwise, they will contaminate the rest of the bin! 

Large blue bins can be found in locations such as Botany Bay, the Science Gallery and the Museum Building. These bins are specifically for white office paper, no coloured paper or cardboard is allowed! You can put all other paper in the green bins while cardboard can be flattened and placed beside these large blue bins for later collection.  

Glass

Having a great night out and wondering what to do with your empties? Currently, the biggest problem for Trinity Waste Management is that glass is being put in the general waste bin, not only preventing its proper disposal but also proving a health risk for anyone handling the waste. Glass bins can be found outside the Pav, in Botany Bay or behind the Arts Block and all glass items can be disposed of here if they are clean and empty. Plastic and aluminium lids can be disposed of in the green bins while mixed material lids can be put in the general waste bins. 

Organic waste

Organic waste such as food can be put into brown, compost bins. A good rule of thumb if you’re confused about whether a non-food item can go in the brown bin, is that if it once grew it can be composted. Paper and corks were once trees so they can go in the brown bin! You can find organic waste bins in Botany Bay, behind the dining hall, behind the Pav or in Goldsmith Hall. Compost bins may be a little rarer on campus, but they are still there so make sure to avail of them! 

Electricals

General electrical items can be disposed of in the WEEE cages in the Hamilton, Botany Bay or on the second floor of the TBSI. If you’re a resident of Halls you can also bring your electricals to Front Desk for recycling. When disposing of electricals make sure to remove batteries where possible. Trinity also offers facilities for battery recycling in House 6, the Arts Block and the Civic Engineering Building. House 6 also has facilities for toner and mobile phone disposal.

Other waste

There is a whole range of other waste disposal points for the above-mentioned items, with dozens of disposal points around campus. There are also many more items that can be recycled on campus such as construction and demolition waste, hazardous materials, light bulbs, metals, oils and timber all easily disposed of using on-campus facilities. If you are unsure of whether an item can be recycled or how to recycle off-campus you can use the mywaste.ie website which sorts objects into categories for recycling and even gives you your nearest recycling point!
For the full list of recyclable items at Trinity and to access a map of disposal points please consult the webpage tcd.ie/provost/sustainability.

by Hazel Herbst

Hazel Herbst, a summer intern on the Trinity College Dublin Biodiversity Audit reflects on her time spent working on the project.  

As another strange COVID summer has come to a close, it is time to unmask what we’ve been up to these past few months and draw some much needed attention to the natural side of Trinity College Dublin.

As living beings on this dynamic planet, we are highly reliant on the interconnected nature of our ecosystems. Meaning, we are dependent on both the physical and organismal world around us. Should the world around us change and cause certain organisms to become less abundant, a healthy level of biodiversity can ensure that these organisms’ activities are compensated for by others, allowing their essential functions in nature’s systems to remain fulfilled. As such, the diversity of life throughout the world aids in nature’s resilience. But biodiversity does not stop there.

Biodiversity helps boost ecosystem productivity as each species contributes to the maintenance of life, no matter how small their existence may seem. For example, pollinators such as birds, bats and bees benefit the production of 75% of our food crops. Biodiversity further supplies us with medicinal resources, oxygen, clean air, clean water and the regulation of climate and disease control. That’s not to mention the recreational and cultural services that our biodiverse ecosystems gift us for free! We are interacting with the world around us each and every day so it’s important we understand and appreciate the impact of biodiversity on our daily lives. Thus, the importance of biological diversity within Trinity College Dublin deserves more prioritization.

Trinity Biodiversity Audit set out … with the objectives of seeding new initiatives to enhance campus sustainability

It’s no big secret that our college has long been hailed for its historic relevance and academic excellence, but what is known of its biodiversity? In a time of biodiversity crisis where climate change and human intervention continuously threaten the existence of many plant and animal species, we must better acknowledge the variety of life surviving directly around us. For as we now know, a loss of biodiversity is a problem that affects us all.

A biodiversity audit is a way of recording and quantifying the biodiversity of a selected area by looking at and recording how well the grounds are providing habitats for various wildlife. Thus, an audit is an evidence-based approach to understanding the requirements and conservation needs of priority species. As for what inspired the commencement of the Trinity Biodiversity Audit, our team lead Dr. Jane Stout expresses that “there has long been interest in generating baseline biodiversity data for Trinity, with the first “Trees of Trinity College Dublin” book having been published by the Botany Department in 1993 (a 4th edition was then launched in 2019).” Furthermore, Jane instigated the first campus “Bio blitz” in 2013 along with subsequent efforts in both 2014 and 2017, a “Birds of Trinity” book was published in 2016 by the Zoological Society and in 2017 Jane was involved in the launch of a Campus Pollinator Plan. Then in 2020, alongside the biodiversity audit in the grounds of Áras an Uachtaráin, Jane had planned to start a similar project in Trinity before COVID ultimately intervened. However, Jane points out that “the success of and interest in the audit of Áras did inspire renewed efforts in Trinity in 2021” and she is “delighted that [they] were finally able to push on with the project.”

And so, a pilot Trinity Biodiversity Audit set out in May 2021 with the objectives of seeding new initiatives to enhance campus sustainability, to enable behaviours that will benefit the environment and life on campus and to enhance communication and education on sustainability amongst all. By developing a better understanding of Trinity’s biodiversity, a system and protocols can be developed that will allow for continued monitoring of the biodiversity of Trinity with reference to baseline biodiversity data.

However, a project of this size was no simple feat and required the collaborative work of many professionals from various fields and disciplines. For example, we had David Hackett from Estate and Facilities, Dr. Aoibheann Gaughran from the Botany and Zoology departments and Dr. Tony Williams, a landscape architect with knowledge of GIS mapping. Many more esteemed professionals from Trinity’s School of Natural Sciences were also involved, particularly in the sampling and identification of the animals and plants throughout campus, such as Collie Ennis (amphibians), Dr. Carla Harper (fungi), Dr. Steve Waldren and Professor Trevor Hodkinson (plants) and Dr. Martyn Linnie (insects). Additionally, there were three undergraduate students employed as interns as well as two undergraduate student volunteers partaking in the audit. With many interested parties working together, the addition of Dr. Ursula King as project coordinator was essential in handling the sheer amount of coordination and management that this audit required.

Under the guidance of Dr. Ursula King and Dr. Jane Stout, the Trinity Biodiversity Audit has had several successes over the summer months. Dr. Tony Williams and student intern Danielle Varley were able to create a pilot habitat mapping system for the Trinity main campus, student interns Kes Daly and Hazel Herbst and student volunteers Scott Bastow and Isabel Quinn tested and documented various protocols for the standardisation of invertebrate sampling on campus and helped with devising a system for processing, recording, and storing lab samples taken from the field. Moreover, thanks to the hard work and contributions from all those involved an initial baseline inventory of the taxonomic groups (mainly invertebrates) and an inventory of horticultural species on campus were recorded and mapped to location and habitat. Furthermore, the geographical location of all trees on campus were recorded and relationships with external taxonomic experts were established. The collaborative and interdisciplinary aspects of the Trinity Biodiversity audit were highly important as they allowed for a pooling of expertise to create awareness of the resources and current state of knowledge available to us. Thus, revealing where gaps may lie should the audit be continued and/or replicated by fellow universities. 

Our audit efforts … have highlighted the ways in which we can protect and hopefully enhance the biodiversity of Trinity College Dublin going forward

As we can see, this pilot audit provided us with a huge amount of data, protocols, mapping systems and collaborative relationship building and was a successful stepping stone in promoting biodiversity awareness and sustainability conversations amongst grounds staff, researchers, staff and students with many invaluable resources for future biodiversity work and environmental research on main campus and other Trinity properties resulting. 

Our audit efforts and successes over the summer months have highlighted the ways in which we can protect and hopefully enhance the biodiversity of Trinity College Dublin going forward. Hence, the next steps in these efforts, should funding allow, is for biodiversity auditing to be continually carried out by Trinity College Dublin for years to come, and for the College community to understand more about the natural world around it, and it’s critical importance. 

All in all, we hope we have instilled in you a knowledge and appreciation for the diversity you see around you. Perhaps, the Trinity Biodiversity Audit will become a topical conversation amongst those studying, working, and visiting the grounds of Trinity College to promote interest in the conservation and protection of the wonderful life that lives on our campus.

by Jessica O’Connor

A brief stroll throughout campus will reveal a treasure trove of trees. It is clear even to an amateur naturalist that there is a vast selection present on campus. These trees from all over the world (yes, really!) manage to survive within the boundary of a city centre college campus and they sometimes make it look easy. While there is a rocky history with the survival rate of some trees, most have managed to remain here for decades. It is hard to imagine the variety of trees on campus, they range from native Irish oak species to Maidenhair trees native to China. Most of the trees on campus are deciduous- meaning they lose their leaves in autumn. Beautiful colour changes during the year help to reveal the true beauty of the trees on our campus. I hope to give you a greater appreciation for the trees on campus with an exploration of their complex history and interesting ecology. 

Walking through the main gate and out into campus, you are greeted by Parliament square. Your eyes are (most likely) initially drawn to the view directly in front of you, Front Square with its imposing architecture and characteristic cobblestone paths. However, if you look to your left and right you will be greeted by another different but just as magnificent view. The tree you are looking at is an Erman’s Birch or as those in the trade call it a Betula ermanii. This tree has a spectacular range stretching from Japan to Siberia. This pair of birches were planted following the loss of one of two Oregon maples in June of 1945 caused by an unexpected storm. After an arduous conversation, it was agreed that the second Oregon maple should be removed, the reason being symmetry. However, if you look to the right the birch present there is much less impressive; this is due to the lack of sunlight it receives in comparison to its contemporary on the left. So, possibly in homage to the cosmetic and therefore unjust removal of the second Oregon maple, lack of symmetry persists. This impressive tree can reach heights of up to 30m. Betula ermanii has shallow roots and is deciduous. The bark, which is pinkish in colour, unfurls  into scrolls at maturity. 

As you approach the east side of New Square, past the museum building there are two trees that may grab your attention. Across from house 36 of The Narrows are two Oriental plane trees, called Platanus orientalis. These trees are native to Greece eastwards to the north of Iran! Their leaves are alternate which means that each leaf is attached to the branch alone. The presence of globular clusters of fruit are distinct markers for this tree species. However, the trunk of these specimens present on campus is peculiar. There is a wart-like swelling present on the bottle-shaped trunk. Astonishingly the girth of the largest specimen is an impressive 5.5m. This trunk width is the widest of any other tree on campus. Notably, this tree is listed as one of the ‘Champion Trees’ of Dublin by the Tree Council. If we transport ourselves back to the Birr of 1834, the 3rd Earl of Rosse planted two Oriental plane trees. Why is this of importance to us? Well, the trees planted by the Earl are significant as they have the same unusual bark leading us to the conclusion that they are of the same origin as the pair of Oriental plane trees on campus. 

Without having to move too far you should come across a Sessile Oak or Quercus petraea. Sessile oak has been designated as Ireland’s national tree as it is a dominant species throughout our native woodlands. It can grow in poor acid-rich soils and is found in Europe and the Balkans. On the 13th of March in 1992 Alderman Sean Kenny, the Lord Mayor of Dublin at that time planted a Sessile oak sapling. The date of the planting marked the 400th anniversary of College Charter Day. However, due to building works taking place the specimen was moved, sadly it did not live on. The National Parks and Wildlife Service generously supplied a worthy successor, which thankfully remains standing today! 

As one heads to the Ussher library observing trees is probably the last thing on their mind, I get it! but if I may draw your attention to the infamous Aesculus hippocastanum or Horse-Chestnut as you and I may know it. This species is native to the mountainous regions of the Balkans but is planted 

around Europe. This tree was planted in the year 1920, unfortunately, we just missed its 100th birthday. Everyone reading probably has fond memories of collecting ‘conkers’ (don’t lie, we all did it!). What you are actually collecting is the distinctive seed of the tree. Interestingly they were fed to sick 

horses by the Turks as the chemical within the seeds was known to have anti-inflammatory properties. But they could make you and I quite ill, unlike regular chestnuts which are edible. 

At the flat iron, there are many different species of tree present but I am going to shine a light on the Maidenhair tree or Ginkgo biloba. This tree is what is known as a ‘living fossil’. It is the lone survivor of a major plant group that thrived during the time of the dinosaurs (Mesozoic). Imprints of leaves in rocks from 200 million years ago are practically identical to the leaves of the living tree. The leaves 

have a fan-like shape and the veins contain a forked pattern that repeats itself. Ginkgo biloba is a deciduous tree, during autumn its leaves turn a golden colour. This species is native to China and wild trees remain, although scarcely in the east. This tree has separate sexes with the male being favoured as when the female reaches maturity the seed coat becomes sticky and a rancid smell develops. The tree won’t begin to produce fruit until it reaches 20 years of age, however, once it does it makes up for the lack of production initially. Interestingly some specimens are thought to exhibit ‘leaky gender’. This means that male/female branches may form on a tree of the contrasting sex. The tree on campus was planted in 1956. 

Although brief I hope this article has given you an appreciation for some of the trees we are lucky to have on our campus. There are still many more to explore! So, I urge you even when rushing to that oh-so-important lecture or meeting up with your friends at the infamous ‘Pav’, stop and look at these magnificent marvels we have right within our reach.