Meadows don’t happen by chance – thoughtful design for campus nature
Meadows are not created on campus simply because they support biodiversity. Each one is also a site-specific solution shaped by soil conditions, growing conditions, landscape history and how the area is used – and, in the case of the Marsio meadow, especially a nearby work of art. Given its prominent location at the heart of the campus, it was a natural choice to establish a novel habitat meadow here, using seeds and seedlings of native Finnish plants.
However, incorporating rare or, in some cases, even endangered species into the built environment is not yet common practice. At the Marsio meadow, for example, monitoring is being carried out to track the development of microbial activity in the soil and changes in vegetation cover. This will help us better understand which approaches deliver the best results when establishing novel habitat meadows in the future when the aim is to create new habitat types that develop rapidly toward a good ecological natural state.
Local conditions guide meadow design
Meadows have emerged and been established in different ways over decades and even millennia. Rocky outcrops, seashores and wetlands are naturally open, permanent habitats. However, most meadows that are important for biodiversity have developed through traditional livestock farming, with grazing creating the traditional rural habitats known as semi-natural grasslands.
On campus, the “grazer” is instead a lawnmower, along with other human activities that help maintain these open habitats.
In recent years, it has become clear that previous approaches to campus landscaping have not always fully supported the intended landscape goals. Efforts have been made to improve these areas and develop more sustainable solutions, for example by establishing small meadows using plants suited to the local conditions. Seeds have been collected from nearby areas, with careful consideration given to each site's specific requirements, such as hot, sunny conditions or dry, nutrient-poor soil.
Managing campus green spaces often involves balancing biodiversity, how the areas are used, landscape objectives and the resources available for everyday maintenance.
Novel habitat meadows strengthen biodiversity
Novel habitat meadows can also help safeguard native Finnish meadow plant species that might otherwise continue to decline. Collecting seeds from remaining populations of rare native plants and sowing them in new meadows is one way to help ensure these declining species survive in urban environments.
New meadows can strengthen existing populations of rare species and help them spread to new locations. These habitats also complement the existing meadow network, potentially improving connectivity and allowing insects to move between habitats.
The development of new meadows is also fascinating to follow from an insect perspective. How do insect species and their abundance develop over time, and what kinds of communities emerge in these open, sun-exposed novel habitat meadows as they mature?
Espoo and the Helsinki metropolitan area still have relatively abundant rocky habitats where native plant species thrive. For the meadow in front of the Marsio building, seeds were collected from nearby rocky areas and coastal sites, while ensuring that the wild plant populations would continue to thrive.
Campus planting design starts with an understanding of each species’ natural growing requirements, local habitat types and the history of the landscape. This provides a foundation for solutions that are specifically suited to each location.
For the Marsio meadow, it has been important to consider its central location on campus and how the artwork within the meadow interacts with its surroundings. Low-growing plants have been chosen to ensure the meadow does not compete with the artwork for attention.
Beneath the large oak, woodland species typical of herb-rich forests have been planted, including spring starflower, wood millet, red campion, goldenrod and oak fern.
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