Enhancing biodiversity at museum sites

Since 2020, National Museums Scotland has been proactively developing the grounds at the National Museums Collection Centre to support urban biodiversity.

In this free online event, Ashleigh Whiffin, Curator of Entomology, will share how we have changed the way we maintain the green space at the site, such as sowing native wildflowers, reducing the mowing during the growing season and leaving some areas uncut over winter.

You’ll hear about the impact this work has had on our local wildlife and how we’re recording this through regular surveys, with over 330 species of plants and animals identified on site so far.

Ashleigh will share lessons we have learned along the way and tips on how to approach this work at your own site.

This session is open to anyone who works or volunteers in the museums and heritage sector in Scotland and wants to learn more about how to enhance biodiversity at their site.

Want a taster of what we’ll cover?

• Watch this short video by Simon Dures about how we’re encouraging local wildlife at the Collection Centre
• Look at a summary of our survey work on iRecord
• Explore National Museums Scotland’s Strategy for Sustainability.

Register here

Image: Small Copper butterfly (Lycaena phlaeas) at National Museums Collection Centre, 30 August 2021 © National Museums Scotland