Education

Learning about biodiversity through our gardens and allotments 

Queen Mary’s biodiversity and ecological enhancement work includes gardens and allotments that provide opportunities for students, staff and the wider community, including local schools, to learn about biodiversity and ecological systems. 

Our medicinal and sensory garden introduces visitors to different plant species and their medicinal and sensory uses, while the allotments provide a practical setting for learning about plants, habitats and food growing. 

One allotment plot is reserved specifically for the Queen Mary Nursery, giving young children opportunities to engage with plants and nature through practical activities. 

These spaces help make biodiversity education part of everyday campus life and provide opportunities for people of different ages to learn about terrestrial ecosystems. 

Connecting ecology with business, finance and policy 

Queen Mary’s Natural Capital and Sustainability MSc, designed in 2024-2025, brings together environmental science, ecology, business and finance. 

Students explore biodiversity loss, natural capital, ecosystem services, nature-based solutions, restoration and rewilding, alongside the financial and policy decisions that shape how ecosystems are managed. 

The programme draws on expertise from Queen Mary and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, alongside fieldwork and engagement with organisations working in government, consultancy and investment. The programme was developed as a new interdisciplinary MSc for 2026 entry, extending Queen Mary’s education in biodiversity, ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions.