10 October 2025 Lincoln University celebrates its strongest sustainability week yet

Lincoln staff and students spent the week taking part in sustainability-themed activities, engaging with the campus green spaces and learning how everyday actions can benefit sustainability. 

The week was organised by the Lincoln University Students’ Association (LUSA), Lincoln Environmental Sustainability Society (LESS) and Sustainability Action Group for the Environment (SAGE). 

LUSA Sustainability Representative Nathan Campbell said his focus this year was bringing awareness to the many active sustainable initiatives already on campus. 

“We have this wonderful space, and it’s not that students don’t care about it, it’s more that they aren’t aware of all it has to offer,” he said. 

That idea inspired Nathan to create a week-long Sustainability Scavenger Hunt, encouraging students to explore different corners of campus and gain ticks for simple choices like biking and using our Locky Docks secure bike parking stations. 

“If even one student thought to try a different mode of transport or engage with a part of campus they hadn’t before, then that’s the win. 

“Sustainability can be a bit of a buzzword for some people, so we’ve tried to get across that it’s ultimately about caring for our spaces so they can be used in the future.” 

The arboretum is one of the hidden treasures Nathan highlighted in his scavenger hunt. It’s an oasis at the edge of campus, home to native and exotic trees, shrubs, birds and insects. Once boasting the largest collection of magnolias in the southern hemisphere, it even has a couple of resident peacocks. 

Other Sustainability Week initiatives had people exploring topics ranging from sustainable transport and waste reduction to biodiversity and marine protection. Events included the Burns Forest planting, campus-wide bioblitz, marine sustainability panel and film screening, waste-sorting challenge, carpooling initiatives, bike servicing station, and a final campus tour and prizegiving.

As an ecology student, Nathan had a soft spot for the bioblitz, where students and staff used the iNaturalist app to record as many species as possible on campus. Over the week, participants made 1,788 observations of 525 species, including 50 species never observed before at Lincoln. 

The Burns Forest planting was a clear highlight. In just two hours, volunteers planted 370 native seedlings, creating new purpose for the former Burns Building site following its demolition last year. 

Prizes for the week were sustainably and locally sourced, including handcrafted pottery by LU Pottery Club President Shuizetinglan Dong, and laser-cut trophies made from upcycled offcuts at CCL Matatiki Makerspace in Hornby, featuring a kererū logo designed by a local artist.

Lincoln Sustainability Officer Patryk Szczerba said this year’s Sustainability Week was the strongest yet. 

“Having worked at Lincoln University for four years and being involved in every Sustainability Week, I must admit this year was the best one so far. 

“Each event was well attended, and there was great enthusiasm and energy throughout the week. It was such a joy to work with individuals so passionate about sustainability.” 

The success of Sustainability Week was a true team effort, made possible by everyone who organised, volunteered and took part. A special thanks to all involved. 

Nathan said “it was a joy to make, but an even bigger joy to see people participate and enjoy it and that, in the end, is what it’s all about.”