Trees on Campus: Look Up

Discover the nature growing around you

You probably walk past dozens of trees without giving them a second thought. Slow down, look up and you might discover there's much more happening around campus than you realised.

Think about your usual journey from halls to a lecture.

You probably notice the people ahead of you, the weather, the time and whether you're going to make it before the doors close. But how often do you notice the trees?

They're such a familiar part of campus that they can almost become invisible.

Yet they're constantly changing. New leaves appear, flowers and seeds come and go, autumn brings dramatic colour and bare winter branches reveal shapes hidden during summer.

And while we're rushing underneath them, trees are providing places for birds, insects and other wildlife to live and shelter.

Perhaps it's time we looked up.

🌳 Same Route, Different Season

You don't need to visit somewhere new to see nature changing.

The same tree you pass every morning can look completely different from one term to another.

Autumn brings changing leaves, winter reveals branches and trunks, and spring gradually brings new growth before the fuller canopy of summer returns.

It's nature's version of refreshing the page, only considerably slower.

🌳 Trees Worth Studying

Southampton's trees aren't just something nice to look at. They've also been the subject of research.

In 2016, students from the University of Southampton took part in an i-Tree Eco survey of Southampton's urban trees. The study looked at benefits including carbon capture, rainwater interception, removal of air pollution and habitat for insects. It was a partnership involving the University, Southampton City Council, Treeconomics and Forest Research. i-Tree Eco Southampton 

Birds use trees for shelter, nesting and perching. Squirrels use them as their own network of highways. Insects make use of them too.

Once you start seeing a tree as a habitat rather than simply part of the scenery, campus begins to look rather different.

🌳 Discover Valley Gardens

If you're around Highfield Campus, there's a particularly interesting green space worth exploring.

Valley Gardens is a tranquil, biodiverse landscape originally planted in the 1960s with specimen plants from the Department of Biology. Following a four-year renovation project completed in 2012, it's accessible throughout the year to students, staff and visitors.

Our Halls Life guide also describes Valley Gardens as one of Highfield Campus' hidden gems and a peaceful place to unwind between classes or study outdoors. Green spaces near you 

So if you've walked across campus countless times without exploring it, perhaps your next break is the perfect opportunity.

💙 Student Scenario

You've got twenty minutes between lectures.

Normally, you find somewhere indoors, sit down and immediately reach for your phone.

Today, you take your drink outside instead.

You notice a tree you've walked past dozens of times. There are birds moving between the branches, its leaves are beginning to change colour and a squirrel suddenly disappears up the trunk.

Nothing dramatic happened.

But for a few minutes, you stopped rushing and started noticing.

💚 Try This Today

On your next walk around halls or campus, choose one tree you regularly pass and take a proper look.

Notice:

• The shape of its leaves
• The texture of its bark
• Whether it has flowers, seeds or fruit
• What's living or moving around it
• How it looks at this point in the year

You don't even need to know what species it is.

Check your tree again in a few weeks and see what's changed.

💛 Did You Know?

Been staring at your laptop for a long time?

Giving your eyes regular breaks from your screen can help reduce tired eyes. The 20-20-20 rule is easy to remember: every 20 minutes, look at something at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

So next time you've been studying for a while, look up and focus on a tree in the distance.

It doesn't have to be something green specifically. It's looking away from your screen and into the distance that gives your eyes the break.

And while you're looking, you might notice a little more of the nature around you too. 🌳

Final Thoughts

University life can make every journey feel as though it has a purpose: getting to a lecture, heading back to halls, meeting someone or reaching the library.

Every now and then, slow down.

Notice the trees you usually walk underneath. Watch how they change throughout the year. Look for birds among their branches or squirrels racing overhead.

You don't need to travel somewhere special to connect with nature.

Sometimes you just need to look up.

🌿 Explore more Nature Around Halls

🐦 Look Up! The Birds Living Around Halls
Meet some of the feathered neighbours sharing your surroundings.

🐿️ The Squirrels of Southampton
Discover the surprisingly familiar habits of Southampton's cheekiest residents.

🦉 Owls After Dark
Discover the silent hunters you may never see but might hear.

🦊 Foxes After Dark
Meet the secretive neighbours exploring halls while most students are asleep.

🌿 Nature Around Halls

There's more to campus life than lectures, libraries and late-night snacks. Nature Around Halls explores the wildlife and green spaces sharing your surroundings, with little discoveries that might make you see familiar places differently.