Sparsholt’s Countryside, Conservation and the Environment facilities are also a key resource for research and dissertation projects on-site for our higher education students studying Wildlife, Ecology and Conservation at University Centre Sparsholt. Find out more about our undergraduate courses here.
Varied environments can be found across our campus, giving students access to a wide range of wild ecosystems and wildlife.
Across 450 acres in the heart of the Hampshire countryside, conservation management plans and wildlife-focused habitats have been put in place for students to learn from. From our recreated semi-natural grassland with chalk scrape habitat, the woodland shelterbelt, our one-hectare lake providing reed-bed environments, and the semi-natural ancient woodland (which has been designated as a Site of Importance for Conservation), our campus is in the perfect position for nature, and our students, to thrive. Our Farm Estate is also under a conservation management plan for students to be actively involved in.
Sparsholt students have access to an extensive amount of wild and managed animal species on campus, giving them unrivalled experience to prepare them for industry.
Across campus, our students can work with the college’s resident herd of Sika Deer, the over 600 animals at our Animal Health and welfare Research Centre, and wealth of aquatic life at the one-hectare lake (which houses an establishing population of threatened White-clawed crayfish).
The College is involved in a number of research projects directly involving the campus grounds, such as the long–term UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme and a captive breeding programme for critically endangered Hazel Dormice. Other wild species found at Sparsholt include Slow Worms, Marsh tits, Goldcrests, and ancient woodland indicators such as Solomon’s seal and Ramsons.
All students at Sparsholt College have access to specialist laboratories, enabling them to learn the theoretical and scientific knowledge that underpins each college and degree course. With the help of our expert technicians, students have the opportunity to undertake detailed research and analysis, whatever discipline you study.
Our campus also boasts a suite of Wet Labs on site, giving students the opportunity to practise dissections where necessary. The labs have been designed, constructed and controlled to allow for safe, hands-on research and analysing.
Our Game and Wildlife centre, officially opened in 2011, houses a wide range of specialist workshop tools and land-based machinery that will help our Countryside, Conservation and the Environment students learn how to use equipment found in industry to implement estate maintenance techniques.
We have close working links with many of the major wildlife and conservation organisations and are a recognised, leading land-based college in this field.
Our academic staff, all of whom have practical experience and qualifications relevant to their particular specialism, are also actively involved in the study and management of ecology, conservation and the countryside.
The College has also established close links with a range of landowners throughout the country and has unprecedented access to a wide variety of sites, so students can experience a diversity of wildlife and habitats and their management first-hand.
These important protected areas include the New Forest and South Downs National Parks, internationally important sites along the south coast and key habitats including Ancient Woodlands, Lowland Heathland and Chalk Downland.