PETER SYMONDS STUDENTS REINTRODUCE ENDANGERED SPECIES TO COLLEGE
Peter Symonds College students are taking active steps to boost the native elm tree population and help reverse the decline of the white-letter hairstreak butterfly by planting 20 mature, disease-resistant elms on the college grounds. The project, in conjunction with the Hampshire Forest Partnership, was led by the college’s Greening Enrichment, which provides students with hands-on experience in restoring the local environment.
More than 20 students planted the trees at the College’s Owens Road campus and will continue to monitor their growth as part of the initiative.
Simon Beck, who led the project at Peter Symonds College, said: “Working with the Hampshire Forest Partnership has enabled our students to experience how local action can make a real difference out of the classroom.
“Losing just one type of tree can have a huge knock-on effect on wildlife. Since the 1970s, Dutch elm disease has wiped out millions of elms across Britain, leaving them critically endangered. White-letter hairstreak butterfly caterpillars rely almost entirely on elm trees as a food source, so restoring elms helps protect this threatened species.”
The Greening Enrichment is part of the Peter Symonds Enrichment Programme, which offers more than 200 activities ranging from Robotics and Driving Theory, to Netball and WiiSports, and provides students with opportunities to learn and contribute beyond the classroom.
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Posted: 2 March 2026
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