13 Jan 2026
Oaklands College students have launched a new conservation group bringing together learners and staff with a shared interest in protecting and improving the natural environment on campus and beyond.
O.W.L.S (Oaklands Wildlife Society) focuses on practical conservation work, environmental education, and sustainable change, with members encouraged to shape activities and campaigns across the college and make conservation accessible, relevant, and hands-on.
The group is already working with Haven Wildlife Rescue, with students volunteering to support local wildlife care and rehabilitation. The partnership gives learners valuable real-world experience while supporting conservation efforts within the community.
O.W.L.S recently held its first outdoor session on campus, placing camera traps around the college orchard, carrying out bird listening surveys, and identifying fungi species found on site. Students also discovered an active bee hotel, highlighting the diversity of wildlife already thriving at Oaklands.
Members are also keeping up to date with wider conservation activity in the region, including the recent release of 100 water voles into a river near Wheathampstead by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust.
The society’s work is guided by three core principles: monitoring and increasing biodiversity on campus, educating and inspiring the wider college community on environmental issues, and reducing the college’s carbon footprint through long-term sustainable actions.
Through O.W.L.S, students are gaining practical conservation skills while playing an active role in Oaklands College’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility.
Elizabeth Healey, lecturer in Animal Care, said: “This society gives students the chance to put conservation into practice. They’re developing real skills, contributing to genuine environmental work, and helping us better understand and protect the wildlife on our campus.”
