Wild About Knowledge - The Wilder Garden

Wild About Knowledge -
The Wilder Garden

SDU creates more space to nature and measures the impact

In the courtyard of the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, a former grass area has been transformed into a biodiversity garden. Here, SDU actively works to strengthen biodiversity while also investigating how nature can contribute to capturing CO₂.

The wilder garden is both a green oasis in everyday life and a living experimental area for research, teaching, and communication.

Facts about the project

Location

The garden is located at the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences

The area

The courtyard garden extends over approx. 700 m2

Project period

The project started in October 2025 and is expected to run until 2028

Project group

Project manager is Malene Skovbakke from Technical Services.

Project owner is Henrik Toft, Coordinator for gardeners in Technical Services

The project group also passes:

Sara Egemose, Associate Professor at the Department of Biology and SDU Climate Cluster
Cintia Organo Quintana, Associate Professor at the Department of Biology
Steen Olsen, Project Developer, Part-time lecturer at the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences

What is The Wilder Garden?

The Wilder Garden is an area of approximately 700 m² where nature is given better conditions to thrive. Instead of closely mown grass, the area is sown with flowers and plants that attract insects and increase biodiversity. The garden also features brushwood fences and a reflective pool, which create diverse habitats and provide better conditions for insects, small animals, and plants.

At the same time, the garden serves as a demonstration project, where we document the effects of converting green spaces into more natural areas.

The wilder garden is composed of various elements that together create favorable conditions for biodiversity. Here, you will find both flowering plants, grass areas, and structures that provide habitats for insects and small animals year-round.

The garden is sown with the flower mixes Bifrost and Muspelheim from Dalgas, ensuring pollen and nectar from early spring to late autumn. The plants are selected to:

attract pollinating insects

support a higher species richness

create a varied and blooming appearance throughout the season

Around the existing trees, thickets with flowering shrubs and trees have been established. These provide food and habitats throughout the year:

pollen and nectar in spring for early active insects

berries and seeds in late summer and autumn for birds and small animals

In the thicket areas, brushwood fences have also been established, serving as shelter and overwintering spots for insects and other small animals.

Parts of the area are designated as natural grass, which is allowed to grow freely throughout the season. This:

creates variation in the area

provides habitats for species associated with grasses

protects insects that overwinter in the vegetation

The grass is cut only in early spring.

In the middle of the garden, a reflecting pool has been established, adding water to the area. The pool is designed with soft edges and small stones, allowing insects and small animals to access the water easily.
During the project period, we measure and monitor developments in the area.

We look at, among other things:

Species richness – how many and which species establish themselves

CO₂ sequestration – how carbon levels vary over time

Measurements have already started and will continue on an ongoing basis until 2028.
Read Baseline measurement of Dalgas
The project is part of SDU’s work on biodiversity and climate and aims to provide concrete knowledge about what works.

We are particularly focused on:

Increasing biodiversity on campus

Documenting CO₂ sequestration in soil and plants

Creating a visible example of green transition in practice

The garden thus contributes both to SDU’s climate plan and to a greener campus environment.

The Project's Baseline Measurement from Dalgas (in Danish)

Where can I find the garden?

The wilder garden is located in a courtyard at the Faculty of Social Sciences.

You can find the wilder garden at Vangene V by the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences. The courtyard is on your left-hand side when coming from outside and on your right-hand side if coming from Campus Square.

Find The wilder garden is located on the map