Amid the busy campus study‑and‑life routine, have you noticed that our campus features clearer lake water, lusher green plants, chirping birds on tree branches and insects playing among woods, brimming with vivid natural vitality everywhere.
This wonderful ecological landscape has now received official recognition!
Recently, the Ningbo thematic event for the 2026 International Day for Biological Diversity and the launching ceremony of the 5th Biodiversity Experience Month were held. Thanks to its explorations and practices in aquatic‑ecological governance, eco‑campus construction and nature‑popularization education, Eastern Institute of Technology (EIT) has won two honors: Municipal‑level Biodiversity Experience Site and Ningbo’s First Batch of Biodiversity‑Friendly Schools, standing out as a representative demonstration unit among this year’s awardees.
Let’s explore the hidden ecological strengths of Eastern Institute of Technology!
Waterside Renovation: Campus Water System Transformed into an Ecological Paradise
The visually appealing campus ecological space was elaborately planned and designed by Vice‑President Chunmiao Zheng’s team. It is also one of the five newly‑added municipal‑level biodiversity experience sites in Ningbo.
Drawing on the campus’s unique circulating water system of “three rivers and one lake”, the team launched a comprehensive aquatic‑ecology renewal initiative. A full‑range upgrade was carried out, including improving underwater substrates, building well‑layered “underwater forest” plant communities, constructing naturally‑styled riparian ecological revetments, and optimizing the wetland environment at the Yongjiang River estuary. These measures have fully revitalized the campus aquatic ecosystem.
Surrounded by limpid water and scattered green vegetation, this space is imbued with rich ecological vibes. It integrates ecological conservation, scientific research & teaching and nature experience. Teaching buildings, woodland trails and natural water systems blend harmoniously, offering soothing campus scenery at every turn.
Thoughtfully‑Built Habitats: Small Creatures Settle Down on Campus
Various dedicated facilities have been installed, including concealed bat boxes, exquisite bird nest boxes, playful insect hotels, ecological fish reefs fit for aquatic organisms, and earthworm towers for soil purification. They provide safe and comfortable shelters for birds, insects and aquatic species.
All the careful efforts have paid off. With continuous improvement of the campus ecological environment, more and more small animals have chosen to make EIT their home. Campus biodiversity keeps increasing, and vigorous life can be witnessed everywhere.
More Than Scenery: Building an Immersive Nature Classroom
The picturesque eco‑campus is not merely for sightseeing; it also serves as our unique practical classroom.
Tailored to learning needs of diverse age groups, the university has developed a hierarchical and categorized nature‑science curriculum system. Concepts of biodiversity conservation and eco‑environmental protection are deeply integrated into science popularization education and practical talent cultivation.
Through campus open days, study‑tour programs, nature observation sessions and ecological courses, the campus ecological achievements are turned into high‑quality science‑popularization resources for faculty, students and the general public. People can immerse themselves in nature and acquire ecological knowledge right on campus, without traveling far to the suburbs.
Honors as Recognition and Driving Force for Further Progress
The selection of Ningbo’s First Batch of Biodiversity‑Friendly Schools is a key deliverable of Phase‑7 of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) China Green and Carbon‑Neutral Cities Project. Centered on coordinated governance of biodiversity conservation and climate change, this authoritative green certification project is internationally implemented by the World Bank.
Different from existing Ningbo biodiversity conservation bases built around parks or scenic spots, our university is selected with a university campus as the carrier. It means our campus ecological space has evolved from an internal landscape to a shared urban ecological site, and provides a referable practical model for universities engaging in regional biodiversity conservation, ecological governance and public science outreach.
In the future, leveraging the municipal‑level Biodiversity Experience Site platform, the university will continuously roll out one‑day study tours, weekend camps, summer camps and other events featuring eco‑environmental scientific research and nature‑popularization education. An indoor ecological exhibition hall will also be further constructed.
EIT will encourage more people to approach, understand and protect nature, and contribute university‑level strength to Ningbo’s high‑quality green and low‑carbon development.
