Tucked away on our North Campus is one of our hidden gems: the Arboretum. Over 3.5 acres, you’ll find plenty of unusual trees, flowers and may even spot some local wildlife such as foxes, deer and woodpeckers.
One stand-out tree is the Cork Oak (Quercus suber), which is typically grown in the Mediterranean. A wonderful feature of this tree is its gnarled bark, from which cork is harvested for wine bottle corks, but this practice is now in decline as screw tops are more common.
Another cool fact about this tree is that the cork has been used since Roman times when it was used for fishing net buoys.
You can find out more about this tree and many more by visiting the Arboretum between your lectures and reading the eight interpretation boards that are now in place. Find out how you can get to the Arboretum.