Fruit Routes

Fruit Routes is a unique project and art installation made up of over 150 trees providing an enriched habitat for people, plants, insects and animals, as well as a location for cultural activities and outdoor learning. The project has become a great example of a Living Lab project with partnerships in the Design School, School of the Arts and Architecture Schools. 

This project is funded by the University Estates & Facilities Management Service, in line with the Biodiversity Action Plan, and is managed by the Fruit Routes Steering Group consisting of university and academic staff, students and the local community, including project founder and artist Anne-Marie Culhane. The project began life as a proposal for RADAR’s Building Green season in 2010. The Fruit Routes has been recognised as an award-winning project by the Guardian Higher Education Sustainability Award in 2014, was part of the 2017 Green Gowns finalist awards and a facilitated workshop at the 2013 EAUC Conference.  It was also awarded a highly commended in the Association of University Directors AUDE Reaching Higher category in 2019. 

The University hosts a harvest event and annual campus apple bake off as part of this. 

In May 2022, we celebrated 10 years of the Fruit Routes - with the first fruit trees having been planted early in Winter 2012. Read the recent blog post on Fruit Routes and is 10-year anniversary.