On April 9, discover and share biodiversity on campus

Designed around a multiplicity of proposals and a temporary exhibition, this operation is an invitation to all members of the university community to explore, learn and take action for biodiversity.

Recently labeled DDRS, the Université Polytechnique Hauts-de France has a 2025 biodiversity plan, and the Fête des Jardins on April 9 is the first large-scale operation to raise awareness among the UPHF community of the challenges of preserving campus biodiversity.
Over the course of an afternoon, the gardens and spaces of Mont Houy will become places of experimentation and discovery, where everyone will be able to observe wild plants with Pimpren'elles, let their creativity speak for itself with the enthusiasts of Fil'Ambule or garden alongside students from the Gr'INSA association. In keeping with the Year of Japan, floral arts will of course be on the program, with a rare initiation to the art of Ikebana.

Highlights of this year's Fête des Jardins

Smell and discover: botanical stroll

Those who follow the Pimpren'elles association along the campus walkways will set off on a convivial and learned stroll. In just one hour, they'll learn to recognize the species and plants that flourish on Mont Houy.

Departure: 1 p.m., meeting point at BU Mont Houy
. Duration: 1h
Registration required by writing to bu@uphf.fr
To find out more about Pimpren'elles and the picking and processing activities: click here

Inspired by nature: embroidering flowers and plants

The creative arts are an endless source of inspiration. Fil'Ambule, will be offering an introductory embroidery session. A calm, joyful moment to bring new creations to life and share precious moments with those who nurture the skills and excellence of the hand.

Time: 2pm; meeting point at BU Mont Houy
. Duration: 2h
Registration required: bu@uphf.fr
Location: BU du Mont-Houy
To find out more about Fil'Ambule and the enthusiasts who create and recycle to their heart's content: click here

Play

Cultivate the most beautiful garden, plant and grow your forest, build the city of tomorrow, study ecosystems, sort your waste... so many practices to explore through play.
Throughout the afternoon, students from the Caribou Game Club, will guide you in the discovery of playful nuggets, playable from 1 to 6 players.

Schedule: 2pm-6pm
Duration: free and without registration
Location : BU du Mont Houy
To find out more about Caribou Games Club activities, you can follow them here

Binettes et bêches: et si on jardinait

Students from the GR'INSA association invite experienced gardeners and beginners alike to wield the spade and hoe as they help maintain the vegetable gardens set up in the BU patios.
Another initiative: the donation of plants and seedlings. A seasonal idea that strengthens the bonds between all members of the UPHF community.

Schedule: 2pm - 6pm
Duration: free and without registration
Location: patios of BU Mont Houy
Remember to bring your gloves!
To find out more about the actions led by the GR'INSA association: click here

Cleaning

For a clean and pleasant campus, take part in the litter-picking operation, guided by Val'Pro'Ci volunteers.

Start: meeting point at BU Mont Houy
. Schedule: between 12pm and 2pm
To find out more about good waste management practices and the actions taken by Val'Pro Ci: click here.

Year of Japan: introduction to the art of ikebana

Isabelle Labarre, plant mediator will reveal the secrets of an ancestral floral art. A creative yet meditative and therapeutic approach to nature.

Schedule: 5pm
Duration : 2h
Location: BU du Mont Houy
On registration by writing to: bu@uphf.fr
Remember to bring your gloves.

A temporary exhibition for further study and action

Echoing the activities proposed on April 9, the Viral and Fragile Biodiversity exhibition, designed by Ombelliscience, will enable everyone to explore the complex relationships between living things, human and non-human.

Through observation of how living things function, the exhibition makes explicit, in particular, the impact of human activities on natural environments. Visitors will be invited to reflect on the direct or indirect influence of humans on natural environments, and on the consequences of their activities and actions on ecosystems.

This exhibition is a unique opportunity to explore the complex relationships between living and non-living organisms.

The exhibition on view at the Mont Houy BU from April 5 to May 20, 2026 will be inaugurated on April 9 during the Garden Festival.

Dates: from April 5 to May 20, 2026
Free access without registration
. Location: BU du Mont Houy