Rob’s Garden: A living legacy of learning, sustainability, and community

_{Alex Hilton in Rob's Garden.}

A new “living laboratory” garden will help students learn more about crop agronomy and how they can sequester carbon, support biodiversity and provide renewable energy.

Named in honour of a former SRUC lecturer, Rob’s Garden has been awarded a grant from The Mains of Loirston Charitable Trust - set up to support the education of school children or students and promoting research in the practice of agriculture or the science of agriculture in Scotland.

The garden has also been supported by Aberdeen Airport’s ABZ Propeller Fund and Corteva Agriscience.

SRUC’s School of Natural and Social Sciences created Rob’s Garden, a dynamic new space on campus dedicated to hands-on student learning, environmental experimentation, and community engagement was established in memory of its colleague, mentor, and friend, Rob Fuchs.

Rob’s Garden is far more than a collection of plants. It is an evolving living laboratory, where students will explore how crops can sequester carbon, support biodiversity, provide renewable energy and Agronomy. The space will help equip Agricultural, Wildlife and Conservation and Rural Business Management students with practical skills and insights that are crucial to Scotland’s agricultural and environmental future.

SRUC Senior lecturer Alex Hilton said: “This funding will support the project’s ground preparation, purchase of seed and plant material and agricultural inputs, soil and crop testing and the harvesting of the crops

“Where possible, students will lead the practical work, supported by instructors and SRUC’s Field Trials Team. The garden will also serve as a community-facing space, with Craibstone and Bucksburn residents invited to engage with the project, learn about the crops, and share views on local green solutions.”

The research focuses on a range of biomass and carbon-sequestering species, including Short Rotation Coppice (SRC), Miscanthus, Winter Rye & Perennial Ryegrass, Energy Mix and Miyawaki “wee forest” (rapid-growth tree planting for carbon capture).

These crops will be studied for their potential to reduce residual carbon emissions, particularly in relation to local emitters such as Aberdeen Airport, and to assess biodiversity benefits for the surrounding ecosystem.

Rob Fuchs began his career in the agricultural sector selling inputs but found his true calling as a teacher, inspiring students to think more deeply about the environment. He was known for his practical, engaging teaching style, his strong rapport with students, and his deep respect for the natural world.

Alex added: “Rob was a colleague, a mentor and a friend to many of us. He would have loved the idea that this is a space where students from all backgrounds can explore the wonders of biological science.

“By engaging students in meaningful, practical research and connecting with the community, the garden will grow as a lasting tribute to a remarkable teacher, and a model for how education can contribute to environmental change.”

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Posted by SRUC on 02/09/2025