Different ‘shades of green’ at UM

In March, we celebrate the arrival of spring and National Arbor Day. With verdant scenes appearing everywhere on the University of Macau (UM) campus, in this My UM article, we invite you on a stroll around the green campus to learn the stories behind the lush landscapes. We also explore the relationship between humans and nature through a General Education (GE) course on climate change and unravel the mysteries of medicinal plants and herbs with a UM scholar. Overall, we discover how the university’s different ‘shades of green’ colour nature, the classroom, and research.

Popular landmarks on campus

The UM campus is a verdant oasis, where lush trees, plants and sprawling lawns bring tranquillity. If you are a keen observer, you may have noticed that the streets near the residential colleges in the west zone of the campus are named after the trees that grow alongside them. They are Peach-Plum Street, Apricot Street, and Pine-Cypress Street, each with its own symbolism.

On Peach-Plum Street, peach and Sanhua Plum trees stand in harmony with vivid pink peach blossoms dancing alongside delicate white plum blossoms. These trees symbolise abundance and potential, as ‘peach-plum’ is often used in Chinese to describe a teacher with many accomplished students around the world. Apricot Street features the elegant white flowers of the Indian hawthorn (also known as ‘white flowering apricot’), representing the compassion of doctors and the continuity of academic tradition, as ‘apricot’ in Chinese also means a very good doctor. Pine-Cypress Street showcases resilient Buddhist pines and Nagi trees, encouraging students to maintain their physical well-being and embrace the unwavering spirit of pines in their academic pursuits, as ‘pine’ is a Chinese symbol of longevity.

UM’s main campus on Hengqin Island was inaugurated 11 years ago and over 7,000 trees have been planted in the area. This verdant environment not only enhances concentration but also alleviates fatigue and stress, facilitating deeper contemplation. To enhance understanding of the plants, the campus landscaping task force of the UM Campus Service Section has placed information tags on more than 70 species of plants on campus. ‘With these tags, each plant becomes a source of knowledge, allowing individuals to establish a deeper connection with the natural environment’, says Joseph Lin Yu Chih, landscape architect and leader of the task force.

The natural campus landscape offers many captivating spaces. The Man Lung Garden, located near Lotus Avenue, houses exquisite penjing pieces of various shapes and styles, creating what looks like a mesmerising three-dimensional Chinese painting. Perhaps the most spectacular seasonal ‘display’ on campus is the silk floss trees that line Central Avenue. In late autumn and early winter, instead of shedding their leaves, the silk floss trees burst into breathtaking pink flowers with petals that resemble butterflies. The flowers transform the avenue into an enchanting pink lane. ‘It is a photo hotspot for students and faculty during the annual flowering season. It is a romantic gift from nature to UM,’ says Joseph.

A popular GE course among students

Arbor Day is not only a call to promote tree planting and care but also to put the concepts of greening and conservation into daily practice. At the undergraduate level, UM promotes environmental awareness among students through its GE courses. This academic year, the university launched a GE course titled ‘Climate Change and Its Impacts’, which aims to inspire students to engage in deeper discussion and reflection on environmental issues. The course was so popular that it filled up in seconds in the course enrolment system. A total of 70 students from different majors are taking the course this semester.

Walter Wan Iat Meng, senior instructor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is the instructor of this new course. He has been teaching at UM for nearly 30 years, and has taught another GE course ‘Exploring the Earth’ for over a decade. He says that ‘Climate Change and Its Impacts’ was originally a module for ‘Exploring the Earth’. As climate change research continues to evolve and become increasingly multidisciplinary, encompassing atmospheric science, sociology, ecology, and economics, it is now necessary to offer ‘Climate Change and Its Impacts’ as a stand-alone course. This will allow students to explore this critical global challenge in depth from different disciplines and perspectives.

Recognising the challenge of changing students’ behaviour and motivating them to adopt low-carbon lifestyles through a 40-hour GE course, Walter remains steadfast in his belief that awareness is the catalyst for action and education is the key to change. His teaching strategy focuses on creating diverse learning experiences that incorporate both theory and practice, and cultivate students’ environmental awareness at personal, social, and even global levels.

To make the course more practical and inspiring, Walter often encourages students to think outside the box. He guides students in exploring ways to reduce the carbon footprint of international mega-events, using the Paris Olympic Games as a case study. They discuss global issues such as carbon neutrality and examine how purchasing carbon credits can reflect a commitment to environmental protection. They also analyse local issues, such as the challenges Macao faces from extreme weather and climate events, and the environmental impact of different consumption patterns. ‘If students understand that climate change is closely related to them, they will take the initiative to reflect on their daily behaviour and gradually make changes in their lives,’ Walter adds.

A new book on medicinal plants

Building a green campus involves much more than simply beautifying the environment. Nestled in the Lingnan region, the UM campus is home to hundreds of medicinal plants, creating an exceptional research environment for scholars and students alike. Zhao Jing, associate professor in the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences and the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, engages in research focused on medicinal plants growing in the Lingnan region. After completing the reference book The Flora of the University of Macau in 2021, Prof Zhao is preparing her second book on plants, which is scheduled for publication in 2026.

The new book will provide an in-depth examination of selected medicinal plants commonly used in the Lingnan region, which can also be found on the UM campus. It will also compare the differences between fresh and dried herbs from the perspective of quality control of Chinese medicine and explore their medicinal value. Prof Zhao explains, ‘Traditional Chinese medicine often uses fresh herbs, while modern Chinese medicine mainly uses dried herbs. Our research aims to investigate the differences between the two in terms of active ingredients, and explain their different effects in some classical prescriptions, thus providing new perspectives for the modernisation of traditional Chinese medicine.’

The initial stage of the study involves the investigation of plant resources and specimen collection. In addition to searching for medicinal plants on the UM campus, Prof Zhao and her students also travel to other parts of Macao, such as Coloane, Flora Garden, and Ká Hó Reservoir, to search for more species. Both undergraduate and postgraduate students have their own roles to play in the project. They first undergo training in Chinese medicine resources and medicinal botany and learn how to identify different plant species, document the growing environment and distribution patterns, and carry out sampling according to the growth cycle of the plants. The undergraduate students observe the plants on campus on a regular basis, recording their growth, collecting samples during flowering or fruiting periods, and sending the samples to the laboratory, where Prof Zhao guides them in identifying the medicinal value of the plants. These experiential activities serve multiple purposes: enhancing students’ professional skills, stimulating their interest in Chinese medicine, and developing their observation skills. Through direct involvement in the research process, students gain a deeper understanding of the life cycles and medicinal properties of the plants.

Living with nature in harmony

The vibrant UM campus serves not only as fertile ground for academic research but also as a haven where students and faculty can connect with nature. Surrounded by lush trees and blooming flowers, the campus provides an environment where the humanities and scientific research are integrated with nature, fostering innovation and sustainable development. From the dedicated care of the plants by gardeners, to the interdisciplinary classroom discussions and the in-depth exploration of the medicinal value of the plants by scholars and students, each member of the UM community paints the campus in different shades of green. Together they compose a symphony of growth and sustainability.