Changing Chalk: partnership aims to breathe new life into ancient landscape with £2m grant - The National Trust
- Swathes of precious chalk grassland to be restored on the South Downs, providing a lifeline for wildlife
- Habitat can have up to 40 wildflower and 20 butterfly species per metre, but its extent has plunged in recent years
- £2.23m from National Lottery Heritage Fund will also help bring local histories to life and provide outdoor experiences for those in need
- Projects include returning 60 hectares of golf course to downland and reintroducing grazing at 40 sites
- Over 800ha of land to be managed for nature
- 10-strong partnership, led by the National Trust, includes organisations from across Brighton & Hove, Eastbourne and Lewes
A habitat that is so diverse in wildlife it has been nicknamed ‘Europe’s tropical rainforest’ is to be brought back to life thanks to a multi-million-pound grant raised by players of the National Lottery.
Chalk grassland is internationally rare and one of the most nature-rich landscapes in the UK, home to beautiful and unusual wildflowers, orchids and butterflies. But the extent of the habitat has plunged by over 80% in recent decades – caused in part by intensive agriculture and the loss of traditional grazing – leaving sites small and isolated, and threatening resident wildlife.
Now a £2.23m fund seeks to change that by breathing new life into chalk grassland on the eastern South Downs, while reconnecting local people and surrounding towns with the ancient habitat. The pioneering scheme, named Changing Chalk, is led by the National Trust and made up of ten core partners – including conservation organisations, Government bodies and a food charity.
Over the next four years, 18 ambitious projects will restore and care for nature, improve people’s wellbeing, bring local histories and heritage to life, and break down complex barriers to participation in the outdoors in some of the UK’s most economically-deprived wards.
A total of 815 hectares of land will be managed for nature, including returning 60 hectares of golf course back to chalk downland and reintroducing cattle and sheep grazing at 40 sites. Outdoor therapeutic sessions will be offered to people with mental health needs and an archaeology project will get people digging for history in their gardens and public spaces.
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Posted On: 15/10/2021