Groundbreaking biodiversity credits initiative in South Downs is off to flying start

Groundbreaking biodiversity credits initiative in South Downs is off to flying start - South Downs National Park Authority

a rural track running next to a fence with trees and fields in the distance and cattle in the field next to the road — The Iford Estate (Pic by Sarah London)

Efforts to create a huge new wildlife haven in the South Downs National Park through private investment are well under way.

Over 50 hectares of the Iford Estate – or 80 football pitches – have now been formally dedicated to nature restoration, thanks to two groundbreaking legal agreements with the National Park Authority.

Iford has just signed a second Section 106 agreement with the Authority, bringing the East Sussex estate a step closer to its vision of devoting two thirds of the estate to nature. The 18.75 hectares of new space for nature comes on top of the 31.8 hectares dedicated to wildlife in 2023.

Among the key projects is transforming intensively-farmed fields into a new thriving deciduous woodland the size of 24 football pitches. It is hoped that threatened species such as the hazel dormouse and spotted flycatcher will be able to flourish and increase in numbers thanks to the new habitats being created.

Ultimately, it’s hoped that the new wildlife haven, which will include woodlands and wildflower meadows, can provide a home for over 1,000 species – over half of them being protected species in the South Downs region.

Posted On: 29/04/2025

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