It’s been quite a year for the Downs to The Sea project as we’ve hit a number of key milestones in our exciting endeavours to restore precious wetlands.
We officially launched this exciting water-focused project aptly on World Wetlands Day in February 2025. A year on and there is so much to look back on with pride – as well as look forward to with anticipation of the exciting plans ahead!
To celebrate we’ve produced a wonderful film providing an fascinating snapshot into the first year of the project.
In a nutshell, the Downs to the Sea initiative is looking to restore and create a network of vital “blue spaces” in the landscape. Focused on water in the landscape and water in people’s lives, this project has been made possible by a £1.7m grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, as well as significant funding from Southern Water and DPD.
It comes as wetlands are under increasing threat from climate change, water usage, pollution, flooding, drought, and fragmentation. Some two thirds of all freshwater species are supported by ponds and yet the UK has lost half of all its ponds since 1900.
In the South Downs National Park, a survey of pond locations showed that almost 70 per cent are in poor condition, or have disappeared from the landscape, resulting in large swathes of downland where no surface water is available for wildlife.
In addition to boosting biodiversity, wetlands can be amazing carbon sinks and a natural solution to climate change. Storing around a third of the world’s carbon, they slow the flow of water, cleaning it naturally and reducing the risk of flooding downstream.
So what’s been achieved so far? There is so much to talk about and too much to fit in one article, but here are five key achievements:
- Completing vital restoration work on wetlands at RSPB reserves sites.
Work to create better, more resilient havens for the many species of birds who make their home at these special RSPB wetland sites has been carried out, including:
- Clearing ditches and track work at Amberley Wildbrooks.
- Installing track work, sluices, pipe and dam structures at Pulborough Brooks.
- Creating Islands and deepening marsh channels at Pagham Harbour.
Image: RSPB Pulborough Brooks. Credit SDNPA/Sam Moore
- Completion of “Window to the Wetlands” accessibility work at RSPB Pulborough Brooks
To help people access this site and get closer and feel more connected to nature, this work has seen new benches installed, pond dipping platforms repaired, footpaths resurfaced, viewing areas installed and a new fixed-point photography point set up.
- Community wellbeing activities
Being around water can help calm our nervous system and improve our mental wellbeing. In the last year partners of the Downs to the Sea project have delivered more than 35 community wellbeing sessions including mindful walks at Wiggonholt Heath, creative artistic sessions, volunteer training and sessions for staff who work with people experiencing loneliness and isolation. Over 75 people also took part in creative engagement programmes through Writing Our Legacy.
- Creating the water custodians of the future
Our “Water Champions” active outreach programme is well under way and so far they have engaged with more than 2.000 adults through parish councils meetings, fetes, webinars and events. As well as more than 1,500 children via school assemblies and outdoor sessions getting children out into nature in the National Park.
- Action on the ground for ponds and rivers
Nine ‘Pounds for Ponds’ grant applications have been approved – enabling us to move forwards on places to create or restore vital dew and farm ponds across the Downs.
While good progress has been made on bringing new life to the village pond at Falmer with a community event, three conservation workdays and two bat walks held onsite to engage the local community.
Image: Conservation work at Falmer Pond – credit SDNPA/Sam Moore.
This list and the inspiring film give just a flavour of the work being carried out by the passionate and driven Downs to the Sea partnership. There’ll be lots more to come over the next two years, so keep in the loop and discover more at www.southdowns.gov.uk/downs-to-the-sea/ and follow us on social media for progress updates and opportunities to get involved.
Downs to the Sea is made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we are supporting nature recovery though the improvement, restoration and creation of wet habitats, giving scores of people opportunities to enjoy, engage and learn about them. The initiative is a partnership between the South Downs National Park Authority, South Downs National Park Trust, RSPB, Brighton & Hove City Council, Western Sussex Rivers Trust, and Writing Our Legacy.