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Seven Sisters National Nature Reserve

Published:
19 March 2026
A brown shetland pony grazes on grassy coastal cliffs overlooking a bright blue sea. In the distance, white chalk cliffs curve along the coastline, and another pale‑coloured pony stands further back on the landscape. Low shrubs and open fields surround the scene under a clear sky
Conservation grazing on the lookout at Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters, East Sussex. | © National Trust Images/Laurence Perry

Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters and 2 other National Trust sites are now part of the Seven Sisters National Nature Reserve (NNR), one of the King’s Series of NNRs.

About the Seven Sisters National Nature Reserve

The nature rich Seven Sisters and its surrounding landscape have been formally declared as a National Nature Reserve (NNR), acknowledging the biodiversity value of one of the nation’s most loved landscapes. This new NNR has been designated as part of the King’s Series of Nature Reserves, it’s helping to shape a legacy of hope, aiming to create or expand 25 National Nature Reserves by 2027.

It’s the UK’s first groundwater-inspired reserve of its kind and seeks to protect our local clean drinking water, which filters through the chalk landscape of the South Downs.

The National Nature Reserve, which covers 1,500 hectares represents a significant extension of the current Lullington Heath National Nature Reserve and includes precious wildlife habitats, including chalk grassland, rare chalk heath, woodland, saltmarsh, scrubland, flood plains, an estuary and underwater chalk reefs.

Close‑up view of a salt marsh at low tide, with dense, green salt‑tolerant vegetation growing in mounds along the shoreline. A sandy, exposed tidal flat stretches beside the marsh, and a calm, shallow water channel runs through the landscape. The scene sits under a blue sky with thin, wispy clouds
The saltmarsh at low tide at Chyngton Brooks, Sussex | © National Trust Images/Laurence Perry

The aim of the new designation is to safeguard precious groundwater that provides drinking water to 1.2 million people and improve biodiversity, as well as connect local communities, businesses and visitors with the area’s remarkable wildlife haven.

The Seven Sisters National Nature Reserve stretches from Seaford to the chalk downland around busy urban areas in Eastbourne and includes the Seven Sisters cliffs, Cuckmere Valley and Lullington Heath.

The creation of the Seven Sisters National Nature Reserve will allow much greater collaboration between the organisations, helping to connect the matrix of habitats in the area through better landscape management.

A key goal of the partnership is to work closely with landowners and farmers to grow the National Nature Reserve to include more privately-owned land. The work will include regenerative, nature-friendly farming to improve the soils, improving the quality of waterways and conservation grazing by sheep or cows to help the chalk grassland flourish.

A wide, sweeping view of a green river valley with a winding river cutting through open fields. Low, gently rolling hills stretch into the distance under a clear blue sky, with patches of shrubs and hedgerows scattered across the landscape
View of Frog Firle Farm in East Sussex | © National Trust Images/David Sellman

The Seven Sisters NNR partners are:

  • Eastbourne Borough Council
  • Forestry England
  • National Trust
  • Natural England
  • Seaford Town Council
  • South Downs National Park Authority
  • South East Water
  • Sussex Wildlife Trust

In addition to the Core Partners, the SSNNR partnership hopes to invite other landowners and organisations to affiliate to the NNR.

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