Changing Chalk Case Studies
- Published:
- 08 July 2026
One of the most important legacies of Changing Chalk is the knowledge, experience and learning gained through four years of partnership working. This page brings together a series of case studies that capture what worked and what we learned. Whether you're a practitioner or land manager, conservation charity, community organisation, or simply interested in the programme, these case studies are intended to inspire new ideas and support future work locally and beyond.
Restoring Chalkland Biodiversity
We don’t know enough about the condition of chalk grassland within Local Wildlife Sites on the South Downs, or what work might be needed to improve them for nature. For 26 sites, including Cockroost Hill West, we applied an established methodology to assess the condition of the chalk grassland and shared the results with partners, so that they could put in place positive management actions on the ground where needed.
Sussex Grazed reconnects people with their local landscapes through food and the processes behind local food production. The project aims to shift perceptions of grazing livestock, demonstrate the importance of well-managed grazing for rare, fragile habitats, and support conservation graziers to showcase their work and sell locally through a meatbox scheme. It also highlights the opportunities created through partnership working and the vital role organisations such as the National Trust play in protecting these landscapes.
Scrub poses a dilemma in chalk landscapes: it provides valuable habitat but can also encroach on species-rich grassland. Scrub is often cleared to maintain a balance, a costly operation which is often quickly followed by the regrowth of scrub and weeds. This project investigated the ability of seed sowing to suppress scrub regeneration, promote the restoration of species-rich chalk grassland and reduce the need for labour-intensive management interventions.
The Wart-biter Bush-cricket is one of our rarest insects, classified as Endangered in the UK, and is currently known from just six sites, four of which are in the Changing Chalk project area. Increasing the number of sites it occupies is crucial to help secure the long-term survival of the species. The project aimed to establish a new population through the translocation of individuals to a new site.
Greening the Cities brought the Downs into the towns through the creation of new areas of chalk downland wildflower planting in Brighton & Hove to provide vital habitat steppingstones for native pollinators. Many of our urban green spaces have challenging underground conditions which do not allow for direct planting into the ground, so this project imported chalk and constructed banks to mimic the South Downs in miniature to create these biodiversity hotspots.
Providing opportunities for a diverse range of volunteers to learn new skills and contribute to enhancing the biodiversity of the city and surrounding downland was central to both projects. Wilding Waterhall engaged a wider range of people with the Downs, boosting wellbeing and connection with the downland landscape. While Greening the Cities brought the ‘Downs into the Town’, by creating new areas of urban wildflower planting with volunteers from the local community.
Connecting Downs and Towns
For over 100 years, Brighton and Hove City Council has owned large parts of the South Downs, with the land managed by tenant farmers. Farm School was set up to connect local school children with tenant farms to give children hands-on opportunities to learn more about food and farming on their doorstep, engage with nature preservation and understand more about the wonders of chalk grassland.
Landport Bottom is a much loved, heavily-used downland site facing multiple pressures. Changes in ownership from District to Town Council, combined with local authority restructures, resulted in reduced community engagement to promote understanding, protection and improvement of its chalk grassland. The role of RLWT’s Chalk Life Ranger was to re-invigorate the activity of volunteer groups on the site, both in undertaking practical conservation tasks and in promoting engagement through informal surveying, a guardianship scheme and community events.
Creating Connections - providing opportunities for young people to engage with nature conservation. The Wilding Waterhall project intended to engage local pupils, students and the general public in hands-on learning in the “perfect living classroom”. Participants were inspired to learn about the diverse flora and fauna of the South Downs and the “wilding” approach to maximising biodiversity by working with natural processes. Engagement and outreach activities specifically targeted schools in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation.
Growing New Roots (GNR) was an 8-week group offering therapeutic outdoor activities at beautiful chalk grassland sites in the project area. The project targeted participants with at least one mental health condition. Growing New Roots aimed to improve their wellbeing whilst learning about South Downs heritage and conservation of chalk grassland and build up confidence to visit independently.
Education and engagement within the Wilding Waterhall project Brighton & Hove City Council
The Wilding Waterhall project intended to engage local pupils, students and the general public in hands-on learning in the “perfect living classroom”. Participants were inspired to learn about the diverse flora and fauna of the South Downs and the “wilding” approach to maximising biodiversity by working with natural processes. Engagement and outreach activities specifically targeted schools in areas of high socioeconomic deprivation.
Find Your Future aimed to reach young people facing barriers to education and employment, creating opportunities through progressive pathways. Focusing on youth groups (11–16yrs) and young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs, 18-24yrs), the project provided countryside skills sessions, apprenticeships, traineeships, and volunteering opportunities. Participants gained confidence, improved wellbeing, and nature connection, while developing employability skills that supported progression into further education, training, and future careers.
The project set out to strengthen local communities’ connection with Southwick Hill, an urban-fringe Local Creating Connections – community engagement at an urban-fringe Local Wildlife Site (Southwick Hill) National Trust Wildlife Site, by creating new opportunities to explore, learn about, and care for the hill. Through volunteering and events such as ‘Hairy Not Scary’ walks on safe practices around cattle (replicated from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust), participants learned about the importance of chalk grassland and conservation grazing. By deepening people-place connections, the aim was to inspire curiosity and enhance biodiversity, while promoting community health and wellbeing.
Hearts and Histories of the Downs
The Big Dig project aimed to uncover how Eastbourne developed as a downland settlement and to reconnect residents with the landscape beneath their feet. By involving schools, volunteers, and local communities in hands on archaeology, the project sought to inspire curiosity about the past, reveal how people shaped Eastbourne over time, and strengthen connections between the town, the South Downs, and the shared heritage.
When monuments are scheduled, it means they have the highest level of protection available through Historic England. However, many have not been inspected for some t ime. Monument Mentors – supporting volunteers to survey and monitor Scheduled Monuments on the South Downs National Trust Training volunteers to recognise the types of damage that can affect a monument, and to inspect and report on its condition, can help prevent further deterioration and in some cases support efforts to repair damage. It also deepens connections with the landscape through understanding and action.
Historic England (HE) mapped archaeological features visible in modern and historic aerial photos and Lidar across the Brighton Downland. The Downs The Vision from Above digital platform was monitoring information. developed to allow public access to this data, enabling users to contribute personal stories and Local volunteers were trained to verify the accuracy of data – known as ‘ground truthing’. This process enhanced both the dataset and public engagement with the landscape’s heritage.