Changing Chalk: From Vision to Legacy
- Published:
- 14 May 2026
It began with a shared vision for the South Downs: a landscape where nature, people and heritage could thrive together. Over four years, from 2022 to 2026, Changing Chalk brought together organisations, communities, farmers, volunteers and local people to restore chalk grassland, improve access to the Downs and help more people feel connected to the landscape on their doorstep.
Led by the National Trust and supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the programme worked across the eastern South Downs, from Shoreham to Eastbourne. Bringing together 13 organisations and 21 interconnected projects, the partnership explored new ways to restore habitats, uncover hidden histories and open up access to nature and heritage.
From wellbeing programmes and community archaeology to species recovery and conservation grazing, Changing Chalk has left a lasting mark across the eastern South Downs and in the communities connected to it.
A landscape shaped by connection
Changing Chalk was built on a shared vision: to bring nature, people and heritage closer together. Across a 458 sq km area of the eastern South Downs, the partnership set out to restore habitats, tackle barriers to access and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the landscape.
More than 50,000 people took part over the life of the programme, supported by over 30,000 volunteer hours. Over 650 hectares of chalk grassland have been restored or improved for nature and £147,000 supported 32 community-led projects across Sussex.
These figures only tell part of the story. Across the programme, people have discovered new places, built confidence outdoors, learned new skills, shared stories and formed lasting relationships with the landscape and with one another.
“Changing Chalk shows what’s possible when organisations, communities and funders work together at a landscape scale. The programme has delivered real benefits for nature and for people. We hope its legacy will continue for years to come, with communities continuing to enjoy, care for and feel connected to the South Downs.
Richard Henderson, Chair of the Project Board at the National Trust
Restoring chalk grassland for the future
Chalk grassland is globally rare and one of the UK’s richest habitats, but also one of its most threatened. Over time, much of it has been lost or fragmented.
Through Changing Chalk, partners worked at a landscape scale to restore and reconnect chalk grassland habitats. Work with farmers and landowners improved grazing, created pollinator habitat and strengthened links between sites, helping wildlife to recover and thrive.
From former golf courses transformed into wildlife havens, to restored dew ponds and new urban wildflower areas, sites across the eastern South Downs have been brought back into better condition for nature.
In the programme’s final year, 32 wart-biter bush-crickets were relocated to establish a new population - an important step in supporting one of Britain’s rarest chalk grassland insects.
Connecting downs and towns
For many people living in nearby towns and cities, the South Downs can feel geographically close by but not always easy to access or explore. Changing Chalk opened up new opportunities for people to access and experience the landscape, helping it feel closer, more familiar and part of everyday life.
Physical improvements, from accessible gates to new waymarked walking routes, made it easier to navigate the landscape. Alongside this, community outreach, maps, guided walks and wellbeing programmes helped people feel welcome and confident in these spaces.
A strong focus was on working with those who have faced barriers to accessing nature. Activities ranged from Farm School and youth programmes to wellbeing initiatives and community events, helping people build confidence, improve wellbeing and develop a stronger connection to the landscape.
“This has helped in ways medication and therapy couldn’t: being outdoors, connecting with others face-to-face, and learning new things have all built my confidence.” - Growing New Roots participant (Brighton & Hove Food Partnership)
Exploring heritage and new perspectives
The South Downs is shaped by thousands of years of human history. Through Changing Chalk, local communities were supported to discover, explore and share these stories in new ways.
Community archaeology projects, creative programmes and heritage activities helped uncover both familiar and previously overlooked stories of the Downs. Initiatives such as The Big Dig, Monument Mentors and Writing Our Legacy @ Changing Chalk invited people to look more closely at the landscape, its histories and the communities connected to it.
This work has opened up space for a wider range of voices and perspectives, helping more people see themselves reflected in the heritage of the Downs and their own place within it.
“Thank you for this workshop. It’s been so lovely to be out in nature and writing about my family and my ancestors.” - Writing Our Legacy @ Changing Chalk participant
Supporting community-led action
The Community Grants Scheme supported grassroots organisations to design and deliver projects shaped by their own communities.
Over three years, £147,000 was awarded to 32 projects, supporting activities ranging from conservation and access improvements to creative and wellbeing programmes.
Many of these projects reached people who might not otherwise have engaged with the South Downs, helping to widen participation and build stronger local networks. The scheme also supported groups to develop skills, confidence and longer-term resilience.
“Before joining I was lonely and sad… but now I have a place to belong. Stanmer feels like home.” - Participant, Network of International Women of Brighton & Hove
Volunteering, skills and confidence
Volunteers were at the heart of Changing Chalk. Across the programme, local people contributed more than 30,000 hours, supporting conservation, heritage and community activity.
For many, this was an opportunity to learn new skills, build confidence and spend time in the landscape. Others took steps into training, employment or further volunteering, supported by the experience they had gained.
These individual journeys created a wider legacy of knowledge, care and connection that will continue beyond the life of the programme, carried forward by the people who have been part of it.
“Volunteering with Changing Chalk has given me a real connection to the Downs. I’ve learned new skills, met great people and feel proud to be playing a part in looking after this landscape for the future.” - Changing Chalk volunteer
A Lasting Legacy
Although the programme is now concluding, its impact will continue.
Habitats are in better condition, new approaches have been tested and partnerships have been strengthened. Communities are more connected to the landscape, and many people remain actively involved in caring for local sites.
A new legacy film brings together the voices, places and stories at the heart of Changing Chalk, capturing what has been achieved and what will continue beyond it.
Watch the Changing Chalk legacy film, here.
The partnership has also published an end of project report exploring the programme’s impact, learning and achievements in more detail, you can read it here
The South Downs are here for everyone to enjoy and to care for, now and into the future.
Changing Chalk may be ending, but the relationships, knowledge and care built over the past four years will continue in the landscape and in the communities connected to it. Across the South Downs, people are continuing to restore habitats, share stories, volunteer their time and help others feel welcome in this special place.
The programme leaves behind not just practical change, but stronger connections between people, nature and heritage, and a shared commitment to caring for the South Downs for generations to come.