Changing Chalk delivered 21 interconnected projects across three themes. Together they restored rare chalk grassland, improved access to nature, uncovered hidden heritage and strengthened connections between people and the eastern South Downs.
Explore the projects below to discover how they contributed to the programme's lasting legacy.
Chalk grassland is a fragile habitat that relies on the land being grazed in the right way. This project worked with farmers and landowners to support conservation grazing across 380 hectares of priority chalk grassland, providing funding for fencing, water infrastructure and mobile grazing equipment, farmer workshops, and production of this illustrated guide to managing chalk grassland
Chalk Grassland Landowner Resource - South Downs National Park Authority
This former golf course on the outskirts of Brighton has been transformed into a haven for wildlife. Now a Local Nature Reserve, chalk grassland has been restored through the introduction of grazing, with scrub and woodland areas managed to create a rich mosaic of downland habitats. With 8km waymarked paths and over 5,560 people engaged over the 4-year project including schools and community groups, the site has also been opened up for people to enjoy, learn and volunteer.
Find out more here: Wilding Waterhall
This project supported farmers, landowners and local communities to improve the chalk landscape for our declining insect pollinators, particularly looking at managing wildflower habitats across the landscape. Activities included pollinator habitat assessments, which informed advice for landowners, training workshops, and training volunteers to survey and monitor pollinating insects.
The Sustainable Vines project also carried out wildflower seed trials in partnership with two vineyards and the University of Sussex, and produced this resource for vineyards:
Managing-vineyards-for-beneficial-invertebrates-advice-sheet.pdf
Dew ponds are an integral part of the South Downs. In the past, farmers would dig these ponds as watering holes for their animals grazing the ridges of the Downs. This project restored seven historic dew ponds, creating freshwater habitat and vital water sources for wildlife on the Downs, and helping more people discover these distinctive downland features.
For more information: Ponds - South Downs National Park Authority
The Wart-biter Bush-cricket is one of Britain’s rarest chalk grassland insects, surviving on just six sites nationwide, four within the Changing Chalk project area. Buglife worked with farmers to improve habitat for Wart-biters and trained volunteers to survey and monitor the remaining populations. Major milestones came in the project’s final year, when 32 Wart-biters were successfully relocated to a new site with the aim of establishing a new population - a vital step in securing their long- term future.
For more information: Wart-biter Bush-cricket - Bug Directory - Buglife
One of the biggest challenges for chalk grassland management is encroaching scrub. This scientific study investigated the ability of wildflower seed sowing to suppress scrub regrowth and promote the restoration of species-rich grassland. After clearing scrub on two sites, experimental plots tested different seed mixes and aftercare treatments. With a team of volunteers, the researchers carried out annual botanical surveys to monitor the effects and help inform future chalk grassland restoration projects.
Read the scientific report here: Report | The changing chalk; seed sowing promotes calcareous grassland restoration following scrub clearance.
This project surveyed 30 Local Wildlife Sites across the Changing Chalk project area to assess the condition of the chalk grassland habitat. Advice and information was the provided for landowners on how to best care for and manage the land and improve the chalk grassland for wildlife. Changing Chalk partners then provided practical support on some of the sites, with the help of a dedicated volunteer group.
For more information: Sussex Local Wildlife Site Initiative
In this project, Chalk Life Rangers delivered events, outdoor learning and volunteering opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and care for the chalk landscape on their doorstep.
The Chalk Life Rangers at Railway Land Wildlife Trust worked on chalk grassland sites including Landport Bottom (Lewes), Butts Meadow (Eastbourne) and Castle Hill (Newhaven). Alongside practical conservation volunteer sessions, the rangers delivered guided walks and other activities including an art trail and engaged diverse audiences with the wonders of the chalk downland.
For more information: Railway Land Wildlife Trust
The National Trust Chalk Life Rangers delivered conservation projects and activities from bug hunts to nature festivals on various sites including Southwick Hill and Devil’s Dyke near Brighton. At Gayles Farm (Seaford), 50 hectares of arable fields have been transformed into flowery ‘stepping stone’ habitat for wildlife and the former RAF runways used in World War II are now marked with wildflowers.
National Trust places in the South Downs | National Trust
Farm School connected primary school children from Brighton and Hove with their local farms. Focussing on schools in socio-economically deprived areas, over 3,600 children benefitted from farm visits, workshops and assemblies to learn about food production, farming and nature in the South Downs. The project also developed resources and purchased a trailer to support future Farm School visits.
Watch the Countryside Code film here: Brighton & Hove Farm School Countryside Code
Through Find Your Future, 228 young people facing barriers to education and employment were supported to connect with the South Downs through countryside skills sessions, wellbeing activities and opportunities to develop confidence, learning and future careers. Alongside the Countryside Skills programme and youth volunteering opportunities, the project provided career pathways into nature conservation, archaeology and community engagement through apprenticeships and paid training placements.
This project aimed to support more people to experience the South Downs through physical improvements such as accessible gates, mobility scooters for Seven Sisters Country Park, and supported activities. The travelling hub visited libraries, food banks, community groups and markets, offering free maps and children’s activity resources, giving people an accessible starting point for exploring the landscape. A new digital trail at Devil’s Dyke reveals stories of the landscape, its people and wildlife through a series of short videos:
New Discovery Trail at Devil's Dyke | National Trust
Bringing the Downs to the towns, this project created seven new chalk wildflower sites and revitalised 18 pollinator hotspots across Brighton and Hove – with the help of a team of dedicated and enthusiastic Wildflower Guardian volunteers. These pockets of downland habitat are boosting urban biodiversity and helping residents discover and enjoy the unique chalk habitats of the South Downs.
Find out more here: Greening the Cities - The Living Coast
More than 180 people benefitted from improved wellbeing and therapeutic outdoor activities that built confidence and helped people develop lasting connections with the South Downs landscape. From taster sessions to multi-week ecotherapy programmes, participants connected with nature and learnt about downland heritage in a safe, inclusive and supportive environment. The programme’s impact has been striking, with 92% participants saying they were likely to visit nature more often as a result.
Find out more here Growing New Roots - Brighton and Hove Food Partnership
Sussex Grazed supported farmers grazing the chalk grassland to sell locally and reconnected communities with local food production through a community meat box scheme. By bringing conservation grazed meat into the local food chain, this project has championed high-quality, sustainable food and helped shift public perceptions about grazing livestock in the landscape, raising awareness of the important role of grazing in protecting vulnerable habitats.
For more information: Sussex Grazed - Brighton and Hove Food Partnership
Using over 100 years of aerial photos and lidar imagery, 192km2 of Brighton downland was mapped to reveal a wealth of archaeological features from barrows to field systems and lost World War II defences. Training workshops and guided walks enabled volunteers and community groups to explore the data in the Downs from Above portal and help verify the findings on the ground, transforming our understanding of this historic landscape.
Explore the interactive map here: Downs from Above Portal
There are hundreds of Scheduled Monuments on the South Downs, from Bronze Age burial mounds to Iron Age hillforts. This project trained a network of volunteers to survey, monitor and care for these nationally important archaeological sites. Monument Mentors volunteers helped assess the condition of 150 monuments, creating a comprehensive evidence base. Their work has informed management plans and conservation work to protect these ancient sites into the future.
Read more about the project here:
Over 6,000 local residents, school children and volunteers took part in The Big Dig community archaeology project in Eastbourne and Peacehaven. Archaeological excavations brought history to life in public parks and school grounds, and people were invited to dig test pits in their own gardens. Participants delighted in new discoveries and learnt how to identify and record finds. The project produced resources such as learning packs for schools and culminated in an exhibition and heritage trail.
Explore the project and its findings here: The Big Dig | History Stories
Through a programme of creative workshops, Writing Our Legacy invited Black, Asian and ethnically diverse writers and artists to use the South Downs as a source of inspiration and discovery. The project created safe and welcoming spaces, inviting participants to connect with nature and respond creatively to their experience and connection with the landscape, while reflecting on identity, heritage and place.
An anthology of creative works from the project is available from the Writing Our Legacy website
Gypsy and Traveller communities have lived, worked and moved across the South Downs for hundreds of years. Working with community members to co-curate activities, the project set out to recognise and celebrate this rich cultural history – including archival research, guided walks exploring historic stopping places with Romany historian Janet Keet-Black, community events, and a travelling exhibition. A life-sized Gypsy Cob horse sculpted by Romany artist and blacksmith Jake Bowers now stands at University of Sussex, Falmer as a powerful symbol of Gypsy and Traveller heritage in the South Downs story.
The project also produced this ‘Discovery Your History’ guide:
Discovering Gypsy & Traveller Histories in the South Downs: a guide to accessing your local archives
Changing Chalk produced a wide range of resources, toolkits, research outputs, case studies and digital content to support learning, encourage collaboration and help people continue exploring, understanding and caring for the eastern South Downs. Here you'll find key resources developed through the programme and by our partners.