October 2025
Sussex Grazed Blog
Read Georgina's blog as she reflects on her 12-week internship as part of Sussex Grazed, a project from The Brighton & Hove Food Partnership
Project
Changing Chalk partnership
Led by the National Trust, Changing Chalk is a landscape-scale partnership connecting nature, people and heritage on and around the South Downs.
From Shoreham to Eastbourne, the ambition is to create a more sustainable future for the Downs’ rare and fragile chalk grassland, its unique cultural heritage and its richly-diverse urban fringe.
By connecting nature, people and heritage across this 458 sqkm area of the eastern South Downs, we can help to restore and protect this internationally-significant landscape.
Four years, ten partners, and 18 projects will see us create multiple connections across the urban fringes and rural areas of the Downs, restoring and reconnecting the fragmented areas of chalk grassland.
Supported by a £2.23m National Lottery Heritage Fund grant and funding from People's Postcode Lottery and The Linbury Trust, Changing Chalk will:
- support nature’s recovery and climate resilience in the area
- create opportunities for work, learning and leisure time for people in the area
- provide engaging activities for people to enjoy, enhancing health and wellbeing.
The themes around connecting nature, people and heritage have never felt more important or relevant.
A quote by Richard HendersonNational Trust Chair of the Project Board
Why is Changing Chalk important?
The Changing Chalk project area - much of which falls within the South Downs National Park - is home to rare and protected wildlife and plantlife, and important archaeological sites. But this area is also special because of the rare chalk grassland which has its origins 6,000 years ago when people first began clearing forests to settle and farm.
The chalk grassland supports such a rich and diverse range of plants and insects that it’s sometimes referred to as ‘Europe’s tropical rainforest’. Around 40 species of flowering plant can be found in just one square metre of chalk grassland, with many of these species growing nowhere else, including rare orchids and wildflowers. It is also home to rare insects including the Wart-biter Bush-cricket.
However, over the past 80 years unimproved chalk grassland has suffered badly from loss and fragmentation. Since the national call to "plough up" in the 1940s, there has been a decline in traditional ways of looking after the landscape. It now makes up just 4% of the land in the South Downs National Park and many of the sites that remain are small and isolated, with the chalk grassland wildlife threatened by encroaching scrub as well as climate change.
Our urban communities
Neighbouring the Downs is one of the most densely-populated coastal regions of northern Europe. Around 750,00 people live here, in multi-cultural towns like bustling Brighton and Hove, charming Lewes, and historic Eastbourne.
But the Changing Chalk project area has some of the most economically-deprived wards in the UK, with high unemployment, and poor physical and mental health. The stresses of today’s world have created new challenges and the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of access to nature and open space for people’s well-being.
The Sussex Downs and towns have a rich shared heritage but both are facing unprecedented threats.
- More than 80% of its rare chalk grassland has been lost.
- 12% of its archaeological sites are under threat.
- 55% of its schools have pupils living in socio-economic deprivation.
Working at landscape scale, with a wide range of partners and communities, is our best chance to better understand this ever-changing landscape and find solutions to conserve heritage for future generations.
A quote by Jane CecilNational Trust General Manager, South Downs portfolio
Themes and Projects
Changing Chalk is delivering 18 inter-connected projects and activities to address these challenges which, together, unite nature, people and heritage and create a more sustainable future for the Downs and their towns. In addition, a series of apprenticeships and training opportunities are being created, giving young people across Brighton and Hove, Eastbourne and Lewes the chance to learn the skills needed by rangers and archaeologists. The projects can be summarised under three themes:
- Restoring chalkland biodiversity
- Over 800ha of land will be newly managed to benefit nature, including 90ha of golf course returned to species-rich chalk downland and 40 sites returned to active grazing. Five historic dew ponds will be restored, and the long-term future of one of Britain’s most endangered insects, the Wart-biter Bush-cricket, will be secured. We will also be researching new, more sustainable methods of managing the fragile chalk grassland. Discover more about these projects
- Connecting downs and towns
- Therapeutic activities and new ‘Things to do and see’ maps will help local communities access green space and the Downs will come to the towns with new chalk grassland planting on 12 city sites. A ‘Find your Future’ programme will support young people gain vital skills, whilst 2,250 primary pupils will have the chance to experience Farm School. More than 40 volunteer Dog Ambassadors will raise awareness of why we need grazing on the Downs and encourage dog owners to help us in our mission.Learn more about these projects
- Hearts and histories of the Downs
- Residents of Eastbourne have been invited to join a community excavation project to uncover the archaeological history under their feet. Annual celebrations for Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month will explore the cultural links of this community to the Downs, while seasonal programmes, micro bursaries and writing workshops will engage people of colour and the wider public to respond creatively to their experience and connection with the Downs.Read more about these projects
Community Grants Scheme
Changing Chalk is managing a Community Grants Scheme on behalf of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and have awarded grants totalling almost £150,000. You can read more about these successful projects here
Events and activities
It's easy to get involved with all the events and activities run by the Changing Chalk partners.
- Find an event
- Take a look at some great events to enjoy, ranging from days out and digs to archaeology talks and nature walks. All showcase the amazing chalk grasslands of the eastern South Downs.Discover events
Volunteering with Changing Chalk
There's a wide range of volunteering opportunities across the partnership's 18 projects covering habitat and conservation, monument mentoring, community participation, office volunteering and more.
- Discover your perfect volunteering role
- We need the help and support of local people to support this ambitious project. The Changing Chalk partnership is looking for volunteers who want to learn new skills, meet new people, and most importantly are keen to play a vital role in protecting the chalk grasslands and heritage of the South Downs. Find volunteering opportunities
News and Blogs
Our Funders
Changing Chalk is supported by a £2.23m Heritage Fund grant, made possible thanks to National Lottery players; by players of People's Postcode Lottery; and The Linbury Trust. Thank you.
Many thanks also, to our generous supporters who wish to remain anonymous.
Volunteering with Changing Chalk
Find out how you can get involved with the many Changing Chalk projects and help create a sustainable future for the eastern South Downs.
Changing Chalk partner organisations
Brighton and Hove City Council is the local authority of the city of Brighton and Hove.
We’re a non-profit organisation helping people learn to cook, eat a healthy diet, grow their own food and waste less food.
Buglife is the only organisation in Europe devoted to the conservation of all invertebrates. We’re actively working to save our rarest little animals, everything from bees to beetles, worms to woodlice and jumping spiders to jellyfish
The council with responsibility for the Lewes district and borough of Eastbourne
Natural England is the government’s adviser for the natural environment in England. They help to protect and restore our natural world.
The Railway Land Wildlife Trust exists to inspire environmental sustainability by bringing nature to the heart of Lewes.
The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) is responsible for keeping the South Downs a special place. The SDNPA is also the planning authority for the National Park.
We champion wildlife and natural places everywhere in Sussex and inspire people to take action for nature.
The Living Coast is a UNESCO World Biosphere Region. It embraces a wonderfully biodiverse stretch of the chalky South Downs and Sussex coast between the River Adur at Shoreham-by-Sea and the River Ouse at Newhaven.
Discover the world of science behind our botanical collections, with over 50,000 living plants to be found across our UNESCO World Heritage site.
The public body that looks after England's historic environment.
Writing Our Legacy CIC is an arts and heritage organisation that enables Black, Asian and ethnically diverse/BPOC* people to tell their story through writing and the creative arts.
Get involved and discover the Downs on your doorstep
Discover the Downs on Your Doorstep - Changing Chalk leaflet and map
Download your Changing Chalk leaflet 'Discover the Downs on your Doorstep' with its specially-commissioned illustrative map with artwork by Elaine Gill and start to explore this wonderful area.
Monument Mentors - Scheduled Monument Monitoring
The National Trust, South Downs National Park Authority, Historic England and a variety of volunteers and archaeological societies in the South of England have been working to widen the engagement with and understanding of nationally important heritage sites. Monument Mentors is a way to learn more about the scheduled monuments of the South Downs and help to protect them for future generations.
Volunteering with Changing Chalk
Find out how you can get involved with the many Changing Chalk projects and help create a sustainable future for the eastern South Downs.
Discover the Downs from Above
Discover the Downs from Above and see how human activity has shaped the history and heritage of the Downs with a new report and interactive archaeology tool.
