Chichester District Council has published a new 10-year biodiversity strategy setting out how it plans to tackle nature loss and support wildlife recovery across the district.
The strategy focuses on increasing the resilience of waterbodies and coastal waters, creating and connecting habitats, and expanding tree planting and woodland creation. By working with local partners and communities, the council says it aims to halt biodiversity decline and deliver long-term nature recovery projects.
A number of schemes are already underway, including the Strategic Wildlife Corridors Project, which is helping to ensure habitats between the South Downs National Park and Chichester Harbour and Pagham Harbour remain connected. Work has included hedge-laying, native tree planting, pond creation and installing bird, bat and dormouse boxes, as well as coir rolls along Hambrook Stream and new hedgerow planting in Runcton.
The council is also progressing its Chalk Stream Resilience Project to restore the River Lavant, River Ems and Hambrook Stream, working alongside the Western Sussex Rivers Trust.
Councillor Jonathan Brown said: "Tragically, biodiversity across the UK has declined significantly over the past 40 years. The latest State of Nature Report (2023) indicates that one in six species are at risk of extinction and nearly 50% of our wildlife has been lost since the 1970s, so it is absolutely vital that as a council we have a strategy and put in place projects to help reverse these worrying trends.
"In our district, the biggest challenges facing our wildlife include water stress and pollution, impacting our rivers, streams and harbours. Threats also come from habitat fragmentation, invasive species and pests/disease.
"We are lucky to have a rich natural environment in our district, from important coastal habitats such as saltmarsh and mudflats associated with Chichester and Pagham Harbours, with arable fields across the coastal plain to the South Downs National Park, with its varied habitats including chalk grassland and ancient woodland.
"Delivering nature recovery, on the scale that is needed, requires action from across our communities. There are some excellent initiatives already underway that are being led by a variety of people including local and voluntary groups; nature and environmental organisations; private businesses; and local government.
"As a council, we will be leading and/or supporting important local partnerships in their work to aid this important work."
The council has also approved its first Biodiversity Report, outlining actions already taken and how developers are meeting Biodiversity Net Gain regulations.
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