Biosphere Here
Broadcast - July 2013
Dear <<Name>>
Firstly, thank you if you were one of the almost 1,800 people who took part in our public consultation earlier this year and took the opportunity to have your say in our proposal to be recognised as an international Biosphere area.
We are delighted to report that 94% of people support our plans to become a UNESCO Biosphere, with a good spread of views from across our proposed area (especially Brighton & Hove and Lewes).
We are now analysing what people have said about:
- what they value most, and
- what improvements they want to see in our local environment
We will then use this to help guide our work as a future Biosphere area.
In summary the key elements identified are:
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Present values: wildlife habitats and key species present in our 3 environments of rural, coastal and urban areas; the accessibility of the local environment; and the health and wellbeing benefits of access and recreation outdoors.
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Future improvements (suggested): more sustainable transport options for our local area; dealing better with waste; increasing public awareness and engagement with nature, and environmental education; further nature conservation work; and more local and sustainable food and economic opportunities.
Thank you for your support and ideas!
Lastly we hope that you like this new e-news format, and welcome any feedback that you have on it.
Chris Todd (Chair)
Brighton & Hove and Lewes Downs Biosphere Partnership |
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Window On
Our World
Summer is finally here, so there's never been a better time to get out and visit one of our rare chalk grasslands!
These are now resplendent with ornate orchids such as Bee orchids, who trick bees into picking up their pollen, and beautiful butterflies such as the Adonis Blue whose brilliant colour is dazzling!
Some great local places to visit include:
- Mill Hill (by Shoreham)
- Devil's Dyke
- Whitehawk Hill (east Brighton)
- Castle Hill (by Woodingdean)
- Landport Bottom (west of Lewes)
- Mount Caburn (east of Lewes)
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UNESCO Visit
We were pleased to receive a very positive visit from the lead UNESCO officer in Paris in late May.
We were able to show them up close the great variety of environments and innovative projects to be found in our area.
Our key strength is the intimate mixture and connections of town, country and coast that we have here, which could serve as an example to others worldwide!
We will keep our fingers crossed to become part of the international Biosphere family of 600+ sites, following our application to UNESCO this September and their
decision in 2014.
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