Sussex Wildlife Trust launch ‘Wilder Ouse’ project

Wilder Ouse will support local people and communities to make a meaningful contribution to tackling climate change and reversing the decline of important wildlife and natural resources.

It will focus on helping others to deliver nature-based solutions to the impacts of climate change, looking at flooding and drought, and building a resilient and healthy Nature Recovery Network at a landscape scale.

Lydia Baxter said: “I’m delighted to be leading on this exciting project and keen to see what a difference it will make for multiple community groups, landowners and others who want to create havens for wildlife at such a huge scale. I’m especially happy to be driving forward vital nature-based solutions to climate change, and to help enable and empower people to make a difference.”

The project plans to deliver numerous benefits for people and wildlife, as well as increasing awareness of the benefits that wildlife provides - with nature-led recovery at the heart of its work. This will include creating wildlife corridors, natural habitat restoration and exploring the potential to restore keystone species such as Beavers. It will also be supporting the delivery of the Weald to Waves Initiative.

Over the next few months, Wilder Ouse Project Officer Lydia Baxter will be meeting local people with a view to working with them and leading some of our first nature recovery projects across the catchment.

This project expands on previous work carried out by the Sussex Flow Initiative. Wilder Ouse is a partnership project with the Environment Agency, the Woodland Trust and Lewes District Council.

If you would like to become involved with the project contact [email protected]

The Sussex Wildlife Trust are a conservation charity for nature in Sussex. They focus on protecting the natural life that is found across the towns, countryside and coast. By working alongside local people they create opportunities to connect with nature, and for nature to thrive in the most unlikely places.