Kingston Parish, nestled at the foot of the South Downs near Lewes, is a special spot for wildlife. With a national nature reserve, three Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), a nationally important chalk stream, and chalk grasslands supporting endangered species, its importance for biodiversity has long been recognised.

Kingston Parish is the largest in the Ouse Valley with around 350 households. As with much of the Sussex landscape, we have felt the increasing pressure on our local environment. In response, in 2019 the Parish Council stepped up to support and restore nature through a series of important actions. They commissioned a mapping report, with the support of the South Downs National Park Authority, to understand the state of nature across the parish and opportunities for nature recovery. In response, the Kingston Nature Recovery Group (KNRG) was set up to take its recommendations forward.

We have established the Kingston Wildlife Gardening Forum, encouraging everyone in the parish to garden with wildlife in mind. We post advice and resources on the parish council website and have distributed leaflets with top tips to every household. We hold regular talks from experts with topics including wildlife gardening, insects, bats and hedgehogs to date. We are working hard to ensure our community greenspaces and verges are maintained in wildlife friendly ways and have transformed sections of the village greens into wildflower meadows. Our sights are also set on supporting the return of nesting House Martins in the village.

We recognise the importance of ongoing surveying in the parish and have undertaken mapping and monitoring activities, including nesting birds and ponds, and most recently exploring how we can start recording our hedgehog population. We have a community wildlife WhatsApp group to share wildlife sightings, ask questions and share knowledge. With the support of the Southwood Foundation, we are being assisted by ERM, an ecology consultancy, to now map the data we are collecting in an accessible way.

As we continue this important work, we are delighted to become Community Champions in support of the Weald to Waves corridor. We know that raising awareness about specific species and habitat protection issues in our local area is key to engaging more residents in our efforts. Connecting with your community works; in February this year around 50 children and adults took part in ‘Toad Safaris’, safely assisting toads with their seasonal migration across the village to a large pond and our Kingston Toad project is now part of FrogLife's work.

We know the importance of collaborating with other groups, both locally and at county level, who share an interest in nature recovery. This has enriched our understanding of nature recovery opportunities and is enabling Kingston to contribute to joining the dots and providing corridors for wildlife.

To read the Kingston Nature Recovery Opportunities Mapping Report and find out more about our work, please visit the Kingston Parish Council website