Sussex Wildlife Trust, which manages Rye Harbour Nature Reserve where it is about to build the new Discovery Centre, has been awarded a development grant of £59,000 by the National Lottery Heritage Fund for its Sussex by the Sea project. The grant will cover 72% of the total eligible development work cost of £81,716, thanks to money raised by National Lottery players.
The project is about positively influencing human behaviours that are contributing to the decline of marine life off the Sussex coast.
Working with four project partners, Marine Conservation Society (MCS), Sussex Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (IFCA), National Trust, and Sea Life Centre, Brighton, the project will focus on the marine and coastal environmental heritage of Sussex, with an emphasis on the stretches of coastline adjacent to the communities of Hastings, Bexhill, Eastbourne, Brighton and Worthing.
The project will link people to the wealth of amazing marine life to be found in Sussex and show how it can be protected and how we can all play a part in the recovery of our seas.
Special marine and coastal habitats in Sussex include internationally threatened blue mussel beds and vegetated shingle which is globally rare. Marine species to be found in Sussex seas include black seabream, the rare short-snouted seahorse and the endangered undulate ray.
Pete Crawford, director of learning and engagement at Sussex Wildlife Trust said: “We are delighted to be working together in a partnership with other concerned organisations to protect the sea in Sussex. The project will work with communities to encourage them to take action and positively impact their local sea and coast.
“By forging better understanding and changing behaviours we have a much better chance of protecting fragile and vulnerable species and habitats. A big thank you to the National Lottery Heritage Fund and people who play the National Lottery for supporting the development of this project.”
For further information about dangers to coastal wildlife see Plastic and the food chain and also The Polluting Tide both in this week’s issue
Image Credits: Sussex Wildlife Trust .