Sussex nature "flourishing" as charity's reserves stay open for exercise

As the lockdown deepens, one of the county's leading charities that cares for natural habitats, the Sussex Wildlife Trust, is welcoming people living nearby to exercise in its dozens of reserves throughout the More Radio area. The trust's chief executive also said essential work to maintain its open spaces, and look after livestock on the land, must continue. [caption id="attachment_13298640" align="alignright" width="171"] Tor Lawrence (photo: © Miles Davies)[/caption] According to Tor Lawrence, who took the top job in 2018, it means many footpaths and open spaces are constantly available for daily walks and runs: "We're all struggling with personal difficulties at the moment, and one of the things that wildlife can offer is a sense of connection, and joy in observing the detail that's visible in our reserves. "It's really important that people have a connection to wildlife, at the moment, for some peace of mind and solace. "It matters that we can help people connect into the different birds, and flowers, when taking that walk each day." She described what's happening on the Sussex Wildlife Trust's lands at this time of year: [caption id="attachment_13298638" align="alignright" width="240"] Selwyns Wood (photo: Chris Thomas-Atkin, Creative Commons)[/caption] "At the moment, wildlife is thriving. "It's spring, so everything is flourishing, and there's an abundance of blossom, birds, flowers, and insects for you to look for when you exercise." The trust's maintenance programme must continue, Tor says: "We carry out essential repairs and constantly check our reserves. "If someone is lucky enough to live near one of our lands, and can go there for a walk, then they should find that it's all in good order. "If perhaps strong wind has made a tree fall, we would welcome a call from a member of the public, so we can come out to clear it. "We also have an essential duty to maintain our livestock on our reserves, to keep them in good health, and our staff are regularly going out to check them." [caption id="attachment_13298636" align="alignright" width="240"] Brickfield Meadow (Photo: Paul Farmer, Creative Commons)[/caption] According to Tor, the lockdown has brought an unexpected benefit to many animals that are particularly vulnerable at this time of year: "Something I'm personally pleased about is that less driving is going on, which means fewer animals are being killed on our roads. "It leads to some of the cubs having a safer time growing up." Tor believes there's no doubt that the Sussex Wildlife Trust is being affected by the multiple business closures being made to control the spread of the coronavirus. She says: [caption id="attachment_13298637" align="alignright" width="240"] Ditchling Beacon (photo: Simon Carey, Creative Commons)[/caption] "Clearly, there will be some impact on the trust, and we have never relied more on our membership and the public to work with us, and keep an eye out for wildlife. "And I encourage people to enjoy those details wherever they can, on our reserves or even in a window-box or a small front garden." About the Sussex Wildlife Trust The Trust was formed in 1961, and claims it is now the largest local organisation dedicated to protecting the wildlife and natural environment across Sussex. It says it focuses on protecting the "wonderfully rich natural life" that is found across our towns, countryside and coast, with over 45- volunteers, and with support from more than 33,000 members. The Trust publishes this summary about its work: It manages over 30 nature reserves across Sussex; It takes action to protect the wildlife and the natural environment across Sussex; It create opportunities for people of all ages to learn about nature and connect with it; It inspire people through our events, publications and courses to care for nature; It conducts research that supports the conservation of nature in Sussex, keeping over 7.6 million local wildlife records; And it engages with policy makers and other organisations to encourage positive change. More Radio is continuously dedicated to providing a quality news service on-air and online, reporting local stories that matter across Sussex.If you enjoyed reading this story, then check out our home page at moreradio.online where you can find the latest from the county, along with features and competitions from our presenters, as well as listening to the station live. You can also sign up to our news alerts to receive updates on new stories. Simply click on the bell at the bottom right of the home page. This will then allow a pop-up which will ask if you would like to receive alerts. Press ‘allow’ and you’re all signed up! You can also follow us on Facebook and on Twitter.