Biosphere partners meet in Lewes to celebrate local rivers

 Around 50 representatives of community, charity, private and public sector organisations attended the event, both in person and online, at the Linklater Pavilion last week.

Dedicated to 'Our Rivers, the Adur and the Ouse', the meeting heard how the Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust and a range of partners and vibrant local communities are leading and supporting outstanding local initiatives from the Cockshut stream restoration to the Adur Recovery project, and work on the Winterbourne chalk stream running through Lewes town.

This event was held following The Living Coast's recent unveiling of plans to increase in size to include over half a million residents.

It has been a designated UNESCO Biosphere since 2014, stretching from Shoreham to Newhaven, and from the South Downs to the sea. The biospheres are places of international best practice, promoting sustainable development in nature conservation, cultural diversity and economic development.

Now, the partnership is looking to expand the biosphere over the next decade from over 330,000 residents to nearly 550,000, embracing all of Adur & Worthing, Lewes district, and Brighton & Hove, bringing in Seaford in the east and Goring in the west.

It is asking for widened geography for a greater impact and stronger collaboration with the biosphere's three local authorities.

Councillor Emily O'Brien, Cabinet Member for Climate, Nature and Food Systems at Lewes District Council, said: "We're really keen to incorporate the whole of Lewes district into the biosphere. With the amazing work that our communities are doing throughout, it doesn't make sense to have a boundary up the middle. The internationally recognised biosphere is another way of working together in partnership to respond to the climate and nature crises we face, and something I'm really looking forward to our area playing a full role in."

The Living Coast partnership has officially submitted a request to UNESCO to renew its designation for another 10 years and expand its geography. View its report at thelivingcoast.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/The-Living-Coast-UNESCO-Biosphere-10-Year-Progress-Report-Forward-looking-Sept24.pdf

Priorities for the future include promoting sustainability education and using the designation to promote a sense of local pride.

More ways to receive our news

• Keep me posted. Sign up to receive news and alerts from Lewes council by email
• Read District News - our council newspaper
• Our Social media