People's Park for Nature Wildlife Heritage Area

The People’s Park for Nature is a mosaic of wildlife gems set in the biodiverse and historically rich lower Ouse Valley. This landscape of wetlands, rivers, and floodplains teems with life, from darting kingfishers to elusive sea trout. These wetlands also reduce flooding and purify water.

The River Ouse acts as a vital wildlife corridor, linking grasslands, woodlands, and scrub, while nearby coastal habitats provide refuge for migratory birds. Shaped by centuries of traditional practices, this landscape offers endless opportunities for nature restoration, rewilding, and community-driven nature projects that will drive a nature-based economy benefitting local people.

According to the State of Nature Report 2023, across the UK species studied have declined on average by 19% since 1970. Nearly one in six species are threatened with extinction in Great Britain. The report states that changes in the way we manage our land for farming, and climate change were the biggest causes of wildlife decline on our land, rivers and lakes across the country and this is likely to have had the biggest impact across the lower Ouse Valley, around 70% of which is farmland. Industrial and housing development are also major threats to an area which is already densely populated.

• The People's Park for Nature includes part of the South Downs National Park, an area home to the greater mouse-eared bat. This species was previously thought extinct in the UK until the recent discovery of a breeding-age female in the area.
• Lewes Football Club is called "The Rooks" due to its proximity to an important nesting area for this large crow. The Rook symbolizes community spirit, teamwork, and strength, reflecting the club’s values and its connection to the local environment.
• Each winter, shoals of Mullet fish gather at the mouth of the Winterbourne Stream in Lewes, creating an amazing spectacle. This rare behavior is linked to the stream’s unique conditions, which may clean the fishes skin.
• Newhaven Fort, which overlooks a coastline of chalk cliffs, has been used by local artists for inspiration for many years, with its blend of history with natural beauty.
• The nightingale, a nationally rare songbird, still sings in the People's Park for Nature. Its song has inspired poets and musicians for centuries, symbolising hope, and the arrival of spring. It is deeply rooted in local folklore and tradition.