Our Enabling Priorities
We have identified five enabling priorities that represent the most important foundations we need in place to enable us to realise our strategic goals and achieve the transformations set out in this strategy. These actions form a continuous process that underpins our collective ability to achieve our vision of a thriving natural world.
Maximise the wildlife value and resilience of our nature reserves
Our 33 nature reserves are at the heart of a county-wide ecological network, enjoyed by countless visitors across the year. They also play a key role in the wider landscape by providing outstanding examples of key habitats and species diversity.
Case study: Ebernoe Land Purchase
Following a successful fundraising campaign in 2023, and thanks to the generosity of our members and supporters, we were able to purchase an important parcel of land next to Ebernoe Common nature reserve. We aim to maximise the ecological potential of this land, so that the ancient woodland that once stood here will regenerate alongside a diverse mosaic of scrubland and grassland.
This land purchase presents an exciting opportunity to demonstrate and document nature’s recovery, and by sharing the stories of this new land’s transformation we aim to inspire others to take similar action.
Undergo a comprehensive digital transformation
By maximising opportunities to increase our digital capability, we will extend our reach across Sussex, improve our engagement with communities and ultimately enable the Trust to work more effectively for nature.
Retain and develop a strong evidence base to inform our work and influence others
Our work is driven by evidence and there are two main areas that we will focus on.
Firstly, the evidence that underpins and empowers nature conservation in Sussex. This is embedded into the work of the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre, which provides the authoritative source of wildlife information for our county.
Secondly, we will be using evidence to monitor the impact of our work. This will require excellent systems for collecting, storing, and sharing data, while ensuring the highest standards of data protection.
Strengthen and develop our organisation to deliver the scale of ambition
To deliver this strategy, our staff and volunteers need to be excited, prepared and supported for the challenges ahead. We will invest in our people and equip them with the skills, knowledge and capabilities to deliver against the scale of our ambition and respond to the ever-changing external environment.
Fund a better future: grow and diversify our supporter base and income streams
Against this shifting and competitive funding environment, we must be agile and adaptable to utilise emerging opportunities while maintaining our focus on existing supporters and partnerships. This will allow us to continue to secure diverse funding for our work and most importantly deliver significant improvements for wildlife and wild places across Sussex.