Highlights of the What's On in 2019 brochure

What's On in 2019 events are now up on our website. Michael Blencowe highlights what we can look forward to in 2019.

Tell us a few of your favourite events from 2018.

I've enjoyed all of them, but it's been great arranging events with Nikki Hills at Seaford Head this year as part of the Seaford Community Wildlife Project, thanks to money raised by National Lottery players. We've had walks featuring butterflies, adders, forester moths and migrating wheatears. 

We’ve also been celebrating Woods Mill at 50. Engagement officer James Duncan, funded by the ScottishPower Foundation, has run 90 events at Woods Mill since June, and there are plenty more to come from now until the end of April 2019. Many are free of charge, so please do look on our website and book now.

Who usually comes along to Trust events?

A mixture. We aim to offer a lot of events for children of all ages, as well as adults. We try to make the events as accessible as we can. We vary the venues across East and West Sussex, including at Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, Crawley, Amberley, Seaford Head, Southerham and the Seven Sisters.

Are there people you'd like to encourage?

It can be harder for people who are working full time, which is why we vary the days and times we put things on. 

We've just started a Young Naturalists Group for 12-17 year olds as well, and that's going well.

Which courses are most popular?

All our courses are well attended, so my advice is, always book early. Each year the dawn chorus, birdwatching, glow-worms, nightingale and owl events always sell out quickly. Also, badger evenings and dormice events!  

Give us a few highlights of 2019

As well as lots of the events we always put on, such as Nature Tots, Holiday Club, Wildlife Watch, bird walks etc, bird expert Mike Russell will be leading his popular bird courses and bird safaris. We’ve got topics such as glow worms, spiders, bees, badger nights and scything. Woods Mill Wanders always fill up. I like to think it's because I lead them, although I suspect Debbie's cake brought half the participants in 2018. 

Anything new?

Each year we try to add new topics to our adult education programme. In 2019 we've got: springtails, tree identification, chalk grassland ecology, hedge laying, natural dyes, rewilding and 'how to conduct wildlife surveys'. We’re running 45 wildlife courses in 2019 – everything from butterflies to bats, mindfulness to moths and willow weaving to warblers. 

Make 2019 the year you learn more about our wildlife.