What Has Wilder Horsham District Achieved in 2021/22?

You can read Wilder Horsham District's 2021/22 End of Year Report here: 2021 22 Annual Report (Year Two).

The first year of the Wilder Horsham District project was set against the backdrop of the global pandemic, with lockdowns, restrictions, and Government guidelines restricting much of our work to our desks. It was a year of laying the groundwork for the project, but also one of many achievements that you can read about in our 2020 21 Annual Report (Year One). By comparison, 2021/22 has been a year of transitioning to on-the-ground action and delivery, with the Nature Recovery Network beginning to develop in earnest.

Here are just a few key achievements to celebrate from the past year: (scroll down for some photos!)

• The Nature Recovery Network map was developed and published. This sets out how a Nature Recovery Network could potentially be developed for Horsham District and is now the guiding document in our work.
• We are extremely grateful for the incredibly high levels of interest and engagement from local landowners. In 2021/22, the project visited and advised on 44 sites across the District, for a total of 2541.5 hectares.
• Our work party and survey volunteer roles were established to support the project’s on-the-ground delivery.
• Held 8 volunteer work parties, with volunteers contributing an incredible 156 hours of their time for an in-kind contribution of £1,770.
• The project’s grant funding scheme, the Nature Recovery Award, ran an additional four rounds, with 7 successful applications granted a sum total of £17,473. You can read all about the exciting projects inside the End of Year Report or see all our recipients here.
• The project has now engaged with the majority of known community groups in the Horsham District and continues to maintain relationships and support projects with these groups. We have supported community groups with site visits, habitat management advice, grant funding, resources, and linking contacts.
• Held or attended 16 events for communities.
• Had bespoke contact with 37% of all parish/neighbourhood councils.
• Horsham District Council’s Parks and Countryside department has been reviewing the management of their sites and exploring opportunities with adjacent landowners to contribute to the Nature Recovery Network. The department also created a new Grounds Maintenance contract, designed to be more flexible to allow for changes in management, and has targets to phase out pesticide use within 1st term of the contract.
• Wilder Horsham District became a supporting partner to the Weald to Waves project, aiming to create a contiguous corridor for wildlife all the way across the county.

A host of some of the landowners and conservation staff and professionals involved in the Weald to Waves project in its infancy.

Wilder Horsham District work party volunteers out on our first ever work party in Rusper, clearing an area of woodland to make way for a large woodland pond.

(From left to right) - Helen and Mela (Billigreen), Sorin (Horsham District Council), and Jake (Horsham District Council) in the ’butterfly fields' with Michael Blencowe (SWT) behind the camera, meeting in Billingshurst to discuss more wildlife-friendly management of the area.

A large pond on the South Downs at Great Barn Farm, created and restored using funding from the Nature Recovery Award, transformed from an overgrown mass of vegetation into a brilliant habitat for wildlife.

A Huge Thank You

The Wilder Horsham District team would like to extend a huge thank you to all involved in working to make the project a success. From landowners and community groups, partnerships and projects, parish and neighbourhood councils, Horsham District locals, our incredible volunteers, and staff right across the organisations at Sussex Wildlife Trust and Horsham District Council, this project represents a massive team effort. We hope you will join us in celebrating these achievements!