South Coast Marine Recovery Project

Alongside the incredible marine work already happening locally, Sussex Wildlife Trust is now involved in an ambitious new community-led project connecting marine recovery efforts across our five south coast Wildlife Trusts: Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire and Isle of Wight, and Sussex.

What we’re doing

For Britain’s seas to recover and truly thrive again, we need bold ideas and big ambition. We want to:

Reduce the pressures harming our seas
Help more people to understand, value and play an active role in marine restoration

Everything in the sea is connected – from the Native Oyster and Blue Mussel reefs and kelp forests to the fish, birds and mammals that depend on them. That means we have to work at a seascape-level if we want real, lasting change.

And that’s what the South Coast Marine Recovery Project aims to do.

Wildlife Trusts across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire & the Isle of Wight and Sussex, supported by Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts (RSWT), are joining forces to take action for our seas right across the region.

Together, they’ll support communities to take the lead in ensuring the health of our ocean through a mix of hands-on activities and wider changes that give nature the space it needs to recover.

Working together

While each local Trust already does brilliant work to care for our coasts and seas, every county faces common pressures such as water pollution and unsustainable fishing practices that impact our seas. By working together, we have a better chance of tackling these challenges at scale and giving marine life the space it needs to thrive across our whole southern coastline.

The project is currently in its development phase until March 2027, which means we are now shaping how it will be delivered. We cannot do this alone. We need your local knowledge, views and ideas to help form the project and make sure it is both effective and achievable. We would love to hear what you value most about the South Coast, what pressures you think local seas are facing, where this project could add value, and what would encourage you to get involved.

How can I contribute?

Via our project webpage below, you can:

complete our questionnaire to share your insights and local knowledge
sign up for an interactive webinar to learn more about our plans
sign up to our newsletter for periodic updates on our progress
Or email a member of the project team for an informal chat.
Members of the project team and Sussex Wildlife Trust staff will be out and about at events throughout the summer, so please do come and speak to us about the project if you see us

South Coast Marine Recovery Project website

Topics

Find out about

Protecting places

Coast and sea

Bringing back species

Youth into action

Using evidence and data

Collaborating with communities

Rewilding

Nature for all

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