Vital ponds get new lease of life

Eight derelict dew ponds have been lovingly restored and are now thriving with new life, thanks to funding of over £90,000 from the South Downs National Park Trust.

After years of stagnation and dwindling water levels due to climate change, eight dew ponds across Sussex and Hampshire are once again providing a haven for scores of fauna and flora, including dragonflies, toads, frogs, pond skaters, water boatmen, yellowhammer, gypsywort and meadowsweet.

Work is due to startsoon on restoring a further two ponds, near Emsworth, that will help support populations of white turtle dove.

The turnaround has been made possible by the “Pounds for Ponds” initiative, which is looking to restore around 100 dew ponds across the South Downs National Park and was launched exactly one year ago. Find out more here.

Help wildlife and donate to "Pounds for Ponds"

New route for cyclists and walkers is completed

The western gateway to the National Park at Winchester has been improved with a new 750m off-road route for cyclists, equestrians and walkers.

Work has now been completed on the Chilcomb Link, giving people a much safer, wider and more enjoyable route away from the busy A31. Learn more here.

New biodiversity scheme launched for businesses

The fight against biodiversity loss took a huge step forward as the South Downs National Park announced a new nature recovery scheme for businesses of all sizes.

The South Downs becomes the first National Park in the UK to open up a formal scheme for voluntary biodiversity gain to the private sector – meaning that firms of any size across England can invest in high-ethic, effective nature recovery. Learn more.

Guardian gets a makeover!

“The Guardian of the South Downs” has been given a fresh lick of paint and is looking more impressive than ever.

Last month volunteers re-painted of The Long Man of Wilmington at the eastern tip of the National Park. Find out more here.

Discover the wonders of Western Weald

Avid walker Malinka van der Gaauw, who founded Petersfield Walking Festival, writes about a new opportunity to explore a lesser known section of the National Park.

Win free day-out to amazing science centre!

Would you like to win a free family day-out this summer holiday to learn all about the natural wonders of us, our planet and the universe?

This summer Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium is hosting “Fiesta”, an exciting children’s festival of curiosity with the theme of the Olympics and Paralympics!

You can adventure outside to enjoy interactive activities, perform on mini-stages and compete against your friends and family in the stunning backdrop of the National Park.
Inside the science centre, you will be able to enter the curious world of our bodies and discover the science of us.
Visitors can also try out the “Bug Olympics” and find out the answers to questions such as: Are you as fast as a dragonfly? Do you have the accuracy of a Bombardier Beetle? Are you as strong as an ant? You will be able to join forces with your friends and family to take on the bugs of the South Downs and beyond.
It wouldn’t be the Olympics without an epic opening ceremony, so you can have a go at creating the sounds of nature with musical instruments.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to be a superstar athlete at the Olympics and Paralympics?
The Science Theatre will be hosting a brand-new science show – “What Happens: Our Body and Exercise”. Exciting experiments and inspiring demos will bring this energetic topic to life in an exciting 20-minute live show.
Meanwhile, in the planetarium, there will be a live presenter-led show called Solar System Adventure.

We’ve teamed up with the science centre to offer a free family ticket, including the planetarium, for two adults and up to three children.
People signing up to the newsletter during June will be automatically entered into the draw. Those who are already signed up can email “1896” to newsletter@southdowns.gov.uk before midnight on 30 June.

Sign up to the newsletter here and see competition T&Cs here.
The tickets will be valid up to and including 2 September.

Win a beautiful bee-inspired accessory!

In celebration of World Bee Day that took place recently, we’ve got six beautiful bee-themed accessories to give away, courtesy of Aspinal of London.

The renowned luxury brand has been supporting the South Downs National Park Trust as part of the “Bee Lines” initiative, which is looking to create a network of new wildflower “highways” to help pollinators move through the landscape.

Aspinal of London has produced a stunning bespoke bee-inspired collection – and £5 from the sale of each piece will be donated to the Trust to create new wildflower areas.

Nick Heasman, Countryside and Policy Manager at South Downs National Park Authority, who has been helping to lead the delivery of Bee Lines, said: “Every pound raised for Bee Lines really does make a difference and we’re delighted that Aspinal of London is launching this new fundraising drive to help pollinators bounce back. So far we’ve been able to create over 60 hectares of lush wildflower habitat and this new funding will help us plant even more. Bees are busy ecosystem engineers and, by pollinating flowers, they create food for other wildlife and, of course, humans. In fact, one out of every three mouthfuls of our food depend on pollinators such as bees, beetles and butterflies.”

We have six exquisite key rings to give away for free to lucky winners – perfect for keys or handbags.

All new subscribers to the newsletter during June will go into the prize draw.

Those who are already signed up can answer this question to enter the prize draw: “How many eyes does a bee have?” and send the answer by midnight on 30 June to newsletter@southdowns.gov.uk

Prizewinners will be picked at random. Good luck!