PICTURE OF THE
MONTH: As we come to the "darkest" days of the year
with the Winter
Solstice not far away, it's also a very special time to
gather round with family and friends (and pets of course!) and
celebrate the simple joys in life. One of those joys has to be a brisk
wintry walk up on the Downs, soaking up the fresh air and the scenery
and you'll find out more in this newsletter about our favourite
Christmas walks with a stunning view. The darkness is also a great
opportunity to enjoy the International Dark Sky Reserve, so look out
for those clear nights and do take some astrophotography for our
competition!
If you have an amazing seasonal image, please do email us!
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Celebrating
75 years of National Parks
Seventy-five
years ago National Parks were created as special places where people and
nature could come together, bringing hope and joy to a nation scarred by
war.
Now, 75 years on and
to celebrate the anniversaryon 16 December, the
South Downs National Park is helping
75 schools to add beautiful wildlife havens to their
school grounds.
Schools across the
National Park and surrounding areas will be able to apply for grants of
up to £1,000.
Find out more here.
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When you wish upon a star...
T’was
the night before Christmas and the twinkle of the endless skyscape above
couldn’t be more festive!
Winter stargazing season is upon us and,
provided you wrap up and take a warming drink, there are few things more
uplifting on a clear night than a walk in the International Dark Sky Reserve.
There’s so much to
see, explains Elinor Newman, “Queen of the Darkness” who organises the
Dark Skies Festival in the National Park. Find out more here.
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Best Christmas walks with a view
There’s something so uplifting about walking in a big
wide-open space with a stunning view – and what better time to enjoy it
than Christmas?
The festive season
is a wonderful time to recharge the batteries and enjoy some precious
downtime with family and friends. A wintry walk is also a great way to dust
off those Christmas cobwebs, enjoy a blast of fresh air and get the
creaking body moving after one too many mince pies and stuffing sandwiches!
Find out six walks that are real Christmas
crackers!
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Life-giving trees to be planted this
winter
More
than 20,000 tree plantings and a new woodland the size of five football
pitches are part of a major nature recovery drive this winter by the
National Park.
Among the tree planting efforts will be over 400
new disease-resistant elms, helping to return the iconic English elm
to the South Downs landscape after it was decimated by disease.
Scores of trees are
going into the ground at 20 new sites across Sussex and Hampshire.
Find out more here.
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An
early Christmas gift
The National Park
has received an early Christmas presentwith a big
funding boost from OSB Group.
The business is
donating a total of £90,000
towards much-needed nature recovery in the National Park,
as well as helping more children and young people have access to learning
opportunities in the inspiring landscape. Learn more here.
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Climate grants are back!
Grants
of up to £5,000 are now up for
grabs for projects across Lewes district that help climate action, nature
and sustainability.
The “Community
Pitch” returns for its second year to support projects that help the
environment and reduce carbon footprint. Learn more here about how to apply.
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Watch this uplifting film about work in the Ouse Valley to
create new habitats to help amphibians thrive!
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Did the Romans make wine in South
Downs?
Many of us will be
raising a toast this festive season as we gather round with family and
friends and it may even be a bottle of South Downs bubbly!
Anooshka Rawden, the National Park’s Cultural Heritage Lead, takes a look
at the history of vineyards in the South East region.
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COMPETITION!
This
month we’re giving away a fabulous bottle of Upperton Nebula sparkling
wine, lovingly made right here on the sunny slopes of
the South Downs National Park.
People
signing up to the newsletter during December will be automatically
entered into the draw.
Those
who are already signed up can email “Mistletoe and Wine” to newsletter@southdowns.gov.uk before
midnight on 31 December.
Sign
up to the newsletter here
and see competition T&Cs here.
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Give a gift that restores nature
Are you struggling
for gift inspiration this Christmas and looking for something a little
bit different?
Did you know you can
actually buy your very own piece of nature restoration that’s guaranteed
for 30 years?
As part of the
National Park’s Voluntary Biodiversity Credits scheme, we’re offering a chance to fund the creation of a new
woodland habitat. Learn more here.
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Last chance to get calendar for Christmas
gift!
Our all-new calendar
features iconic
views of the National Park taken from our annual photo
competition.
Copies can be bought by visiting the South Downs Centre, in Midhurst, or
Seven Sisters Visitor Centre, at Exceat, near Seaford.
Costing just £9.99, the calendar is also available to buy online or by
telephoning 01730 814810.
Order online here: www.southdowns.gov.uk/south-downs-calendar/
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A big THANK YOU to all volunteers!
As 2024 rounds to a
close, we wanted to say a big
thank you to volunteers and all who have helped to care
for the South Downs National Park this year.
This year more than 200 volunteers recorded an amazing 8,492
hours across activities including practical conservation, wildlife
and hedgerow surveys, events and public engagement.
Many more have been involved in either Youth Action days, family
volunteer days or microvolunteering, such as picking up litter.
Yvette Flynn, the National Park's Volunteer Coordinator, said: "The
skills, time and ambassadorship that volunteers share with us, has an
immense impact on the work we do. What all volunteers have in common is
the desire to share their knowledge and enthusiasm to help conserve the
special qualities of our landscape and improve and promote the landscape,
wildlife, public access and heritage of the National Park.
"They have made it possible to support and deliver a vast range of
work on the ground that could not otherwise have been achieved."
Thank you to all
who help look after this amazing landscape!
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Thank
you taking the time to read our newsletter this year and we look
forward to sharing more stories and updates from your National Park in
2025!
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