Part of the Seaford CARES project (link to CARES page) coordinated by Seaford Community Partnership
A hugely ambitious project to extend the existing Ouse Estuary Nature Reserve along the coast into Seaford.
The Ouse Estuary Nature Reserve was created to conserve wildlife and provide flood management when a new business park and road were built.
It is home to a wide variety of birds, insects, plants and amphibians including the internationally protected Great Crested Newt.
The extension project will create a further wildlife corridor, with enormous recreational and educational benefits for Newhaven and Seaford people, and visitors.
The popular, visionary Tide Mills Project by LYT productions shows the affection and value, this stretch of coast brings to our communities.
The aim is to engage local people on to explore how the various parts of the land could best be used.
We’re raising awareness of the effects of climate change on an area so sensitive to sea level rises and flooding.
And we’re looking at ways of measuring important parameters like improved carbon capture by wilding agricultural land, by planting trees and the development of reed beds.
Developing green energy from the area is also being considered.
We will be engaging consultants to identify diverse green land uses across the sites.
Further benefits to the Newhaven Port Authority are being defined. The findings will be used to design a feasibility study for consultation with planners, landowners and project team members.
How can people help?
Engage with Newhaven Town Council, Seaford Town Council, The Environment Agency, Lewes District Council, South Downs National Park Authority, Seaford Community Partnership / Seaford CARES and others to enable the project to go forward in the best possible way.
Practically, in 2021-2, there’s nothing needing volunteers’ involvement as negotiations continue with landowners.
