Congratulations to Henfield Parish Council for their ‘Year of Biodiversity’

Over 2024, Henfield Parish Council celebrated the village's biodiversity through a series of events to inspire local people to observe and protect their local wildlife.

Working closely with volunteers and local conservation groups (including Henfield Birdwatch who were celebrating their 25th anniversary) they devised a vibrant schedule of events throughout the year. Wildlife talks, survey days, a 'bioblitz', training days about bats, birds, beavers, butterflies and beetles, were all organised to educate, inspire and engage local people.

The Lost Woods team were happy to support many of these events and our volunteer Wildlife Champion, Sim Elliot, delivered a well-attended lichen identification walk around the village.

And we were at the launch of the Year of Biodiversity in January where Senior Community Development Worker and Sussex naturalist Michael Blencowe gave a talk about many of the important species that can be found in the parish. We wanted to help inspire people to get out and look for as many of them as possible.

This initiative, the ‘Henfield Nature Challenge’,  was led by local naturalist Libby Morris. Libby organised a year-long BioBlitz across the parish inviting local people to use the iNaturalist app to help identify and record the wildlife they saw in the gardens, paths, parks and countryside around Henfield.

Throughout the year 114 people took part in the wildlife survey logging an incredible 4,623 observations of 1,427 species. Hundreds of more people took part in the organised events sending out a clear message that biodiversity is important to the people of Henfield.  

Behind these numbers, we have learnt a lot about the state of Henfield’s wildlife in 2024 and this information will influence future local decisions and conservation action.

But it doesn’t end here. The Henfield team will be continuing promoting and surveying the wildlife of Henfield in 2025. To learn more, everyone is welcome to come along to a special event in Henfield on 19th March (7.30pm in the Garden Room of the Henfield Hall). You can learn about how you can get involved in this great community project and Michael Blencowe will be giving a talk about surveying and attracting garden wildlife.

Feeling inspired? 

If your community or group would like to replicate this successful project, then the Henfield team would be happy to pass on guidance and advice, and the Lost Woods team are also able to offer support.

Contact lostwoodsteam@ruralsussex.org.uk for more information.

‍