All posts by Luke Geoghegan

Solitary Bees: An Essential Element of our Food Chain

October 16th, 2018

Written by Roger Kiernan, Seven Sisters Volunteer Ranger. All images © Roger Kiernan. We are all familiar with honey and bumble bees, known as social bees as they live in communities. However, of the nearly 250 species of bees in the UK about 90% are not social, they live alone and are known as solitary […]

Grayling butterfly, Master of Diguise

October 15th, 2018

Once common on our hills, the ‘chalk race’ of grayling butterfly is now just hanging on in one small site in the South Downs. National Park Ranger Tim Squire tells us how ponies are lending a ‘helping hoof’ to bring the species back. The grayling butterfly is fantastic at hiding. It is perhaps the best […]

Last chance to win £250 in our photo competition

October 12th, 2018

The South Downs National Park photo competition has a first prize of £250 on offer to the amateur or professional photographer who best captures this year’s theme of ‘Perfectly Seasoned’. But hurry, entries close on 19 September 2018. We asked our judges: Steve Watkins, editor of Outdoor Photography magazine; and award-winning photographers Rachael Talibart and Finn […]

Our Rangers’ advice to women looking for a career in conservation

October 11th, 2018

We asked some of our amazing rangers to talk about their background, what their job involves and to offer any advice for other women looking to pursue similar careers. Why did you get into conservation? Kate Working in conservation gives you a real sense of giving something back to the planet when so much in […]

Nature is good for your health

October 10th, 2018

From royal princes to sporting legends and celebrities, it’s been hard to miss recent coverage on the importance of facing up to our mental health. We spoke to Dr William Bird from Intelligent Health about the role the National Park could play in tackling health and wellbeing. In the early 1990s, as a new GP, […]