All posts by Luke Geoghegan

Clare Balding’s poem to a South Downs Damselfly

October 13th, 2016

In August Clare Balding joined SDNPA’s Amanda Elmes, June Goodfield from the Write House and author Lynn Truss to record an episode of her Radio 4 programme Ramblings. Clare joined the group to find out about the South Downs Alphabet, an HLF-funded project celebrating Sussex heritage and the South Downs. The project was inspired by the […]

South Downs project wins prestigious national award

October 12th, 2016

The Arun and Rother Connections project in the South Downs National Park has won the Campaign for National Parks 2016 ‘Park Protector Award’. Caroline Quentin, Campaign for National Parks’ president judged the award and said: “How fantastic to see a project that is not only making a huge difference to the South Downs right now, […]

Duke of Burgundy

October 11th, 2016

The nationally endangered Duke of Burgundy butterfly is currently one of the most rapidly declining species in the UK. In 2003, only eight Duke of Burgundy butterflies were seen in the whole of Sussex. With some of its few remaining strongholds on South Downs’ chalk grassland one of our first major projects, the South Downs […]

Space Week

October 10th, 2016

Just because the evenings are drawing in you don’t have to spend them indoors. Darker skies and crisp evenings make autumn a great time to wrap up for stargazing in the UK’s newest International Dark Skies Reserve. Whether you want to head for heathland or set up camp on the coast, be inspired by our […]

Video: Ranger Rob releases a kestrel

October 5th, 2016

On 13 September 2016 South Downs Ranger, Rob Nicholls was asked to help construction workers who had found a kestrel next to the A3 where they’re building the new cycle path from Petersfield to Queen Elizabeth Country Park. Rob is based at Queen Elizabeth Country Park and works on the National Park’s barn owl box project […]

Walk to school

October 5th, 2016

October is International Walk to School Month (IWALK). For some walking to school isn’t possible and for many others it isn’t simple but did you know the average school run costs, on average, more than £400 per year? Walking to school also helps reduce traffic congestion, air pollution and carbon emissions and increased physical activity […]

Reasons to smile in the South Downs

October 5th, 2016

These are just a few of the reasons to smile today, and every day in the South Downs National Park. Adonis blue The sight of an Adonis blue on the rare chalk grassland of the South Downs can take your breath away. But did you know the Adonis blue butterfly larvae is tended to and […]