A new map for wildlife

Presenting the MP for Bexhill & Battle with a tailor-made biodiversity map of his constituency, Chief Executive of SWT, Dr Tony Whitbread, briefed Gregory Barker on the Trust's plans to support wildlife through ecological networks that enable plants and animals to better adapt to changing climate conditions.

Dr Tony Whitbread explains, "At a Sussex level we must build an environment that is able to adapt to climate change. Currently our wildlife habitats are fragmented and separated from one another. We're calling for action to create a living landscape '“ a green network of wildlife habitats so that plants and animals can move and adapt rather than simply disappear."

Henri Brocklebank, Manager of the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre (SxBRC) - a partnership project housed at SWT which acts as a focus for environmental information in Sussex '“ collated the biodiversity map for Gregory Barker's constituency.

The wildlife map includes Pevensey Levels '“ an internationally recognised wetland and Site of Special Scientific Interest which is home to many unusual plants and insects including the rare fen raft spider. Without landscape-scale nature conservation and the introduction of green networks the pressures of climate change will threaten such valuable wetland habitats.

Gregory Barker said "I welcome SWT's proposals to ensure that local environmental sites are adequately equipped to combat global warming. It is vital we look after the natural environment and our wildlife to help ensure that its effects are minimised. Climate change impacts on so many areas of our lives, particularly our local wildlife habitats, but there is still a lot that can be done to safeguard our environment for future generations."

The importance of ecological networks has been backed by Wildlife Trusts in the South East in a recently published report '“ A Living Landscape in the South East - which maps the way forward in countering climate change and restoring the UK's battered ecosystems.

To download the report log onto www.sussexwt.org.uk and click on the conservation home page. Alternatively for a paper copy please ring SWT on 01273 492630.

For more information on SxBRC please visit www.sxbrc.org.uk