Biodiversity grant complete!!

The biodiversity grant scheme has been completed for the AMP7 period and we have delivered our target of awarding funding to organisations to the value of £250,000!!

Over the past five years we have funded 43 projects in Hampshire and West Sussex for habitat restoration and improvements, equipment for conservation volunteers and numerous surveys and data collection projects.

This is part of our ongoing environmental commitments to enhance the habitat network surrounding Portsmouth Water land to create biological corridors. This particularly supports organisations who might otherwise struggle to find ways to fund these excellent projects to restore these precious habitats across our catchment.

You can find out more about the grant scheme and projects we’ve funded on the downs and harbours website below:

Biodiversity Grant Scheme | cleanwater (cleanwaterpartnership.co.uk)

Highlights include:

• 5 Dew pond restoration for South Downs National Park

• 5 projects across Farlington Marshes with the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust - This is an important environment to protect being one of the most species rich marshes in the Solent, a particularly important habitat for nesting birds.

• Ecological surveys along the River Lavant and River Ems - These rivers are chalk streams, an extremely rare habitat with only 200 streams in existence worldwide (85% of which are in the UK south). They support a diverse range of unique species, making their protection essential.

• Removal of Invasive Non-Native species – projects included removal of Himalyan Balsam, Japanese Knotweed and mink.

The grant scheme will also be running for the next five years during AMP8 so we’re looking forward to all the exciting projects to come in the future 😊