Increase variety in our landscape
Maintaining a diversity of wild places, increasing their area, reducing unsympathetic land use (such as development, mis-management, intensive farming etc) and allowing nature the freedom to shape the landscape will create the best chance for wildlife.
Temperatures and conditions can vary enormously over short distances. Creating variety in land surface with different heights of vegetation and degrees of wetness will give plants and animals a diversity of conditions to choose from. This will allow them to relocate at their own pace within the landscape they already occupy.
Encouraging naturally functioning rivers, streams and coastline will create the space for wetland wildlife such as otters, water voles and black poplar trees to flourish. Artificial modification of rivers and coastlines not only reduces the numbers of plants and animals in an area but makes our county more vulnerable to sea level rise and flooding.
The effects of climate change will increase the frequency of floods. Working with nature and natural processes is the only way forward to reduce overall flood risk and conserve wildlife.
water vole monitoring
ACTION
We are a leading partner in the Sussex Otters and Rivers Project (SORP) work ing towards the sustainable management of river landscapes and the restoration of wetland habitats for people and wildlife. SORP works with local people to help restore multifunctional wetlands and washlands and to assist the recovery of endangered wetland species such as the otter, water vole and black poplar tree.
For further information please visit the project website: www.sussexotters.org
Sussex Wildlife Trust has identified four key areas to combat the affects of climate change:
