Our first visit to Mill Hill LNR near Shoreham today. We helped some local volunteers remove cotoneaster, privet and hawthorn to restore the chalk grassland which has declined in quality in recent years to be able to support typical chalk grassland butterflies.

A great day clearing scrub to open up the chalk grassland on #EastbourneDownland today - Before and after photos...

Snowdrops in flower in Southease churchyard #wildflowerhour

Lesser celandine in flower near Southease, East Sussex #wildflowerhour

Another day, another bonfire 🔥. Scrub cleared from chalk grassland, but way too much for habitat piles #EastbourneDownland

Clearing Pashley Crossdyke ( an archaeological feature) on #EastbourneDownland today with both conservation and heritage volunteers. Before and after photos...

Stinking Hellebore seen flowering this week in Eastbourne, East Sussex #wildflowerhour

Join the UK Big Garden Birdwatch between 23-25 January 2026..... 🐦‍⬛ www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

Another successful work party at Rowland wood with 18 other @savebutterflies.bsky.social volunteers. Thinning and coppicing coupes for Fritillary butterflies - making some small habitat likes/hibernacula and having a bonfire too.

Volunteering at Seven Sisters Country Park today for @southdownsnp.bsky.social . We joined staff helping to clear washed up debris on the strandline from recent broken containers at sea. The weather was terrible on the beach for photos, so this was all I can show - today's last bag of onions found!

Volunteering with @southdownsnp.bsky.social on #EastbourneDownland today - restoring the chalk grassland by managing the bramble and scrub edges today

Wood avens in flower this week in East Sussex #wildflowerhour

A rather diminative Red champion flower seen this week in East Sussex #wildflowerhour

Coppicing on @savebutterflies.bsky.social reserve Rowland Wood today - creating open space for the violets and Fritillary butterflies

Three of the expected flowers seen from my 5 #NewYearPlantHunt s in East Sussex this week - Butchers Broom, Winter heliotrope and Hazel. #Wildflowerhour

The most surprising flowers seen from my 5 #NewYearPlantHunt s in East Sussex this week. Kidney vet h, Wild Clary, Alexanders and a Hawkweed #wildflowerhour

Lesser celandine in flower near Arlington reservoir, East Sussex today on a #NewYearplantHunt. #wildflowerhour

Lesser celandine seen in flower this morning in East Sussex

Final declaration from the Sussex Botanical Recording Society #NewYearPlantHunt in Seaford today was 37 species, including Wild clary. Sunny, but with a bitingly cold icy wind 🥶

A reminder of the noble tradition of 'stopping the clock' halfway through a #NewYearPlantHunt to grab a hot drink, thaw out, eat cake etc. Especially important when the weather is so cold! Stay warm and safe botanists, we don't want any of you to get frozen!

Sussex Botanical Recording Society #NewYearPlanthunt in East Sussex in Seaford - 19 people and 32 plants at 'stop the clock' time

A solo #newyearplanthunt this afternoon around Hampden Park in Eastbourne . Total of 27 species seen in flower including Winter heliotrope and female Hazel flowers!

Winter blooming of hundreds of plants in UK ‘visible signal’ of climate breakdown www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I went on an organised #Newyearplanthunt this morning in Lewes, East Sussex. 18 species seen including Kidney vetch, Ox eye daisy, Musk mallow and Butchers broom.

Did my first #NewYearPlantHunt of 2036 today around Eastbourne -43 ( or 44) species. The most surprising was a Hawkweed in full flower!

Crayfish, weevils and fungi released in UK to tackle invasive species such as Japanese knotweed www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Crayfish, weevils and fungi released in UK to tackle invasive species such as Japanese knotweed www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Good heavens, we've already posted 59 #NewYearPlantHunt Group Hunts & details of more are pinging in every day! From Jersey to Stirlingshire, from Sheringham to Hayle and from Sligo to Sussex... check them out! It's also fine to head out with family & friends or go solo! bsbi.org/take-part/ac...

Shocking 'disappearance' of not one but three White-tailed Eagles, including a Sussex-born chick. Illegal persecution still happening. @sussexwildlife.bsky.social @sussexornitholo.bsky.social @forestryengland.bsky.social www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

A bit too windy and wet for an outdoor task today so the Seven sisters @southdownsnp.bsky.social volunteers did some tool maintenance instead in preparation for hedgelaying and more scrub management in the New Year.

Ox-eye daisy seen flowering yesterday near Eastbourne #wildflowerhour

Creeping buttercup in flower this week in Eastbourne, East Sussex #wildflowerhour

Vipers bugloss in flower yesterday near Eastbourne, East Sussex #wildflowerhour

Winter heliotrope in flower this week in Polegate, East Sussex #wildflowerhour

White deadnettle in flower in Polegate, East Sussex this week #wildflowerhour

Volunteering with Sussex @savebutterflies.bsky.social at Rowland Wood today - wood thinning and continuing the dead hedge around the pond ( to stop dogs going in and disturbing the amphibians, wildfowl and dragonfly larvae)

BBC News - Warning as lead and arsenic wash up on beach www.bbc.com/news/article...

Parrot and Golden waxcaps found in Polegate, East Sussex today #FungiFriday

A new location for Maidenhair fern in Sussex found today! @bsbibotany.bsky.social #fernfriday

What an impact 30 people ( 20 volunteers and 10 staff) can make in a morning by clearing bramble to increase chalk grassland and uncover some heritage assets on Seven Sisters country park @southdownsnp.bsky.social Eastern Christmas task. Lunch at the pub was earned today!

Window now open to apply for a BSBI grant for 2026! We offer grants for short #WildFlowerID courses (our online course #Identiplant & courses from external providers), and for Plant Study & Research. Find out which grant is right for you: bsbi.org/learn/grants

Out with the @southdownsnp.bsky.social volunteers today clearing bracken back from an area of former chalk heath. It was right next to part of Peacehaven golf course - plenty of balls found!

Shaggy soldier seen in flower this week in East Sussex #wildflowerhour

Winter heliotrope in flower this week in East Sussex #wildflowerhour

Volunteering with @Sussex @savebutterflies.bsky.social at their reserve at Rowland Wood. Making an anti dog fence around the pond from brash. Shouldn't need to, but sadly many visitors do not keep their dogs out of the pond which is important for amphibians, dragonflies and wildfowl.

Volunteering with the Sussex @savebutterflies.bsky.social reserve group today. We have opened up a significant area of Park Corner Heath today at the back of the site. Hopefully lots of violets to come up in the spring.

Lovely sunny day out with the @southdownsnp.bsky.social volunteers on Whitbread Hollow, Beachy Head today. Clearing scrub to help the ponies a cess more grassland to graze.

A white or very light coloured Clustered bellflower seen today on #EastbourneDownland. #wildflowerhour @bsbibotany.bsky.social