Butterflies is our business...

Midsummer, @southdownsnp.bsky.social

The real reason AI was invented. Time's up on 🐕💩👇😐

#fipl 🐸

Who wouldn't want to be a cat...

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus! Happy St. David's Day!

Ramadan Mubarak from the South Downs

A little bit @southdownsnp.bsky.social magic for your February Tuesday. Chalk grassland at the start of its restoration journey.

Thanks to @southdownsnp.bsky.social we took my mum out for first time since her hip replacement today - on a brilliant tramper that was *free* to hire. It was “wonderful to get out in nature after weeks of being house bound” and tramper had enough oomph to get up the hills. Buster loved it too ❤️

In galactic terms, the Milky Way is a medium-sized galaxy, home to around 200 billion stars, of which, ours is one. However, the largest galaxy we know of is called IC 1101 and, at a best guess, contains over 100 trillion stars. Wowsers! 📷 Lorcan Taylor-Hood 📍 Eastbourne Downland

Day spent in Cuckmere @southdownsnp.bsky.social talking National Parks, National Landscapes, salt marsh, funding, planning, devolution, LNRS and nature recovery. Thanks @sionmcgeever.bsky.social

Finally, we've reached the shortest month. The 2025 South Downs Dark Skies Festival begins on Thursday 13 February. Join us for two weeks of stargazing, star parties and starshine! Full details 👉 https://buff.ly/340X7dy 📷 Pablo Rodriguez 📍 Ditchling Beacon #SouthDowns

Wetlands R Us! 🙂💚👇

Hello Bluesky! We’re the Knepp Wildland Foundation, committed to nature restoration. Building on the groundbreaking work at the Knepp Estate, we lead transformative projects including Weald to Waves, Wild Futures, The White Stork Project, and Adur River Recovery. #Nature #Conservation #Wildlife

"Everybody - wake up! It's the #BigGardenBirdwatch!" Will you be taking part today? 👀🌳

On the heaths in early February, visitors get their best opportunity to hear woodlarks sing. In 1986 there were just 250 breeding pairs in Southern England. Thanks to heathland restoration projects, the bird has recovered well, with 3000 breeding pairs across the UK. 📷 Derek Middleton

There's a humpback whale out there, somewhere 🙂🐳 @southdownsnp.bsky.social

So beavers have a vote now? 😉 www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Winter brings spectacular sunsets. A view today towards the @southdownsnp.bsky.social from another brilliant PL, the #ashdownforest in the #highweald National Landscape. Working together to connect all these special places is going to be crucial in delivering #30by30 @natlandassoc.bsky.social

Watery winter sunshine

Latest version of the climate stripes just in ... HT @edhawkins.org

Synchronicity Seven Sisters Country Park @southdownsnp.bsky.social

What is the gravest ecological challenge? Global heating, mass extinction, pollution? My new book, ‘Just Earth’, published by Bloomsbury Books & which is out in March, suggests it’s actually social inequalities.

A throwback to a deliciously frozen morning along the Downs Link near Botolphs. 📷 Colin Mitchell #SouthDowns #MondayMotivation

A starling murmuration is perhaps one of winter's finest spectacles.⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ The Sussex Heritage Coast, stretching from Eastbourne to just past Cuckmere Haven is one of the best places to spot their dazzling, swirling displays. #SouthDowns #Murmuration

Have you entered our astrophotography competition? 🌌⠀ ⠀ There's a top prize of £100 for each of the four categories.⠀ ⠀ But hurry, entries to the competition close on Wednesday 15 January. Enter now 👉 https://buff.ly/3QwAIdb 📷 Andy Connelly 📍 St. Hubert's, Idsworth

A new day and a different view. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ Here's a lone tree embracing sunrise over Win Hill near Birling Gap. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ 📷 Lee Prince⠀ #SouthDowns

New day. New year. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ 2025, don't let us down. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ 📷 Lloyd Lane 📍 Lord's Piece Common⠀ #SouthDowns #NewYearsDay #NewYear

That's a wrap for 2024. Here's to more progress in 2025 for nature recovery, climate action and being a National Park for All. ⠀ Happy New Year!⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ 📷 Gary Smith 📍 Cuckmere Haven #SouthDowns #Goodbye2024 #NewYearsEve

The South Downs has been a place of worship for centuries. Pick a day to head to Chanctonbury Ring. Whilst likely an Iron Age hillfort, a Roman temple has been discovered on the site and superstitions still abound about witches and the Devil. 📷 Michael Steven Harris #SouthDowns

Did you know the 100-mile South Downs Way is the only National Trail that sits entirely in a National Park? People have been walking this ridgeline of the South Downs for as far back as we can discover, all sharing the views we've come to admire. 📷 Endless Horizon Photography

We'll be announcing details of our 2025 Dark Skies Festival shortly. ⠀⠀ ⠀⠀ But, before then, why not visit one of our ten Dark Sky Discovery sites to really #EmbraceTheDarkness? ⠀⠀⠀ Find your nearest one 👉 https://buff.ly/2CTe4bU ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ 📷 Neil Jones 📍 Bignor Hill

Deep and crisp and even. A few extra mornings like this wouldn't go amiss. 📍 Seven Sisters Country Park #WinterWalks #FrostyMorning

Claerwen number 2. This is the stuff of #hiraeth

Winter #Wye #Gwy

Cwm #Elan. Sometimes the conditions are just right

You can never have too much #moss in your life. 🙂💚 Cwm #Elan

#Claerwen. Cwm #Elan. Boxing day walk. Heart still singing.

An auspicious visitor. Storks next?

go.bsky.app/VHSdkLy Please pass on to anyone in your network who is interested in Protected Landscapes. And let me know if you want adding.

Not a bad office 🙂💚 @southdownsnp.bsky.social

A Nature Restoration Fund to help developers meet their legal responsibilities for nature *could* be positive if it's done well, but it mustn't become a free pass for unsustainable building. A 🧵of some risks and opportunities. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

On the 75th anniversary of the legislation that led to the creation of National Landscapes, we're looking to the future. We crunch the numbers on the outsize role National Landscapes could play in delivering 30by30 if adequately resourced. ow.ly/t3Me50Up8c5

A very welcome anniversary gift 🎉 Defra has promised new legislation to modernise #NationalParks! This means driving nature recovery, cleaning up waterways & fixing broken governance💪 We've been campaigning for this for a long time, what a win 💚 defraenvironment.blog.gov.uk/2024/12/16/7...

75 years ago today history was made 🎉 The #NationalParks & Access to the Countryside Act came into force, a truly visionary legislation enshrining everyone’s ability to access nature in law 📜 Today we celebrate their past & fight for their future 🙌 www.cnp.org.uk/our-national...

"With a wonderful parade of planets visible in our skies at the moment, this is a great time to get outdoors and enjoy the dark skies." Our very own "Queen of Darkness" Elinor shares her tips for festive stargazing 👇 #EmbraceTheDarkness #SouthDowns

The Sustainable Communities Fund (SCF) is open for applications. Managed by the National Park Authority and South Downs National Park Trust, the SCF allocates grants of up to £10,000 to grassroot groups throughout the National Park. 📷 Evita Bird

Full info 👉 southdownstrust.org.uk/the-sustaina...