Round-headed rampion, the mouse-eared bat and swift are just three examples of species making the Sussex LNRS species shortlist. Wood anemone and skylark were not shortlisted. Why?  

To explain this, we must go back to the aims of Local Nature Recovery Strategies and how they work.  LNRS are an evidence-based, locally led and collaborative process to identify where and which habitats across each county can be made bigger, better, and better-connected to each other to support nature’s recovery and wider environmental benefits, and how this can be done in a way that is both achievable and delivers the most impact.

In so doing, Local Nature Recovery Strategies aim to increase species abundance (the number of individuals of a particular species within a given area) and species diversity (the variety of different species within a given area), as well as their resilience to pressures.

However, some species require additional interventions over and above those related solely to their habitat, or have a special significance to Sussex, hence the need to prioritise them for targeted measures.

Prioritising Sussex species

A first step was to identify those species in Sussex meeting nationally-set criteria including any kind of national conservation concern (e.g. they face a high risk of extinction), as well as collating and reviewing data on their abundance, location and importance at a local level.

This resulted in long lists of species for Sussex, of

• 887 species for East Sussex and Brighton & Hove;
• 899 species for West Sussex.

The long lists were then prioritised with the help of local experts and the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre. This work involved:  

• Identifying those species which will benefit from improved habitat management or the creation of new habitats already proposed through the LNRS.
• Identifying those species where specific target measures are required.
• Identifying those species which are particularly important in Sussex because they are:
  • Especially rare
  • Only occur here
  • Iconic of our counties
  • Highly valued by local people
  • Or because Sussex is a particular stronghold for them.

Examples of species that have not been shortlisted

• Wood anemone – this is a common sight in the woodlands of Sussex in spring, and is an indicator of ancient woodlands. Not surprisingly given our high levels of woodland coverage, it is widespread and relatively common across both Sussex counties and has therefore not been shortlisted as it will benefit from the habitat priorities and measures identified through the wider LNRS.
• Skylarks – these are a common sound of the summer; they will benefit from improved management of our grassland and heathlands, and so have not been shortlisted.

Examples of species that have been shortlisted

• Round-headed rampion - A chalk grassland flower which is found on downland in Wiltshire, Hampshire and Surrey, but nowhere is it so frequent as in Sussex and it is known as the ‘Pride of Sussex’. It has therefore been included on the short list for both LNRS areas.
• Amongst our rarest species is the mouse-eared bat. This is the rarest bat in Britain. It no longer breeds here, but some individuals migrate across the Channel to hibernate here. There are only two individuals which have been recorded hibernating in the UK, both in West Sussex.
• East Sussex is the only area in the British Isles where the legally protected and endangered bellflower spiked rampion is found as a native. Within the county, it is confined to just eight sites, with about 85% of the UK population restricted to just one road verge.
• Hedgehog, swift and glow worm have also been shortlisted. Whilst these species are relatively widespread across the country, they are declining and need support to reverse these losses. These species featured highly in the 2000 responses we had to our public questionnaire, demonstrating their importance to local people. Measures to support these species are relatively simple and can be implemented virtually anywhere by anyone.

What happens next?

The shortlists are now in the region of 150 species for both counties. Some of these species have been grouped together into assemblages (an assemblage is a group of species that need the same or similar management), leaving 44 individual species for West Sussex and 34 for East which require their own targeted measures.

These lists are currently being reviewed by local species experts. They will then be published on the Sussex Nature Recovery website, and will include a justification for why each species has been selected. 

The LNRS team wishes to thank the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre and our local species experts and recorders for their continued support and contribution to this endeavour.

Image: Round-headed Rampion and moth © Paul Marten - Sussex Wildlife Trust