A nature project named Bee Lines is helping the growth of wildflowers on the South Downs thanks to a number of grants received in recent months.
The South Downs National Park has received 11 grants in total which has helped to create new wildflower oases at farms, community fields, recreation grounds and road verges.
This follows on from eight projects receiving money 12 months ago which has helped the bee and butterfly populations.
Peter King, Director of Ouse and Adur Rivers Trust, said: “The funding from the South Downs National Park Trust has allowed us to create 2.5ha of wildflower meadows on Sompting Brooks.
“Since sowing the seeds, the field has seen exceptional growth and diversity of species.
“It’s too early to attribute any specific species or biodiversity increases specifically to this meadow habitat, however, we have recorded a 72 per cent increase in pollinator species using the site since the arable fields were reverted to meadow. We have also seen an overall species diversity increase of 98 per cent of monitored species, including birds, bats, reptiles, invertebrates, and small mammals. Overall species records from the site have increased from 179 to 624 since the project as a whole was completed.”
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