News and events

News and events

Wild garlic (Allium ursinum) is a lush, green plant with broad, lance-shaped leaves and clusters of small, star-shaped white flowers. The entire plant emits a strong garlic aroma. It often grows in damp, shaded woodlands and meadows, forming dense carpets of foliage. The edible leaves and flowers are commonly used in salads, soups, and sauces.

Big Chalk and Local Nature Recovery Strategies

The Big Chalk community's momentum from last September's conference is already making waves in nature recovery across southern England's chalk and limestone landscapes.

One of the standout initiatives is our work on Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRSs) – a crucial national process shaping nature's future.

With the clock ticking toward the public consultation in 2025, Big Chalk partners are making sure our priorities are at the forefront. From tracking the evolution of 27 LNRSs to creating a best-practice guide for chalk habitats, we’re coming together to ensure nature recovery thrives in our region.

Read on to learn how our partnership is influencing real change!

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Wessex Archaeology team member photographing archaeological finds in the field with careful attention to detail to accurately capture the artefacts, ensuring their preservation and documentation for further analysis and study.
Blog

Achieving together what we can’t do alone

"There’s no limit to what you can achieve, as long as you’re prepared not to take the credit for it."

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The Adonis blue (Polyommatus bellargus) is a small butterfly, with males displaying vivid sky-blue wings and females brown with orange spots. Both sexes have pale brown undersides with black spots. They thrive in chalk grasslands, often seen on low plants like horseshoe vetch.
Blog

Big Chalk: Entering a new era of growth and collaboration

An exciting new chapter, marking a significant milestone in our journey of safeguarding southern England's chalk and limestone landscapes.

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A combine harvester working in a field in the North Wessex Downs is captured amidst golden, sunlit crops. The large machine is cutting and threshing the wheat, creating a plume of dust as it moves across the rolling, picturesque landscape of the downs, showcasing the region's agricultural charm.
Blog

Professor Sir John Lawton welcomes Big Chalk’s vision for connected, nature-rich chalk and limestone landscapes

Professor Sir John Lawton urges landscape scale thinking to help the UK regenerate nature and meet the goal of 30% land and sea protected by 2030.

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Meadow saxifrage (Saxifraga granulata) features clusters of small, white, star-shaped flowers with five petals, arranged on slender stems. The plant has rosettes of rounded, green leaves with slightly crinkled edges. It typically grows in grassy meadows and rocky, open areas.
Event

Big Chalk Conference

The first major conference for colleagues and organisations involved in creating thriving chalk and limestone landscapes across southern England.

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The River Misbourne upstream of Shardeloes meanders through lush greenery, with clear water reflecting the surrounding trees and foliage. The scene is calm and picturesque.
News

A new chapter begins for Chilterns' chalk streams

Chilterns are thrilled to launch Not Bourne Yesterday, a £350k project to restore chalk streams, connecting communities through heritage and habitat.

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A green arable field with a path running through it in the Cotswold National Landscape presents a serene rural scene. The field is lush and vibrant, bordered by hedgerows, with the path offering a tranquil route for walkers to explore the expansive countryside and rolling hills typical of the Cotswolds.
Case study

Cotswolds' grasslands to flourish for generations

Launched in 2019, Cotswolds set out on an ambitious mission: to create the largest network of wildflower-rich Jurassic limestone grasslands in the UK.

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At Standen Manor, a team is restoring streams to enhance habitats and boost biodiversity. Their work includes improving water flow and bankside vegetation, creating a healthier environment for local wildlife.
Case study

Revitalising North Wessex chalk rivers: the sparkling streams success story

The project’s impact is undeniable, showcasing a model for landscape-scale conservation that can be replicated elsewhere.

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