The unique habitats of Chichester Harbour are under pressure from many angles; there has never been a more important time to protect and restore nature within Chichester Harbour. You can directly help protect this precious environment by joining or donating to the Friends of Chichester Harbour, a registered charity that aims to protect and improve the environment of Chichester Harbour.
What do the Friends of Chichester Harbour Do?
The Friends of Chichester Harbour work closely with Chichester Harbour Conservancy, supporting a range of activities including wildlife research, habitat enhancement, tree and hedgerow planting, footpath maintenance, education, interpretation and publications. The Friends are also represented on the Advisory Committee to the Conservancy. Here are a few highlights:
Volunteer Conservation Work
Members/supporters of the Friends of Chichester Harbour can take part in regular conservation work parties, throughout the year. Led by our Chichester Harbour team of rangers, tasks include coppicing, bramble clearance, orchid monitoring, tree planting, litter picking and more.
The Return of the Tern Project
In 2021 The Friends of Chichester Harbour secured funding for a project to increase seabird breeding habitat for terns in Chichester Harbour.
Rafts were deployed for Common Terns to nest on and a shingle island recharged to provide breeding ground for Little Terns.
Education
The Friends of Chichester Harbour provide valuable support to our Education Centre, allowing local schools and communities to access and learn about our precious harbour environments. The education activities their funding supports includes:
- Junior Conservancy – debating workshops around coastal themes.
- Travel Grant – assistance with travel costs for school trips.
- Get Afloat – supporting disadvantaged children and adults to take part in educational boat trips on the Solar Heritage – our solar-powered boat.
- Harbour Schools – walking trips from local schools to learn about their local harbour environment.
We are grateful to the Friends of Chichester Harbour for their continued support of our work. New members of “The Friends” are always made welcome and will be kept informed of events and activities in the harbour by newsletter.