Our vision for Chichester Harbour in 2050, is a harbour that is functioning naturally as a healthy and thriving ecosystem, with its network of diverse coastal habitats rich in wildlife, increasing biodiversity that is resilient to environmental and anthropogenic pressures, maximising ecosystem services benefits and supporting nature recovery for generations to come.
This vision will be achieved through a partnership, collaborating with communities, businesses, landowners, farmers, public bodies, academia, industry and NGOs, all working together through innovative ways to create a harbour where nature and people thrive in harmony.
To achieve this we will create a harbour:
- Rich in biodiversity, with its integrated network of habitats, that is resilient to environmental change and anthropogenic pressures and allows wildlife to thrive.
- Resilient to climate change impacts, through adaptation and the use of more sustainable nature-based coastal management solutions, enabling the landscape and intertidal habitats to naturally evolve.
- Rich in intertidal and sub-tidal habitats that provides natural carbon storage and sequestration, mitigating the impact of climate change and contributing to the government’s ‘net zero Carbon’ target.
- Where the surrounding landscape is farmed in sustainable ways, producing food whilst enabling nature to thrive.
- With excellent water quality that enables the marine ecosystems to flourish and grow.
- Where people live or visit and feel connected with nature and the beauty of the landscape.
- Where people enjoy a range of recreational activities on the water or land, whilst respecting and valuing the natural world around them and the benefits it provides.
- Connected to other Network Recovery Areas to provide more space for wildlife to live, feed, breed and thrive, and enable natural processes to work more effectively.
