Unesco names Brighton and Lewes Downs as Britain’s first new biosphere site for 40 years

The United Nations has named the Brighton and Lewes Downs as Britain’s first new biosphere reserve for 40 years.

The designation was announced by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) today (Wednesday 11 June).

The area has become one of more than 600 “world-class environments” in more than 100 countries. Only a few world biosphere sites include a city.

Chris Todd, who chairs the Brighton and Lewes Downs Biosphere Partnership said: “This is world recognition for the fantastic environment we have here and for all the hard work that local people put into looking after it.

“Now we have this accolade, we aim to build on the partnership to do even greater things.

“This is not about telling people what to do but creating a vision for the future.

“More and more people are living in cities and we need to find ways of making them more pleasant places to live.

“We need to make sure that we build nature into the equation while raising awareness of how the natural environment contributes to our wealth and wellbeing.”

The Brighton and Lewes Downs Biosphere Partnership is made up of 40 organisations, with Brighton and Hove City Council as the lead partner.

The other members include other councils, public bodies, voluntary, educational and community organisations and private sector businesses.

The partnership has spent six years developing its bid for world biosphere status.

Martin Price, the chairman of the UK national committee for UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, said: “I am very glad to say that the decision was taken today to approve the Brighton and Lewes Downs as a new biosphere for the UK.

“So it is now a globally recognised site of excellence where many individuals and organisations work in partnership to foster all aspects of sustainable development across the region.”

Jeremy Burgess, the Eastern Downs area manager for the South Downs National Park and vice-chairman of the biosphere partnership, said: “Getting biosphere status for this part of the South Downs and surrounding area is a great achievement.

“It means that an area already protected nationally for its special landscapes has been recognised internationally for the importance of its wildlife and the role it can play in improving quality of life and boosting a greener economy for the millions of people who live around it.

“The national park isn’t an island and we hope that biosphere status will help us reach out and encourage more visits, research and investment across the area.”

The biosphere area covers all of the land and near-shore coastal waters between the River Adur in the west and the River Ouse in the east.

The northern boundary of the South Downs National Park marks its northern limits.

It also includes the city of Brighton and Hove and neighbouring towns of Lewes, Newhaven, Peacehaven, Telscombe, Southwick, Shoreham and Shoreham Beach.

The biosphere site also extends two nautical miles out to sea where it includes part of one of the first marine conservation zones designated by the government last year.

Biosphere reserves are internationally recognised by UNESCO as “sites of excellence” to balance conservation and socio-economic development between nature and people and explore and demonstrate innovative approaches as learning sites for sustainable development.