Events
Mapping amphibian breeding activity across the UK
The PondNet Spawn Survey maps the sightings of Common Frog and Common Toad spawn across the country to better understand how amphibians use different types of waterbodies to breed.
Freshwater Habitats Trust runs the PondNet Spawn survey from December to May. With your help, we can collect important data on the location of breeding frogs and toads. To take part, record Common Frog or Common Toad spawn spotted in garden ponds or any ponds, ditches or puddles you come across in your adventures in the countryside.
Visit the Freshwater Habitats Trust Website to see how to get involved.
Big Schools’ Birdwatch is back for 2026! Join thousands of other schools to find out which birds visit your school grounds. Together, we can make it count.
Sign up (it’s free!) and you’ll get all the information, links and downloadable resources you’ll need for running your Big Schools’ Birdwatch. This year, all resources are available digitally, which provides thousands more teachers with a range of quality materials to use with their pupils.
All our resources support curriculum learning, including providing you with historical records of Big Schools’ Birdwatch, so you can compare what you see.
We have activities you can do before, during and after your Birdwatch, including ones to help your pupils to consider how being in nature impacts their mental health and wellbeing.
For more information and how to get involved, click here.
The Big Farmland Bird Count is an annual event that encourages farmers and land managers to record the bird species and numbers on their farms. The count aims to raise awareness of the important role that they play in helping our farmland birds, and to measure the impact of the conservation work that many farms and estates carry out.
For more information and how to get involved, click here.
Join Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre on the 14th February 2026 for the 35th annual Sussex Biological Recorders’ Seminar, at our usual venue Oathall Community College. The Sussex Biological Recorders’ Seminar provides a unique opportunity to meet other people from Sussex’s wildlife recording groups, natural history societies and local conservation groups.
This year’s talks will include:
- Acoustic Monitoring for Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers
- Wakehurst: Nature Unlocked
- Sussex Seaweed Atlas
- Marine recording techniques
- Pan-species Listing
- The Moulsecoomb Forest Garden Project
For more information and to book your place, click here.
Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 2AQ United Kingdom
Henfield, West Sussex BN5 9QT United Kingdom
Feb 2026 SDNPA Farmers breakfast invitation
Following on from our very successful Farmers’ Breakfast in February 2025, we are pleased to announce that the farming team at the South Downs National Park Authority will be hosting three events this February (24th, 25th, 26th). These events will be spread across the South Downs National Park to give you all an opportunity to attend.
Please see the attached invitation for details and our full agenda, which we all feel will be really worthwhile and interesting for all our farmers and landowners and land managers across the park, so please feel free to attend yourselves and spread the word to your local farmers and landowners. If you could get them to confirm attendance via farming@southdowns.gov.uk, that would be appreciated.
Please email farming@southdowns.gov.uk to let us know if you are able to attend by Monday 16th February 2026 indicating:
- Which event you would like to attend
- Who will be attending
- Please also let us know if you have any special access and/or dietary requirements.
Discover how AI is helping monitor and protect endangered species in Sussex—and beyond
Our evening will begin with a short talk from Sue Blanch, project lead at Kent Wildlife Trust (KWT), followed by a presentation from Brightling resident Olivier Wall, who has been helping develop the use of artificial intelligence in KWT’s work monitoring and identifying some of our most endangered local birds, amphibians and mammals—which include nightingales, great crested newts and turtle doves. There’ll be plenty of chances to ask questions of both at the end, and we’ll be offering wine and soft drinks.
Tickets are free, but places are limited; to book yours, please click the link.
Robertsbridge, East Sussex TN32 5HH United Kingdom
Roots West Sussex are hosting two community hedge laying days which will mark the first phase of a 1km long hedgerow restoration project named the Hole Street Highway. When completed this project will provide a vital wildlife corridor through the Weald to Waves project area and connect two woodland sites where Roots have been hard at work restoring coppice rotations and regenerating woodland health. Our Weald to waves Landscape Advisor, Tilly, will be joining the session on the 28th of February.
To sign up and for more information please email rootswestsussex@gmail.com
Haywards Heath Eco Fair at HHBC
Come along to speak with others helping our community on their sustainability journey.
Learn about heat pumps, home solar, e-bikes, electric vehicles, seed swaps repair cafes and plenty more from people using these innovations in Haywards Heath and the surrounding area.
The morning will also include short featured talks.
Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH16 4DZ United Kingdom
An online session for land managers to understand more about Biodiversity Net Gain in the water environment.
This session is organised by the Western Sussex Rivers Trust and is aimed at local land managers looking to find out about the potential for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) and will cover both terrestrial and watercourse opportunities.
BNG experts, Dr Rowenna Baker, and Charlie Dwight, will talk us through what BNG is, its requirement under Planning and its potential for restoration sites. They will cover what needs to be done to generate BNG, e.g. different types of units, pre surveys, post intervention designs, as well as go through the rules and what helps increase BNG, e.g. habitat condition, objectives from the Local Nature Recovery Strategy, and market value.
There will be worked examples and plenty of time for a Q&A session.
Are you looking for something to do with your friends and family in your local area this spring/summer/autumn?
The Sunset Survey (April – October) brings you a perfect opportunity to get together with family/friends and discover bats and other wildlife in your local area. This is ideal for you if you don’t have previous bat surveying experience. Just spend an hour from sunset (or before sunrise) and let us know what you see/hear from your window, balcony, garden or local green space.
See how to take part and submit your sightings here.
Join residents in 650+ cities on all 7 continents across the world in an epic, global mission to record as much wildlife as possible. Over the four-day challenge we want you to share your observations of nature, using the free iNaturalist app. Your recordings will contribute towards conservation efforts both locally and on a global-scale.
For more information and how to get involved, click here.
A relaxed outdoor session for families and young people to connect, play, and create music together in Wakehurst’s wild landscapes.
Join us throughout the year to explore the power of sound and nature at Wakehurst. Take part in a two-hour outdoor session designed for families and young people. Each session includes a gentle walk, creative music-making, and moments of mindfulness surrounded by nature. Suitable for ages 5+.
For more information and how to register click here Wakehurst Roots and Rhythm 2026 Poster.
Haywards Heath, West Sussex RH17 6TN United Kingdom
After the success of last year’s celebration, we’re delighted to announce that next year’s festival will mark the 10-year anniversary of the White Stork Project. Join us as we celebrate Storrington’s new European Stork Village status and the return of these iconic birds to our landscape. The event will take place on Saturday 23rd May 2026, with more details and location to be confirmed soon. Keep an eye out for updates and get ready to be part of this special community celebration!