About Us | BenfieldLNR

Our story so far...

Benfield Wildlife Group was formed in 1992, and by 1993 had successfully campaigned for the creation of Brighton and Hove’s first Local Nature Reserve (LNR) on Benfield Hill. It’s located in the South Downs National Park, adjacent to West Hove Golf Club.

The Benfield valley itself forms one of the few remaining green tongues of open land remaining in Brighton and Hove, linking the town to the Downs.

Historically the group’s main aim has been scrub bashing to preserve the chalk grassland habitat. With only about 3% of the species-rich chalk grassland remaining over the whole of the South Downs, it becomes increasingly important to preserve this environment by management. The special chalk grassland plants have great difficulty in competing with the long grass and shrubs shutting off their light. Without the natural lawn mowing assistance of sheep and cows, the invasive growth needs to be kept back by hand.

It is noticeable that, in those areas where it has been kept under control, the plants and small fauna, including the glowworms, take advantage of the opportunity to grow and flourish. In 1999 the Conservation section was included in our name and remit to combat schemes proposed to develop Benfield Valley, and its historic Listed Barn and farm buildings.

Our aim is to increase the group’s profile and reach, to ensure that more people from all walks of life can enjoy the wonders of nature on our special reserve and preserve it for future generations to come. This means broadening our objectives.

Our Special Habitats and Species.

Benfield Hill LNR is a mosaic of habitats, including rare chalk grassland, and around the edges of the reserve there is important scrubby woodland.

What’s so special about chalk grassland?

The chalk rocks were formed 80-100 million years ago, and the rock formations are internationally rare. The nature reserve is, per square metre, one of the richest chalk downland sites in the area.

Chalk grassland is a man-made habitat, created by ancient people grazing the chalk landscape about 9000 years ago. Species found nowhere else began to evolve, flourish and multiply and in 2023 we counted 70 different wildflowers on our annual flower walk.

Due to land use changes and farming practices, we have lost 80% of our UK chalk grassland since the 1940s. If we let nature take over Benfield Hill would become a wood and already threatened species would be lost forever. The reserve is home to five species of native orchid, many rare chalk grassland wildflowers, bees, butterflies and some rare moth and bug species. We also have a healthy population of reptiles including adders, slowworms and common lizards. Two of our highlight species are our adorable dormice, and we have one of the best populations of Glow-Worms in Sussex as confirmed by Professor Alan Stewart professor of ecology at Sussex University who has led some of our Glow-Worm walks. We had over 80 people attend two walks one year.

Scrub bashing is still important as we are imitating what ancient people did to manage the land. We have a small but growing group of enthusiastic volunteers who undertake scrub bashing, which involves removing invading species. Examples of these are hawthorn, dogwood, blackthorn, privet and bramble and if we let these take over, Benfield Hill would become a wood and already threatened species would be lost forever.

The Group carry out regular weekly downland maintenance from September to March, each year. However, management is an ongoing process. Without it, even after a short time, the invasive bramble and long grass start to re-grow, trying to overpower the flora.

It is an impossible task to cut it all back by hand, so we are delighted to have Shetland and Herdwick sheep on the reserve in December and January. Such grazing is usually carried out in roped off sections, and so as not to over graze, each section is only grazed for about a month, before the sheep are moved on to another site. The success of the sheep grazing can be measured by a good increase in chalk grassland flora growing.

(If you are interested in joining our sheep “Lookerers” please contact us and we’ll explain what is involved.)

Aims and Objectives

We have grown our profile over recent times and now have 1000 Facebook followers Our aims and objectives for the coming years are:

To involve schools and to engage children and young people in the beauty of nature and the special habitat of chalk grassland and to educate them about our adorable dormice
Promote wildlife corridors across the golf course to the Downs beyond
Promote bugs on Benfield and record our all our rich biodiversity
Engagement with the local community young people
Engage the over 50 Club project to include memory and reminiscences
Promote access for more diverse people including those with sensory and other impairments
Be involved with the local nature recovery strategy development

Activities

In addition to our scrub bashing sessions, we try to have a range of activities over the summer months which might include:

Moth trapping with Sussex Moth Group and Buglife
Wildflower walks, usually two, in early June and late July
Late night Glow-worm walks, usually two, in late June and early July
Lichen and moss walks
Butterfly walk
Benfield Community Nature Day at Greenleas Recreation Ground held in conjunction with the Benfield Valley Project
Spring and Autumn talk

Using a tree popper to pull up scrub by its roots.

How you can help

We need support to preserve the character of this important area, and if you would like to help in any capacity, such as species surveys, scrub clearing, administration, or in any other way, please contact us at benfieldhilllnr@gmail.com.

We have formed a Friends of Benfield Wildlife & Conservation Group to which you can subscribe to receive news of our activities and events. Simply send your name, email address, phone number (optional) and a message to us at benfieldhilllnr@gmail.com and we’ll get in touch with you.

There is no membership fee, but we would greatly appreciate it if you could perhaps make an annual donation to help us cover our basic running costs. In 2025 our insurance rose to almost £600, and fuel for the brushcutters, hall and equipment hire for the two presentations we give each year and necessary printing, another £200-£250. Any amount would be very gratefully received, but as a suggestion, in previous years we have recommended

Individual £6.00
Family 2 adults + 2 children £10
Concessions £3

For bank payments: Sort Code 20-12-80 Account No. 83566021 Account Name Benfield Wildlife Trust

For cheque payments: please make cheques payable to Benfield Wildlife Trust and send to our treasurer Gerry White at 205 Elm Drive, Hove, Sussex BN3 7JD

But please, if you are unable to make a donation, don’t let that stop you from joining us and getting involved and playing a part in preserving the Benfield Hill Nature Reserve Everyone is welcome!