‘Return of the Tern’ Nature project grant

A charity which works to preserve and improve Chichester Harbour has received more than £180,000 to help it complete an ‘ambitious environmental project’.

The Friends of Chichester Harbour’s ‘Return of the Tern: Nature Recovery on the Southern Coastal Plain’ has been awarded a grant of £182,300 from the Government’s £40million second round of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund — a multi-million pound boost for green jobs and nature recovery. The nature project, which was the only West Sussex-dedicated initiative to receive the grant, was among 90 across the country to be awarded grants from £68,100 to £1,950,000. The scheme will ‘create and retain’ more than 1,000 green jobs Described as an ‘ambitious environmental project’, ‘Return of the Tern’ will be undertaken by The Friends of Chichester Harbour, in partnership with Chichester Harbour Conservancy.

It will focus on nature recovery along the south coast, stretching from Langstone Harbour and Farlington Marshes to Pagham Harbour and taking in Chichester Harbour, Bracklesham Bay and Medmerry.

“It will also head inland along wildlife corridors — west and east of Chichester — up to the foot of the South Downs,” a charity spokesman said. “Undertakings will include the placement of nine new tern rafts with remoteoperated CCTV cameras at strategic harbour points, conducting a small fish survey, the reshingling of Stakes Island (at the entrance to the Thorney Channel) andEllaNoreSpit(near

West Wittering) and the appointment of a nature recovery officer.”

Oliver Chipperfield, trustee of The Friends of Chichester Harbour, added: “‘We are delighted to have the importance of the ‘Return of the Tern’ project for West Sussex’s south coast recognised by the Government’s Green Recovery Challenge Fund and are extremely grateful for this significant funding that will enable our 18-month project to proceed.