Whitebeam Wood is the last remaining pocket of ancient woodland in the Borough of Worthing, and is an important site locally.
It is well supported by the Borough and is maintained by Friends of Whitebeam Wood, a local conservation group who carry out pond and woodland management.
The Group meet on the third Saturday of each month (excluding August) to work between 10.00 am and 1.00 pm.
We aim to maintain this ancient community woodland, working in conjunction with Worthing Borough Council.
Through this conservation work we try to develop wildlife habitats and encourage the interest and involvement of the local community.
If you think you would enjoy conservation work, in a local wood with a pond, no experience necessary, all tools provided then please contact us.
How to find Whitebeam Wood
Go to Romany Road in Durrington BN13 3DW (near Tesco). There are several entrances to the wood from the slip road Whitebeam Road. Ample parking. Meet by the pond.
Sompting Brooks Nature Trail is located at the south end of Loose Lane, Sompting BN15 0DQ, and is open all year round.
Access is on foot only from the south end of Loose Lane. Do not park outside the flats at the end of Loose Lane as this area is reserved for local residents. Park along Loose Lane before the junction with Sylvan Road or preferably come by foot, bicycle or via public transport (the number 7 bus stops just outside the entrance).
The path is a farm track laid in sections with gravel and is somewhat uneven. Access might be difficult for wheelchairs or buggies, particularly in the winter.
The meadow area is about 6 HA with native wetland flowers and grasses in the new stream bank meadows, native wildflower meadow mixes in the former arable meadows.
stream bankSurveying the species
We have used Emorsgate EM4 Meadow Mixture for wetter soil areas and Emorsgate EM5 for the drier and/or more loamy areas. Both mixes contain a good range of the wild flowers and grasses once common in unimproved flower-rich lowland meadows.
Former arable meadows are managed by regular grazing/cutting outside of flowering season, and the wetland meadows are seasonally controlled by volunteers (hand pulling/cutting) of over vigorous species as needed.
The wildflower meadow and stream banks now host four species of orchid; Southern March Orchid, Common Spotted Orchid, Pyramidal and Bee Orchid.
We have regular River Ranger volunteers sessions at the EPIC project site at Sompting Brooks. These run on the 3rd Sunday of the month and include seasonal habitat maintenance activities such as reed cutting, tree mulching & channel clearing.
For more information about volunteering, please email Alistair.whitby@oart.org.uk to join the River Ranger list.
Steepdown Hill Local Wildlife Site is a field on Lychpole Farm, 900m east of Beggars Bush car park, Sompting BN15 0AY, where Titch Hill Road meets Steyning Bostal Road.
CROW Act Open Access Areas are nearly always open but please refer to maps to identify which field is the Open Access Area.
Access to the site is 900m of rough track and then a steep hill slope on which livestock may be present. Unfortunately, this site is not accessible for some disabilities due to the path being very rough and the hillside very steep and uneven.
The only Parking is at Beggars Bush car park, do not drive into the farmhouses area at this postcode. If that is full, park in North Sompting residential area and walk up the footpaths from Herbert Road west then north. Access into the field is via the public footpath. For your safety please only enter fields where a public footpath is indicated.
The site is about 10Ha with Cowslips and Harebells often flowering on this ancient species rich chalk grassland.
The site is managed by the Farmer with regular grazing outside of the flowering season, and occasional control of scrub as needed.
Seed collection is not allowed as this is a designated Local Wildlife Site and the seed should stay where it is to sustain populations.
Steepdown Hill LWS is ancient chalk grassland; it was too steep to be mechanically ploughed and fertilised when so much wildflower-rich chalk downland was ploughed to feed the nation after World War II. So it is a precious survival. The lower, flatter northwest part of the meadow was ploughed and fertilised, but Sompting Estate and our Lychpole Farm tenants have reverted it to unfertilised grassland. We hope that over years to come, the cattle and sheep grazing the older parts of the meadow will bring seeds on their hooves to make that part flower-rich like the rest.
Our future plans are to extend the flower-rich sward diversity over the former arable field in the NW corner of the site, which we have added to the LWS area for this purpose.
The Triangle is a smaller plot of land in Tarring, where Haynes Road meets Guildford Road. It is currently gardened by a handful of local residents, including children. It has raised vegetable and soft fruit beds, some fruit and native trees, herbs and a wild area with a small pond, housing frogs and our resident toad!
Our small shed, which we made from pallets, houses a few tools and provides a mini water catchment area for the water butts. Anyone is welcome to come and help with the garden and share produce.
We soon hope to create together a small children’s area.
The group does meet up itself but is linked to Tarring Community Forum. The TCF meets every 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7 pm. The venue for meetings is West Worthing Baptist Church, South Street, Tarring, Worthing. Any FoTP members who are not able to attend the meetings are kept up to date with forthcoming events and become involved where they can.
The main aim of Friends of Tarring Park is to help maintain the park, notify any problems to the appropriate authority, and to make good use of the park by arranging Community events. Events include Easter Egg Hunt/Easter Bonnet Competition, Picnic in the Park and Carols in the Park. Also, a new event this year is ‘An Autumn Walk n the Park’. This involves an interesting and informative talk by an expert about the various trees in the park.
We hold monthly litter picks on every 2nd Saturday of the month from 10 am. These are advertised as being friendly and sociable. We encourage members of the local community to join in including children.
Tarring Park is situated between Church Road and South Street , Tarring. It leads onto Church House Gardens which is the home to Tarring Priory Bowls Club. As well as the lawn bowls green there are adjacent tennis courts. Within the park itself there s a children’s playground and a MUGA.
The Shoreham Beach Local Nature Reserve extends along Shoreham beach from the land at Shoreham Fort to the Church of the Good Shepherd.
It is approximately 100 m wide from north to south in most places and is around 25 times longer in length at 2.5 km total area 26.2 hectares. About half or slightly less is vegetated shingle which is an internationally rare habitat as most shingle moves and prevents growth of vegetation. It used to be the only UK site of the Starry clover plant but it is now growing on Lancing Beach and in Hampshire.
The Friends of Shoreham Beach Local Nature Reserve (LNR) work to protect the LNR, and educate and help people enjoy it. So they run Beach Cleans, an annual Flower Walk, Rock Pooling when conditions suitable, Bird Walks, Lectures, Stands at outside events and other educational events. A marine biologist runs educational events for schools on the LNR.
The LNR is owned by Adur District Council and the Friends manage the LNR with advice from specialists and the Adur-Worthing District Council parks department.
Starry clover on the reserveShoreham Beach LNR
The end of May is the best time to see the flowers. It has the rare Starry Clover, Trifolium stellatum, and a population of Yellow Horned Poppy. Guided wildflower walks by arrangement.
The Friends organise specialist surveys. In 2018 Graeme Lyons did the first extensive survey of the LNR invertebrates and in all he has found 249 species and over 10% of these have conservation interest. As some insects will only use one plant the maintaining of the habitat is important to for the continued support of this diverse population of insects.
Events notified by email to members and others requesting information about events.
We are a small group who came together because we are interested in improving Southwick and Fishersgate green spaces for the well-being of people and pollinators alike. Our primary focus is sowing wildflowers and planting trees.
We work on St Aubyns in Fishersgate and now have a base near Eastbrook Manor Community Centre called The Secret Garden-Fishersgate. We support Layland Court pocket park, Manor Court garden and the Friends of Southwick Square. We are waiting on Impulse leisure centre in Southwick to plant an orchard and a wildflower meadow.
Cortis Avenue Wildlife Garden (CAWG) is located off Cortis Avenue, Broadwater, Worthing (BN14 7BG) . It is a small site (owned by Worthing Homes) about the size of a football pitch. It is managed by a constituted community group of volunteers. The site is gated for security as the original site was a fly-tipped playing field. As well as a refuge for wildlife in an urban area, we aim to be an educational resource for people interested in encouraging wildlife into their gardens.
A rich habitat for pollinatorsA colourful wildflower meadow
The garden is open for visitors and volunteers every Wednesday and Friday between 10am and 12 noon, and also at those time on the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month.
The site is managed to create a number of different wildlife habitats – trees and hedgerows, orchard, pond, wildflower meadow, herb garden, rough grass, nettles and brambles. Flowers planted for sun and semi-shade to attract pollinators, and we have a beehive.
The types of flower plants are quite numerous so examples only:
Flowering Trees and Hedgerow – Buddleia, Bird Cherry, Spindle, Guelder Rose, Dogwood, Wild Rose, Hawthorn, Alder Buckthporn, Hazel, Sussex Heritage Apple Trees, Wild Service Trees, Blackthorn, Field Maple, Elderberry
The wildlife supported includes butterflies – Yellow Brimstone, Meadow Brown, Speckled Wood, Gatekeeper, Small Copper, Red Admiral, Peacock, and various Moths, including the Cinnabar Moth.
Also a range of other wildlife – damsel and dragonflies, pond creatures, mini-beasts and bugs e.g. shield bugs, grass hoppers, beetles.
PLEASE NOTE: There will be a Sunday tour in August. Details will follow nearer the time
Broadwater and Worthing Cemetery is an active cemetery located off South Farm Road, it comprises of approximately 14.5 acres of land and provides a peaceful haven for wildlife and residents alike. There is a rich selection of plant life throughout the cemetery: various grasses, deciduous and coniferous trees, bushes, and shrubs such as dog rose, holly and buddleia. Throughout the year, from spring to winter there are flowers to spot and enjoy, including snowdrops and primrose in late winter, lesser celandine in early spring and extensive swathes of oxeye daisies in summer.
Oxeye DaisiesLesser Celandine
Since 2008, volunteers with the Friends of Broadwater and Worthing Cemetery Group have been maintaining select areas for the benefit of insects and wildflowers. Throughout the cemetery there are several areas (totalling around 180m2) that have been designated “no mowing” areas, wooden markers have been positioned to indicate this to grass cutting contractors.
The main entrance is located on South Farm Road, between Ardsheal Road and Carnegie Road. On Weekends and Bank Holidays there is an entrance on Carnegie Road. Access is best during daylight hours: Monday to Sunday: 8:00am to 6:00pm from October to March, Monday to Sunday: 8:00am to 8:00pm from April to September. Main paths are wheelchair and pushchair friendly.
There is no parking available on site however there is ample parking on South Farm Road if required.
Volunteers are encouraged to assist with regular clearance days which run the last Saturday of every month between 10.00 am and Midday. This is currently on hold due to Coronavirus restrictions; however, it is hoped that this will return soon.
Breathing Spaces Community Flower Farm is located at the Maybridge Keystone Centre in Worthing. Breathing Spaces is now a Transition Town Worthing project and this is a volunteer-led community garden that provides the opportunity to connect with nature via tending a small urban flower farm There is space for growing wild flowers for the benefit of people and pollinators and this is being expanded in a strip along the back of the playing field.
Breathing Spaces Community Flower FarmProposed site for the new wildflower strip
Breathing Spaces started up a dedicated patch of around 4m2 and have already established wildflowers in other growing areas around fruit trees and in long grass areas. Using donated wildflower plants and collected seed, they are creating a vibrant wildflower habitat. The long grass is cut down at the end of the season and cleared away in the traditional hay cut method. Examples of species include Campion ‘ragged robin’, Red Valerian, Dock, Sorrel, Cowslips, Yarrow, Tansy, Knapweed, Cornflower and Wild carrot.
The site is open during Maybridge Keystone Centre opening hours, the hours can vary so it’s best to check first before visiting. The flower farm is not wheelchair accessible at present, (although the Woodland Garden which they also tend is). The site is accessed by walking across part of the playing field. The best time to see the wildflowers is around Early Summer.
Volunteers are welcome on Thursdays between March and December, 10:30-12:30.
