Five Chilterns’ projects join the Big Chalk network for nature recovery
Over the past year, five Chilterns’ projects have been recognised by the Big Chalk initiative. This reflects our strong commitment to restoring and celebrating our iconic chalk landscapes.
What is Big Chalk?
Big Chalk is a landscape-scale nature recovery initiative that connects and supports conservation efforts across chalk landscapes in southern England.
It brings together a network of organisations, communities, and projects working across chalk landscapes, and aims to restore habitats, improve connectivity for wildlife, and engage people with nature.
Big Chalk projects in the Chilterns National Landscape
The projects cover a range of topics – from species monitoring and nature recovery, to art in the landscape and community engagement – but they all share Big Chalk’s vision to create nature-rich chalk landscapes that benefit us all.
Nature Calling: Luton Henge
Luton Henge is a bold new artwork and community landmark commissioned by the Chilterns National Landscape – bringing together people, place, and nature to restore chalk habitat, create cultural connection, and inspire long-term stewardship.
Inspired by the ancient Neolithic earthwork Waulud’s Bank, Luton Henge is rooted in landscape and history and brought to life by local people as part of the Nature Calling project.
Funded by Arts Council England and the Department for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Chilterns National Landscape as well as other National Landscapes in England.
Partners include the National Landscape Association, Activate Performing Arts and the Poetry School.
Discover Luton HengeTracking the Impact
A collaborative citizen science project monitoring long-term trends in bird, butterfly, and plant species across the central Chilterns and Chess valley. This award-winning programme is helping us understand how the chalk landscape is responding to conservation efforts.
Funded by Rebel Restoration and the River Chess Smarter Water Catchment.
Join Tracking the Impact
Hamble Brook
The Hamble Brook project has transformed a section of one of the Chilterns’ winterbourne chalk streams, reinstating natural form, function, and connectivity not seen in this river system for over 140 years.
Over 18 months, the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project, together with partners and local landowners, worked to restore more than 16% of the river’s length – making this one of the largest winterbourne restoration projects ever undertaken in England.
The project re-naturalised 1,100m of chalk stream, reshaped ponds, removed two old weirs, delivered 2,500m² of new wetland, and planted 60 native trees.
Since the restoration was completed, two nationally rare species have been identified, and ongoing active management and monitoring will hopefully help continue this increase in biodiversity.
This achievement demonstrates the power of collaboration and sets a new benchmark for nature recovery in the Chilterns and has helped kick-start transformation-scale projects on other Chilterns chalk streams.
Partners include Farming in Protected Landscapes, Environment Agency, Chilterns Heritage and Archaeology Partnership, local landowners, and the Chiltern Society.
Learn more about Hamble BrookNorth Chilterns Landscape Partnership (partner)
Led by Natural England, the North Chilterns Landscape Partnership is a growing group of landowners, conservationists, and local leaders, who are working together to restore nature by connecting habitats, supporting sustainable land management, and unlocking the full potential of the precious chalk landscape in the north Chilterns.
River Thame Chalk Stream Strategy (partner)
The River Thame Conservation Trust have developed a strategy for the eight scarp-slope chalk stream tributaries in the River Thame catchment. The strategy is focused on improving habitats, connectivity, and river health, with the goal of reintroducing chalk stream species, like brown trout and water voles, where they had ceased to exist.
Read the strategy
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