Our Purpose
Local Nature Partnerships were established as a commitment in government’s Natural Environment White Paper in 2011 as a means to enable local stakeholders to work in a joined up and strategic way to help manage the natural environment to produce multiple benefits for people, the economy and the environment.
Their purpose is to work strategically and collaboratively to:
- Drive positive change in the local environment by taking a strategic view of the challenges and opportunities involved
- Contribute to achieving the Government’s national environmental objectives locally;
- Become local champions – influencing decision-making relating to the natural environment and its value to social and economic outcomes
Objectives
Sussex Nature Partnership was established in 2014 and has two high-level objectives:
- To conserve, enhance and expand Sussex’s Natural Capital
- To ensure that Sussex residents share in the benefits provided by healthy, well-functioning ecosystems
Our Partners
Sussex Nature Partnership has over 30 partners drawn from across a range of sectors.
How We Work
SxNP is hosted by ESCC and is run by a Secretariat supported by a small Executive Team drawn from partner organisations. Its strategic direction is provided by its Board which is made up of all members and meets quarterly. Working Groups bring partners together to drive forward work under key themes.
The terms of reference for the Board and Executive Committee can be found here.
Local Authority Network
In 2021, SxNP set up a new “Local Authority Network” to provide a formal link to the 11 district and borough councils in Sussex and to provide a means for sharing knowledge and information across these organisations on issues relating to nature and nature-based solutions.
Read more about this network here.
How we are funded
SxNP relies on contributions from partners to support its work – both in the form of funding and in-kind time.
In 2022-23, funds towards the functioning of the nature partnership were received from East Sussex County Council, West Sussex County Council, South Downs National Park Authority, Sussex Wildlife Trust and Southern Water.