The BLUE Campaign Rewilding Britain

The BLUE Campaign promotes the rewilding of public and private green spaces across Britain, suggesting that a part of this ground is set aside and left to grow through the summer to encourage native wildflowers, attracting insects and providing a vital food source for breeding birds and a natural canopy for other smaller creatures. 

With 90% of lowland grassland lost in the 20^th Century, areas that form an essential part of the UK’s ecological infrastructure, it is a positive move towards increasing biodiversity in the UK. 

This year, the Council are supporting the BLUE Campaign’s ‘Rewilding Britain’ nationwide initiative to help combat this loss by allowing 25 areas in the District to ‘rewild’.   These areas are identified by a wooden blue heart symbol staked in the ground over the area being rewilded.

For further information about this nationwide campaign visit the BLUE campaign website

Following a successful small trial in 2020 the Council received further requests for additional sites and a total of 25 areas of open space have been identified for rewilding across the district this summer.

These sites will be roped off at the start of the growing season and can be easily identified by a wooden blue heart. Once established, the ropes will be removed. No mowing will be undertaken in these areas during the growing season. At the end of the season the grass will be cut and removed from site, this removes nutrients from the soil and will hopefully allow native wildflowers to establish in the future.  

Details of the BLUE campaign trial rewilding areas in Mid Sussex can be found by clicking the drop down arrow below.

Over the course of the growing season we will be checking to see how the areas are getting on and monitor the resulting growth.  If you spot anything in these areas please feel free to let us know, you could even send us a photo. 

If you have an area of your garden you can leave to rewild this will help to support all the animals and insects in your garden. More information can be found on the BLUE Campaign's gardeners page 

Schools can get involved too through the Eco schools programme (part of Keep Britain Tidy). All schools can sign up to and join the Eco-schools programme and as part of this follow the BLUE Campaign. To find out more please visit the Schools page on the BLUE Campign website