Our Projects
A. Pewsey Downs National Nature Reserve
Natural England is carrying out landscape surveys, and research projects are currently being undertaken to assess how to create a network for nature recovery, linking these sites to North Wessex Downs and Salisbury Plain.
B. Parsonage Down National Nature Reserve
Natural England has been working with National Highways to create new chalk grasslands on the eastern edge of the reserve, which acts as a gateway between Salisbury Plain and the Stonehenge landscape.
C. Wider Wylye Strategy
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Wessex Rivers Trust, Wessex Water, the Wylye Valley Farmer Group and the Ministry of Defence are working in partnership to enhance, restore and protect the River Wylye.
D. A303 Stonehenge Road Improvement Scheme
The proposed road improvement includes the creation of over 100 hectares of new flower rich grassland, and would create an important East-West biodiversity corridor along the length of the proposed scheme.
National Highways has also been working with their stakeholders, using National Highways’ Designated Funds, to fund biodiversity projects.
E. Stonehenge Landscape
The National Trust has carried out one of the largest grassland reversion projects in Europe on their land in the Stonehenge Landscape, supporting an ambition to return its land to species rich chalk grassland. By 2025 the National Trust will have created at least 170 hectares of new chalk grassland which better protects archaeology, enhances biodiversity, and brings the potential for increased permissive open access.
F. Amesbury River Restoration
Building on the success of previous restoration work in the upper Avon, Wessex Rivers Trust is partnering with National Highways to enhance the health of the River Avon, including habitat restoration and bypassing weirs which currently limit fish migration.
G. Winterbourne Downs
RSPB Winterbourne Downs is a strategically important stepping-stone for downland biodiversity from Porton Down to expand towards Salisbury Plain. Over 15 years significant progress has been made with over 200 hectares of species-rich chalk grassland established from former arable land. This has led to the expansion across the reserve of chalk specialist butterflies such as the Adonis Blue, Small Blue and Marsh Fritillary, up to 11 nesting pairs of Stone-curlew and 18 pairs of Lapwing.
A. Pewsey Downs National Nature Reserve
Natural England is carrying out landscape surveys, and research projects are currently being undertaken to assess how to create a network for nature recovery, linking these sites to North Wessex Downs and Salisbury Plain.
B. Parsonage Down National Nature Reserve
Natural England has been working with National Highways to create new chalk grasslands on the eastern edge of the reserve, which acts as a gateway between Salisbury Plain and the Stonehenge landscape.
C. Wider Wylye Strategy
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, Wessex Rivers Trust, Wessex Water, the Wylye Valley Farmer Group and the Ministry of Defence are working in partnership to enhance, restore and protect the River Wylye.
D. A303 Stonehenge Road Improvement Scheme
The proposed road improvement includes the creation of over 100 hectares of new flower rich grassland, and would create an important East-West biodiversity corridor along the length of the proposed scheme.
National Highways has also been working with their stakeholders, using National Highways’ Designated Funds, to fund biodiversity projects.
E. Stonehenge Landscape
The National Trust has carried out one of the largest grassland reversion projects in Europe on their land in the Stonehenge Landscape, supporting an ambition to return its land to species rich chalk grassland. By 2025 the National Trust will have created at least 170 hectares of new chalk grassland which better protects archaeology, enhances biodiversity, and brings the potential for increased permissive open access.
F. Amesbury River Restoration
Building on the success of previous restoration work in the upper Avon, Wessex Rivers Trust is partnering with National Highways to enhance the health of the River Avon, including habitat restoration and bypassing weirs which currently limit fish migration.
G. Winterbourne Downs
RSPB Winterbourne Downs is a strategically important stepping-stone for downland biodiversity from Porton Down to expand towards Salisbury Plain. Over 15 years significant progress has been made with over 200 hectares of species-rich chalk grassland established from former arable land. This has led to the expansion across the reserve of chalk specialist butterflies such as the Adonis Blue, Small Blue and Marsh Fritillary, up to 11 nesting pairs of Stone-curlew and 18 pairs of Lapwing.
A landscape-scale approach
This map shows the Wiltshire Chalk Partnership boundary. There are several active projects being delivered by partners in the area, and these illustrate the power and importance of a co-ordinated, landscape-scale approach.
As the Partnership continues to develop the nature recovery roadmap, more projects will be identified to enhance connectivity in the landscape and deliver the ambition of 2,000 hectares of new habitat.
To secure ecosystem resilience more habitat is required, and the existing habitats must be connected into a functioning ecological network.
Why Chalk?
Healthy chalk habitats are key to nature recovery in Wiltshire.
Our vision
Working in partnership to create at least 2,000 hectares of new habitat to connect and enhance Wiltshire’s culturally and ecologically significant chalk landscape.