The park secured three accolades from a shortlist of 20 individuals and projects dedicated to protecting and enhancing protected landscapes. The awards ceremony celebrated inspiring work across the country, with the South Downs National Park Authority notably recognised for its efforts.
Robson Peisley, aged 22 and based in Brighton, was awarded "Young Changemaker of the Year". Peisley, who became the youngest National Park Member at 21, aims to amplify youth and diverse voices within protected landscapes. Reflecting on the win, Peisley stated, "Winning this award means so much to me, both as recognition of my work personally and of the South Downs National Park Authority." Peisley highlighted the park's rich culture, natural habitats, and communities, and expressed a desire for other young people and those from marginalised communities to be inspired to drive change.
The park's ReNature Campaign, which has transformed 12,000 football pitches' worth of land into nature havens and planted over 100,000 trees in five years, was a finalist for the top trophy. Additionally, Chichester's Halnaker Hill Farm project was shortlisted for renaturing 330 acres of intensively farmed land into a biodiverse landscape, noted for a recent phenomenal butterfly survey recording numerous nationally-important species.
Will Atkinson, a farmer at Halnaker Hill Farm, expressed pride in the recognition for converting the farm to chalk grassland, wildflower meadows, and hedged paddocks. "It’s a reflection after only two years, if you give wildlife a home they will find it," Atkinson commented.
Vanessa Rowlands, Chair of the South Downs National Park Authority, praised the achievements. "To have three shortlisted among such tough national competition is a real accomplishment," she said, specifically congratulating Peisley as an "inspirational representative for the voices of young people." Rowlands also thanked all contributors to the ReNature campaign.
The National Park Protector Awards are organised by the Campaign for National Parks, an independent charity founded in 1936.
