With ancient woodland, a sprawling river network and internationally important wetlands, Bexhill and Battle constituency has some spectacular places for wildlife. You can download the Bexhill and Battle Constituency Map to look more closely.

We want the next government to commit to our top 5 priorities for action on nature. Here are some local examples of the importance of these priorities in your constituency.

End River Pollution and Water Scarcity

This constituency contains a much-loved coastline and internationally important wetlands, but water pollution is impacting people and wildlife. It’s not just about sewage overflows, the way we manage our land and where and how we build affects what runs into our rivers, wetlands and out into the sea. These sediments and pollutants combine with those caused by destructive activities in the water such as dredging and development, which creates poor water quality and can smother marine habitats, making it hard for wildlife to thrive. We need integrated land-use planning and innovative methods of capturing water that creates space for water and reduces the amount of sediments and pollution ending up in our rivers and seas.

Fund wildlife-friendly farming

Much of Bexhill and Battle constituency is designated as the High Weald National Landscape. This is a medieval landscape of wooded, rolling hills studded with small, irregular-shaped fields and scattered farmsteads. Farming is fundamental to this area, but the destruction of nature and the impacts of climate change are the biggest threats to food security in the UK. We need a government that supports farmers to shift towards regenerative, nature-friendly methods. Many farmers and land managers have gone to great lengths to support wildlife but without being adequately rewarded. The budget for environmental farming has already fallen by a third since 2010. Not investing properly means everyone loses.

Tackle the climate emergency

We know our seas are warming, with high sea-surface temperatures predicted to become commonplace by 2050. In Sussex, warming seas may cause marine animals and plants to relocate to cooler waters, changing the makeup of our undersea wildlife. This will almost certainly have knock-on implications for the wider ecosystem as well as commercially important fish species, although there are many unknowns. We need urgent action on climate change to reverse this trend and restoring nature can make a massive contribution.

Sussex Wildlife Trust members in this constituency: 2,338

Tell your election candidates you care about nature - we've set up a simple email action to help you contact all your election candidates and let them know why nature matters to you. Thank you for your support!