Pevensey Levels Wetland Restoration Project

Sussex Wildlife Trust and National Highways have joined forces to launch an exciting and ambitious Network for Nature project to bring Pevensey Levels back to life as one of the great biodiverse wetlands of the UK, benefiting people, nature and wildlife.

With £600,000 funding from the Network for Nature project, we have begun our restoration project by carrying out earth works on our Pevensey Marshes nature reserve. These have been taking place over recent months. The aim is to create a mosaic of habitats by blocking and meandering ditches, digging scrapes and creating deeper ponds as well as undulations. Together, these measures will help ‘re-wet’ the Levels, allowing wetland species to re-colonise lost territories.

We are also working in partnership with farmers, neighbours and partners, in order to raise water levels and create new habitat where we can to restore wetlands more widely on the Pevensey Levels. The aim is to create an archipelago of wetland habitat right across the Levels providing stepping stones for species to move through the landscape.

Groundworks at Pevensey Levels
Groundworks at Pevensey Levels © Kai Hilton

As you might expect, initially the transformation is creating a lot of mud!

The groundworks were completed in December 2024, and the results are incredible:

  • 3km of winding, wiggly ditches dug
  • 30 tennis courts' worth of new wetland habitat created
  • 15 football pitches' worth of re-flooded wetland restored

We will keep you up to date as to progress along the way, as the restoration of the habitat will slowly begin.

Bringing wildlife back to the Pevensey Levels webinar

Webinar presented by Nature Recovery Project Officer, Charlotte Pestell, introducing the Pevensey Marshes Nature Reserve and explaining why this is such an important area for wildlife

In this section

Project news and blogs

Keep up to date with the latest project news and blogs

Get in touch

Contact the Pevensey Levels Wetland Restoration Project

Time Δ Debug Message - Perch Runway 3.2
1783468892.51550 [906] SELECT p.pagePath, pr.routePattern, pr.routeRegExp, p.pageTemplate, pr.routeOrder, s.settingValue AS siteOffline FROM swt_pages_staging p LEFT JOIN swt_page_routes pr ON p.pageID=pr.pageID LEFT JOIN swt_settings s ON s.settingID='siteOffline' UNION SELECT NULL AS pagePath, pr2.routePattern, pr2.routeRegExp, pr2.templatePath AS pageTemplate, pr2.routeOrder, NULL AS siteOffline FROM swt_page_routes pr2 WHERE templateID!=0 ORDER BY routeOrder ASC, pagePath ASC
1783468892.54110.0256Matched page: /get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project, so not using routes.
1783468892.54120.0001Server address: 216.73.217.142
1783468892.54130Using master page: /templates/pages/project.php
1783468892.54150.0002 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project' LIMIT 1
1783468892.54360.0022 [86] SELECT DISTINCT settingID, settingValue FROM swt_settings WHERE userID=0
1783468892.54530.0017 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=22757352
1783468892.54610.0008 [1] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_cart WHERE cartID=22757352
1783468892.54670.0006 [nil] SELECT * FROM swt_shop_sales WHERE saleFrom<='2026-07-08 00:01:00' AND saleTo>'2026-07-08 00:01:00' AND saleActive=1 AND saleDeleted IS NULL ORDER BY saleOrder ASC
1783468892.54780.0011 [250] SELECT country, countryID FROM swt_shop_countries WHERE countryActive=1 ORDER BY country ASC
1783468892.54910.0013Using template: /templates/pages/attributes/seo.html
1783468892.54950.0005 [1] SELECT regionID, regionTemplate, regionPage, regionRev AS rev FROM swt_content_regions WHERE regionKey='Banner image' AND (regionPage='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project' OR regionPage='*')
1783468892.55040.0009 [1] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, c.regionID, idx.pageID, c.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_content_index idx JOIN swt_content_items c ON idx.itemID=c.itemID AND idx.itemRev=c.itemRev AND idx.regionID=c.regionID JOIN swt_content_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE ((idx.regionID=3158 AND idx.itemRev=1)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, pageID, itemJSON, sortval, regionID ORDER BY sortval ASC
1783468892.55220.0018 [82] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageDepth >=0 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1783468892.55520.0029 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project' LIMIT 1
1783468892.55690.0018 [3] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-002-005-002', '000-002-005', '000-002', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1783468892.5590.0021Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template.html
1783468892.55910 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1783468892.55980.0008 [4] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1783468892.56030.0005 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1783468892.56340.0031 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1783468892.56450.0011 [7] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1783468892.56530.0008 [9] Using template: /templates/navigation/ps_nav_template_children.html
1783468892.56790.0026Using template: /templates/pages/attributes/default.html
1783468892.5680.0001Using sub-template: /templates/pages/attributes/seo.html
1783468892.56820.0003Using template: /templates/pages/attributes/default.html
1783468892.56830.0001Using sub-template: /templates/pages/attributes/seo.html
1783468892.56850.0002 [1] SELECT collectionID, collectionTemplate FROM swt_collections WHERE collectionKey='Opportunities'
1783468892.56930.0009 [nil] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, ci.collectionID, ci.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_collection_index idx JOIN swt_collection_items ci ON idx.itemID=ci.itemID AND idx.itemRev=ci.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_revisions cr ON idx.itemID=cr.itemID AND idx.itemRev=cr.itemRev AND idx.collectionID=ci.collectionID JOIN swt_collection_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE (idx.collectionID=6) AND ((idx.indexKey='page_title' AND idx.indexValue='Pevensey Levels Wetland Restoration Project')) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, itemJSON, sortval ORDER BY sortval ASC
1783468892.57070.0013Using template: /templates/content/_opportunity_listing.html
1783468892.57090.0003 [2] SELECT regionKey, regionHTML FROM swt_content_regions WHERE regionPage='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project' OR regionPage='*' ORDER BY regionPage DESC
1783468892.57180.0008 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project' OR pageSortPath='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project' LIMIT 1
1783468892.57360.0019 [3] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageHidden=0 AND pageNew=0 AND pageTreePosition IN ('000-002-005-002', '000-002-005', '000-002', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition
1783468892.57580.0022 [3] Using template: /templates/navigation/breadcrumbs.html
1783468892.57650.0007Using template: /templates/pages/attributes/default.html
1783468892.57660.0001Using sub-template: /templates/pages/attributes/seo.html
1783468892.57680.0002 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project' OR pageSortPath='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project' LIMIT 1
1783468892.57880.002 [3] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-002-005-002%' AND pageDepth >=3 AND pageDepth<=4 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1783468892.58090.0021 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project' LIMIT 1
1783468892.58260.0017 [3] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-002-005-002', '000-002-005', '000-002', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1783468892.58460.002 [1] SELECT regionID, regionTemplate, regionPage, regionRev AS rev FROM swt_content_regions WHERE regionKey='Banner image' AND (regionPage='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project/project-news-and-blogs' OR regionPage='*')
1783468892.58530.0007 [1] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, c.regionID, idx.pageID, c.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_content_index idx JOIN swt_content_items c ON idx.itemID=c.itemID AND idx.itemRev=c.itemRev AND idx.regionID=c.regionID JOIN swt_content_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE ((idx.regionID=3160 AND idx.itemRev=1)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, pageID, itemJSON, sortval, regionID ORDER BY sortval ASC
1783468892.58660.0013 [1] Using template: /templates/content/banner.html
1783468892.58860.002 [1] SELECT regionID, regionTemplate, regionPage, regionRev AS rev FROM swt_content_regions WHERE regionKey='Banner image' AND (regionPage='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project/get-in-touch' OR regionPage='*')
1783468892.58950.0009 [1] SELECT * FROM ( SELECT idx.itemID, c.regionID, idx.pageID, c.itemJSON, idx2.indexValue as sortval FROM swt_content_index idx JOIN swt_content_items c ON idx.itemID=c.itemID AND idx.itemRev=c.itemRev AND idx.regionID=c.regionID JOIN swt_content_index idx2 ON idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev AND idx2.indexKey='_order' WHERE ((idx.regionID=3162 AND idx.itemRev=1)) AND idx.itemID=idx2.itemID AND idx.itemRev=idx2.itemRev ) as tbl GROUP BY itemID, pageID, itemJSON, sortval, regionID ORDER BY sortval ASC
1783468892.5910.0014 [1] Using template: /templates/content/banner.html
1783468892.59190.0009 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/what-we-do' OR pageSortPath='/what-we-do' LIMIT 1
1783468892.59270.0009 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-002' LIMIT 1
1783468892.59350.0008 [7] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-002%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1783468892.59570.0022 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project' LIMIT 1
1783468892.59740.0017 [3] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-002-005-002', '000-002-005', '000-002', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1783468892.59950.0021 [6] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1783468892.60030.0008 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1783468892.60080.0006 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1783468892.60130.0005 [38] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1783468892.60370.0024 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project' LIMIT 1
1783468892.60540.0017 [3] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-002-005-002', '000-002-005', '000-002', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1783468892.60740.002 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1783468892.61040.003 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/visit' OR pageSortPath='/visit' LIMIT 1
1783468892.61110.0007 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-004' LIMIT 1
1783468892.61150.0004 [30] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-004%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1783468892.61390.0024 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project' LIMIT 1
1783468892.61570.0018 [3] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-002-005-002', '000-002-005', '000-002', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1783468892.61780.0021 [29] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1783468892.62030.0025 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/make-a-difference' OR pageSortPath='/make-a-difference' LIMIT 1
1783468892.6210.0007 [1] SELECT pageID, pageParentID, pageDepth, pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition='000-005' LIMIT 1
1783468892.62160.0006 [11] SELECT * FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageNew=0 AND pageHidden=0 AND pageTreePosition LIKE '000-005%' AND pageDepth >=1 AND pageDepth<=2 ORDER BY pageTreePosition ASC
1783468892.62430.0027 [1] SELECT pageTreePosition FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pagePath='/get-involved/projects/pevensey-levels-wetland-restoration-project' LIMIT 1
1783468892.6340.0097 [3] SELECT pageID FROM swt_pages_staging WHERE pageTreePosition IN ('000-002-005-002', '000-002-005', '000-002', '000') ORDER BY pageTreePosition DESC
1783468892.64310.0091 [10] Using template: /templates/navigation/footer-nav.html
1783468892.64430.0012Request time: 0.1299
1783468892.64430Process time: 0.1297
1783468892.64430Memory: 1.6246