Leaving behind a career in IT and Telecommunications, Mark McManus decided to venture down a very different path and indulge his passion for wildlife as he became an Assistant Warden for the RSPB’s Pulborough Brooks Reserve and then a Ranger for the South Downs National Park Authority.

Mark now happily imparts his vast knowledge to the many visitors on safari tours around the Knepp Estate and is very much a member of the team there. He came along to Ferring Conservation Group’s June meeting to update members with the latest news of this trailblazing rewilding project.

In the twenty or so years since Knepp began rewilding, extremely rare species have thrived including Turtle Doves, Nightingales, Peregrine Falcons and Purple Emperor butterflies as well as more common species. Moving away from intensive farming has demonstrated how natural regeneration has created new habitats from grassland and scrub to open-grown trees and wood pastures attracting wildlife from far and wide.

Without free-roaming grazing animals, Mark explained the emerging scrub would soon turn into closed-canopy woodland. Over the years the physical disturbance created by grazing animals stimulated a complex mosaic of habitats allowing a more open form of wood-pasture. Although as many ancient breeds as possible were introduced, Tamworth Pigs were substituted for Wild Boar and Exmoor ponies were established for their hardiness and ability to thrive in all sorts of habitat. Roe, Fallow and Red deer roam freely alongside Old English long-horn cattle.

Mark explained that one of the Knepp Estate’s priorities is to liaise with neighbouring landowners to encourage them to allow strategic wildlife corridors, such as in the Chichester area, which links the South Downs National Park with the coastal harbours. This will allow wildlife to move freely across the county.

Two beavers were released into a licensed enclosure in February 2022. Since then, they have had an astonishing impact on their environment, creating impressive dams, building up their lodge and coppicing the surrounding woodland.

Mark took pride in announcing that in addition to Knepp becoming home to the first 2 nesting pairs of wild Storks to breed in the UK for over 600 years in 2020, last year the project has gone from strength to strength with 9 successful nests.

It is hoped that the potential reintroduction of Wildcat and Pine Marten will be possible in the future.

Graham Tuppen then presented the Nature Notes session with photographs of Wall Lizards spotted at West Worthing railway station and a tree completely covered in webs made by the caterpillars of Ermine Moths seen by the roadside at Long Furlong. Graham then showed a beautiful photograph of a field of Native Field Poppies and Phacelia also in the Long Furlong area. Bee Orchids were in bloom at Highdown Gardens while Common Spotted Orchids, Wild Thyme and Birds Foot Trefoil were seen at Cissbury Ring, together with Wild Carrot, Ladies Bedstraw and Yellow-rattle.

To conclude the meeting Stephen Abbott updated members on the latest planning news advising that the planning application submitted on behalf of Greystoke Manor care home for a two-story extension had been withdrawn. Also, the application for an additional house at 44 Ferringham Lane is yet to be decided.

The ancient skill of coppicing was the fascinating subject that Clive Cobie covered at the Group’s May meeting to enlighten members and visitors. Clive is the Centre Manager for Shadow Wood near Billingshurst – a 63-acre bluebell wood in the heart of the Weald Downlands.

Clive explained why this traditional form of woodland management serves two important functions: to provide a renewable source of wood for fuel and fencing and to allow selected trees space to grow to full maturity for subsequent cropping as timber. A very useful effect is that this procedure also lets in light to the woodland floor, allowing plants and flowers growing there to regenerate along with their dependent wildlife – the word ‘copse’ denotes a wood that was once coppiced.

Coppicing means cutting the tree down to ground level to allow new shoots to spring up from the base. This practice stimulates the trees natural power of regeneration as it encourages the tree to produce new poles of wood year after year. Clive explained that as the years go by a coppiced tree will start to form a stool and shoots will be thrown up from this and should be cut back to within 5-8cm of this wood. The most suitable trees for coppicing are Chestnut, Silver Birch and Hazel which should be cut on a rotation of 7 years.

After a break for refreshments Graham Tuppen filled the popular Nature Notes slot with news of sightings of Early Purple Orchids during a visit to Patching Woods. Graham had also spotted Common (smooth) Newts in his garden supposedly from his next-door neighbour’s pond. Graham showed two impressive photographs by Peter Phelps of an adult Cockchafer and a Common Toad, with Peter Dale managing to photograph an Azure Damselfly by the Ferring Rife, where there had also been a recent sighting of a Water Vole, which was welcome.

Stephen Abbott concluded the meeting by updating the audience with news of local planning issues. The Call-In submission to the Secretary of State was not successful for the 47 houses approved to be built on the land adjacent to Kingston Lane, East Preston. The 3 houses proposed for a garden behind Ferring Nurseries has been rejected, along with an additional dwelling at the back of 4 Sea Lane. A planning application for a two-storey rear extension to Greystoke Manor care home has also been submitted.

Ferring Conservation Group’s April meeting had a very interesting, and well-presented talk on the History and Wildlife of Broadwater Cemetery – one of Worthing’s oldest burial grounds, now a nature reserve but still visited by family members of those who were buried there in its latter years. ‘Friends of Broadwater Cemetery’ document its history (which goes back to 1861) and, in cooperation with Worthing Borough Council, maintain its extensive grounds in a way which preserves and encourages the wide range of wildflowers, birds and other animals, and butterflies.

Debra Hillman, the Chairman of the ‘Friends’ talked about the early days of the cemetery and some of the well-known local people buried there, including the naturalists W H Hudson and Richard Jefferies. Less well known were the 115 victims of the Worthing typhoid epidemic of 1893, to whom there is a common memorial. But the old Chapel, with its splendid interior, is a listed building.

Paul Robards leads the work on keeping the cemetery’s extensive grounds tidy and removing the ivy which quickly grows over the headstones, hiding the inscriptions and the stories they tell. He is also a lifelong naturalist and does everything he can to preserve and encourage the abundant wildlife – which includes slow worms, many songbirds, and a wide variety of butterflies. He showed some excellent photographs to illustrate his talk, and Conservation Group members were encouraged to join one of the Cemetery Tours, on the first Saturday of every month in Spring, Summer and Autumn,

The Group held its AGM later in the meeting. Pete Coe was elected Chairman, David Bettiss as Secretary and Ed Miller has taken over as Membership Secretary.