Conservation & Biodiversity

The High Beeches Gardens Conservation Trust was formed in 1987 to care for this important historic garden, sited in the High Weald Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in West Sussex.

The biodiversity of the garden includes many native and exotic plants, as well as native flora, fauna, fungi and insects. With sensitive management of the meadows and woodland landscape, the Garden Trust acts as custodian to the Garden for the future.

Many of the exotic plants are rare in their native habitats and it is important that they should be cared for to preserve their genetic material. Climate change is also having an effect on the plants here, putting them under stress which leaves them open to attack from pests and diseases. It is becoming increasingly important to both protect the plants we have, and think carefully about what to plant here for the future of the garden and surrounding area.

All the plants in the garden are listed on a database, recording where possible, as much information on these important plants.

The Garden Trust is also delighted to be working with both the Wilder Ouse Project and Weald to Waves project on conserving and enhancing the biodiversity in the Garden.

Wilder Ouse Project

The garden sits on the head waters of the Ouse River and we are working with the Wilder Ouse Project to manage the flow of water through the garden gills and to create scrapes, shallow ponds, to increase the bio-diversity. Recently a number of Black Poplars, Populus nigra, have been planted. Once an important part of the British landscape there are now only 7,000 Black Poplars left in the country, it is the most endangered native tree in Britain. They are an important source of pollen for bees and other insects and the seeds are eaten by birds.

Weald to Waves

The Weald to Waves project, coordinated through the Knepp Wildland Foundation aims to create a nationally significant 100-mile nature friendly corridor across Sussex. From the High Weald and Ashdown Forest, through the Low Weald and over the South Downs National Park, it follows the river catchments of the Arun, Adur and Ouse to the coast at Climping, Shoreham and Newhaven and out to the kelp forests of Sussex Bay.

The project is engaging and connecting farmers, landowners, businesses and communities across Sussex by creating new opportunities to understand, enjoy and protect nature along the corridor and beyond. High Beeches provides an important stepping-stone for wildlife in Sussex and we have pledged to protect and enhance opportunities for nature to survive and thrive by signing up to the Gardens & Greenspaces network.