Chichester Harbour Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a unique landscape and a jewel on the south coast. It is one of the few remaining unspoilt oases on the developed south coast plain, with a rich network of habitats supporting tens of thousands of migrating shore birds, as well as rare mammals, plants, insects and marine life.

The Chichester Harbour Trust is a registered charity dedicated to protecting the Harbour. However, the Harbour's special environment is fragile, and is under threat now more than at any time in its past.

In our 20th year, in order to achieve this goal effectively, we launched a Fighting Fund Appeal to raise at least £1.5m for the purchase of land in the AONB to ensure its permanent conservation.

John Nelson CBE DL, Chairman

THE CHICHESTER HARBOUR TRUST

Founded 20 years ago, The Chichester Harbour Trust is a registered charity dedicated to protecting the Harbour. Our Charitable Objectives are:

to acquire land, sites and buildings within the Chichester Harbour AONB and its setting of landscape, environmental, recreational or historic value and to [promote the conservation and protection and improvement of the natural beauty and wildlife of the area for the public benefit.

We believe that the best way to do this is to continue with our successful programme of land acquisition; confident that ownership of key sites held in trust in perpetuity by an independent charity will safeguard the Harbour landscapes and habitats forever.

We now hold in trust over 375acres of land across 15 sites around the harbour, working in partnership with Chichester Harbour Conservancy, the local authorities and the wider harbour community.

The Duke of Richmond and Gordon, Campaign Patron of the Fighting Fund and Patron of the Chichester Harbour Trust.

OUR CHALLENGES

in 2021 Natural England downgraded the status of Chichester Harbour SSSI to unfavourable declining and without intervention the trend is set to continue. We are losing our saltmarsh at a rate of three-football pitches a year, and by the middle of next century it will all be gone. Our wetland birds are declining, and our mudflats are becoming smothered by bright green algae.

NITRATES Unacceptable levels of sewage discharges into the harbour's tidal waters together with run off from farming is leading to excess nitrates - causing the bloom in green algae covering the mudflats.

WILDLIFE LOSS Some species of migrating wetland birds are declining. Other species that rely on corridors to the south downs are struggling; including water voles and bats.

LAND ACQUISITION - To date, when land comes onto the market we have launched appeals for funds to buy it. These appeals for funds take time we need to be able to act fast to buy land for its long term protection.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

We urgently need to build a Fighting Fund so that we can move fast when pieces of land or harbour coastline come onto the market.

We plan to raise a capital land fund of at least £1.5m, designated specifically for the purchase of land.

Campaign costs have been covered by a local trust, so every penny donated with go to the Fighting Fund.

All the Trustees of The Chichester Harbour Trust have already made donations or pledges to the Fighting Fund.

The Duchess of Norfolk, Campaign Patron of the Fighting Fund and Patron of the Chichester Harbour Trust