Kiss of Life for Wildlife

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

Show your love for nature and help wildlife by adopting one of Sussex Wildlife Trust’s new kissing gates at Ebernoe Common nature reserve – a superb area of ancient woodland near Petworth, home to dormice, nightingales and carpets of bluebells.

Perfect as an original wedding present, anniversary gift or as a memorial for a loved one, the new kissing gates also perform an important function in helping local wildlife.

The gates allow access to visitors who come to enjoy the majesty of this Sussex woodland but also keep Sussex Wildlife Trust’s grazing animals safe. For centuries Ebernoe Common was grazed by Commoners’ livestock and as part of the ongoing restoration programme Sussex Wildlife Trust is reintroducing cattle to help open up the reserve’s flower-rich glades and rides.

A small herd of British White cattle can roam safely and extensively across the site browsing on a variety of woody shrubs and grasses.

Their grazing helps keep the woodland glades open for rich and varied flora including bird’s foot trefoil, devil’s-bit scabious and many orchids, encouraging a variety of invertebrates such as longhorn beetle and wood white butterfly.

A £500 donation to Sussex Wildlife Trust adopts one of the new kissing gates at Ebernoe Common nature reserve which includes a brass plaque for personal dedications.

For more information please contact Mark Anscombe on 01273 497522 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Alternatively find our more at www.sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/kissinggates

Images copyright markmonk-terry