Good News and Dolphin Sightings 2018!

The Sussex Wildlife Trust has announced that there have been 18 Cetacean (collective name for whales, dolphins and porpoises) sightings reported to the Brighton Dolphin Project in 2018 (website). This includes 10 bottlenose dolphin, 3 common dolphin, 1 harbour porpoise and 4 unidentified cetacean sightings. Indeed, when kayaking across to France in order to raise money for the Elsie-Rose & Friends Foundation (blog), Mark reported seeing 2 pods of porpoises accompanying them for part of their journey, so plenty of cetaceans around the Sussex and Kent coasts! 

If you wish to add to the records of the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre based at the Sussex Wildlife Trust, please go to their website, many thanks.

New Chief Executive for Sussex Wildlife Trust

Following the retirement of Dr Tony Whitbread, who originally joined the Sussex Wildlife Trust as Head of Conservation in 1991, becoming Chief Executive 15 years later, a new Chief Executive has been appointed. Tony played a great role in that time as an advocate for conservation, published The Vision for the Wildlife of Sussex, played a leading role in establishing the Sussex Biodiversity Record Centre, promoted the need for the establishment of the South Downs National Park, acted as a Trustee of The Wildlife Trusts, and saw the membership of Sussex Wildlife Trust double to 30,000 during his tenure. A hard act to follow indeed...

Tor Lawrence

The newly appointed Chief Executive is Tor Lawrence, who grew up in Lewes, still lives in East Sussex, and has announced it as an "absolute honour to take over this important role from Tony." Tor's previous history includes senior management roles with London Wildlife Trust, East Sussex County Council, and more recently as South Downs National Park Authority Countryside Policy Manager for the Eastern Downs.  

My best wishes to Tony, and a warm welcome to Tor!

Photograph of Tor Lawrence from the website, with many thanks to Miles Davies.