‘The Living Coast’ comes alive

The Brighton & Lewes Downs UNESCO World Biosphere Region has this week unveiled a new identity for the area. ‘The Living Coast’ is being billed as the place where people and nature come together in a world-class environment.

Senior figures from local business, public bodies, universities and the third sector came together at the Brighton Museum this week (Wednesday 15 March) to celebrate the fresh new look and feel. Guests were invited to play their part with all showing their support by signing up to take action to make a positive difference.

The new identity for the Biosphere – The Living Coast – is part of a strategy which aims to get more people looking after, improving and enjoying the area of land and sea stretching from Shoreham to Newhaven and Lewes.

Speaking at the event Geoff Raw, Chief Executive at Brighton & Hove City Council, the lead partner of the Biosphere Partnership, said the area’s prestigious status was incredibly powerful in terms of attracting support and attention from around the world.

Geoff said: “Our UNESCO World Biosphere Region status gives considerable prestige to our environmental work and is also a powerful driver to go further and show leadership beyond our boundaries. The Living Coast is an exciting new identity for our area that offers a great opportunity for our economy to become more resilient and our community to live healthier lives in greater harmony with our unique local environment." 

Ben Earl, Chair of the Biosphere Delivery Board and Water Efficiency Manager at Southern Water, said: “The Biosphere Partnership plays a vital function in bringing together a diverse range of organisations with an interest and role in our local environment to collaborate more effectively for our common good. This dynamic mix of public, private and voluntary sector bodies enables us to achieve far more than any one body could do acting alone. I look forward to seeing our impact grow with the advent of The Living Coast.”

In the run up to the rebranding; activities run by Biosphere partner the ‘Brighton & Hove environmental education project’ (BHee), have taken place in primary schools to get children thinking more widely about their local environment.

One parent at Middle Street primary school in Brighton told BHee the activities “…give the children a new found enthusiasm and interest in something that is right on their doorstep.”