Lead organisation
Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB)
Project description
Together, we will transform 22.79 hectares of vital chalkland habitat across RSPB Winterbourne Downs and Cholderton Estate. These sites from a critical living bridge between Porton Down and Salisbury Plain SSSI, creating a sanctuary for some of our rarest butterflies the Marsh Fritillary, the Duke of Burgundy, and the Silver-Spotted Skipper.
To achieve this transformation we will prepare the ground, develop new infrastructure to facilitate sustainable grazing, and develop flower-rich swards tailored specifically for local biodiversity needs.
This range of interventions serves one united purpose: the restoration of priority chalk grassland. This restoration will facilitate accelerated biodiversity recovery amongst flora and fauna whilst allowing chalk-specialist species and ground-nesting birds the conditions they need to thrive.
Project location
The project spans RSPB Winterbourne Downs and Cholderton Estate, important sites in the Big Chalk Programme area. These locations form part of the Salisbury Plain chalk landscape, one of Europe’s most significant chalk ecosystems, making this restoration critical for connectivity and species recovery.
Fit with the Big Chalk Programme
Importantly, this project fits directly into the wider Big Chalk mission to deliver chalkland restoration at landscape scale. By creating vibrant new grassland, strengthening the ecological threads that connect fragmented habitats, and establishing grazing systems that work with nature for the long term, we're advancing a vision that reaches from Salisbury Plain to the Cotswolds.
Wider social and environmental considerations
Every hectare restored here multiplies the impact across the wider landscape, building resilience against climate change while bringing our most threatened chalk species back from the brink and developing holistic and self-sufficient ecosystems.
The Big Chalk programme and Nature Recovery Fund is funded through the Protected Landscapes Partnership, supported by Defra.
Preparing nesting habitat for lapwing and stone‑curlew
Sowing new chalk grassland seed across RSPB Winterbourne Downs
Do you have a project that could strengthen the future of southern England’s iconic chalk and limestone landscapes?
The Big Chalk programme brings together a dynamic suite of partner-led projects, each unique in its focus, area, and partnerships but sharing a commitment to our collective vision.
If your project contributes to the Big Chalk mission, we invite you to register it as a Big Chalk Project. Registered projects gain access to networking, shared learning, and best practice—alongside the Big Chalk brand, boosting your profile and connecting you to a powerful, growing network of partners.
Together, these projects form a united effort to secure the future of southern England’s chalk and limestone landscapes, making a lasting impact for nature and communities.