6 March 2020
It has been announced this week that Shoreham Port’s Director for Infrastructure and Sustainability, Tony Parker, has been appointed as The Living Coast’s newest Biosphere Delivery Board Member. With over 40 years of experience in the design, implementation and management of port and harbour facilities, as well coast protection and waterside development, Tony’s breadth of knowledge and passion for the environment make him an ideal member of the Living Coast’s Biosphere Board.
The Brighton & Lewes Downs Biosphere – branded The Living Coast – was awarded United Nations (UNESCO) Biosphere status in 2014. These Biospheres are designated as exemplars of sustainable development and sites of excellence enabling the crucial balance between conservation and socioeconomic development, between nature and people; and demonstrate unique learning opportunities for the local, national and international community and the next generation.
Shoreham Port have been an active partner of the Brighton & Lewes Downs Biosphere since 2013 and last year proposed a new initiative to create a biodiversity corridor along the Port’s seafront, aiming to help join the two seaward ends of the biosphere together along the coast on the seaward side of the City. The corridor will be gradually created through a policy of including wildlife planting sites on all of Shoreham Port’s new development sites, and by identifying and nurturing wildlife planting on all other sites that could contribute to local biodiversity. You can read about the Port’s values and initiatives as a Biosphere partner in this series of stories for a new Biosphere campaign #WeAreTheLivingCoast - ‘An Eco Port on your doorstep’.
Sarah Dobson, Programme Manager at The Living Coast Biosphere commented “I am thrilled Tony Parker, Director of Infrastructure and Climate Change at Shoreham Port, will be joining The Living Coast Biosphere Board representing the Port. Tony has a wealth of personal and professional experience and expertise, both in the operation and opportunities associated with a thriving EcoPort and with the wider sustainable development opportunities across the breadth of our Biosphere."
Sara continued "The Port’s innovative and ambitious approach complements the Biosphere’s objectives of nature conservation, sustainable development and knowledge sharing perfectly. The addition of Tony and Shoreham Port to the Board will be an asset and inspiration across the Biosphere.”
Tony Parker commented “I am extremely pleased and proud to have been invited to represent the Port on the governing body of the Biosphere as it enables us to be directly involved in the biosphere’s governance and decision making. The Board are active ambassadors for the Biosphere, raising awareness and overseeing the delivery programme and my appointment is recognition that the Port can play a significant part in developing policy for the Biosphere area and beyond.
Tony continued “In particular, we believe that the Port can play a significant role in ‘Bringing the Biosphere into the City’ by creating biodiversity corridors along our borders on the seaward-side shoreline and the landward A259-side from one end of the Port to the other. Working with our partners at Brighton & Hove City, Adur & Worthing Councils and with our communities, we hope eventually to have biodiversity corridors creating downland and shoreline habitats of native plants and trees all the way from one side of the city to the other. These habitats in turn can support the wide variety of birds, bees, butterflies and all the other species to be found in the natural environment surrounding the City. Exciting times!”
Category: Sustainability
