Observations of wildlife are vital to the management of the Chailey Commons as it is by sharing your sightings that we can see how nature is responding to the current management of the Commons, particularly the restoration of key areas of heathland. In the longer term, biologists can also track and predict how climate change and increased nutrients may further affect the wildlife of these habitats. We welcome news of your observations to our   address. 

Naturalists visiting the Commons are encouraged to report their wildlife observations through their society recording scheme (e.g. Botanical Society of the British Isles, British Trust for Ornithology) this data will usually be shared with the Sussex Biodiversity Records Centre, which is managed by the Sussex Wildlife Trust and can be retrieved by managers.

If you are unsure of a wildlife identification but have a good quality photo then consider submitting as a record to iNaturalist, where specialists may be able to confirm the ID and submit your observation as part of a global records scheme GBIF.

Monitoring of flagship species such as Nightjars and Marsh Gentians is carried out by CCS volunteers, who continue to carry out annual flora recording in liaison with the Sussex Botanical Recording Society and local botanists.

For those interested in undertaking research projects, please contact   where CCS would be happy to discuss proposals and help researchers seek permission from landowners and managers. However, please bear in mind the Commons are open access to walkers for most of the year, while destructive sampling would not normally be permitted on a Site of Special Scientific Interest and fencing is not allowed on registered common land.