The Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere

What The Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere does

The Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere (Brighton & Lewes Downs UNESCO Biosphere Region) is a non-profit partnership organization managing a designated urban biosphere reserve in Sussex, England. The territory stretches along the coast from Worthing to Seaford and north over the South Downs National Park to Wivelsfield and Newick in the Low Weald. Founded in 2014 and re-inaugurated for a further 10 years in 2025, the organization coordinates conservation of rare habitats (coastal vegetated shingle, chalk downland, marine ecosystems), groundwater protection, biodiversity monitoring via citizen science (City Nature Challenge), environmental education through schools (Our City Our World), arts programming (Artist Residency), and sustainable tourism (The Living Coast by Bike digital platform with 10 GPS-linked cycle routes).

The organization's "technology" is primarily the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve management framework and a coordinated partnership network of 60+ organizations including Brighton & Hove City Council, South Downs National Park Authority, Kew Gardens Millennium Seed Bank, The Aquifer Partnership, and local businesses. Products include digital platforms (cycle route website, event calendars, business directory), educational curricula, and community engagement programs. The Living Coast provides all services free of charge with no commercial pricing model.

Revenue is derived entirely from grants and partnership funding. Major grants include £2.23 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (Changing Chalk partnership), £2 million from the National Lottery Community Fund (Ouse Valley Climate Action), £35,000 from The Aquifer Partnership (school education), EU Interreg France (Channel) England funding for the BioCultural Heritage Tourism Project, and abrdn Charitable Foundation support. The organization operates with 1-10 employees, including Programme Managers, an Education Ranger, Board Members, and Youth Representatives, serving residents, visitors, schools, local businesses, and partner organizations across the Sussex region.

Name

The Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere

Legal name

The Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere

Website

https://thelivingcoast.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere is a non-profit partnership organization managing a designated urban biosphere reserve across the Sussex coastline, coordinating conservation, environmental education, citizen science, and sustainable tourism through a network of 60+ partner organizations, funded entirely by grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Nature, Biodiversity & Ecosystem Conservation (BPADALAE), Marine Wildlife Sanctuaries & Protected Seascape Visitor Operations (Reef/Marine Parks) (THAAAFAJ)

Keywords

• Biosphere conservation
• Environmental education
• Citizen science programs
• Sustainable tourism
• Community partnership

Headquarters

HQ city

Hove, England

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding: Primary funding from grants including National Lottery Heritage Fund (£2.23m for Changing Chalk partnership), abrdn Charitable Foundation, UNESCO programs, and National Lottery Community Fund (£2m to Ouse Valley Climate Action).
2. EU Interreg Funding: EU Interreg France (Channel) England funding for BioCultural Heritage Tourism Project.
3. Partnership Funding: Secured £35,000 partnership funding for 2024/25 academic year with The Aquifer Partnership for Our City Our World educational program.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere is a non-profit partnership organization coordinating environmental conservation, education, and community engagement across the Brighton & Lewes Downs UNESCO Biosphere Region in Sussex, England. It delivers school sustainability programs (Our City Our World), citizen science initiatives (City Nature Challenge), landscape-scale conservation projects (Changing Chalk), a GPS-linked cycling tourism platform (The Living Coast by Bike), paid artist residencies, and heritage site stewardship including Stanmer Park. All services are provided free of charge to residents, visitors, and partner organizations, funded primarily through grants and partnership funding.

Product overview

The Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere is a designated urban biosphere reserve organization spanning the coast from Worthing to Seaford and into the South Downs National Park. Rather than offering a traditional product portfolio, it coordinates multiple environmental, educational, and community programs including The Living Coast by Bike (a GPS-enabled cycle route platform), Our City Our World (school sustainability education), the Changing Chalk conservation initiative, citizen science programs like City Nature Challenge, and arts residencies. The organization also manages and promotes heritage sites including Stanmer Park, and operates youth engagement through its Youth Representatives Program. These initiatives are supported through partnerships with local councils, universities, conservation organizations, and EU funding programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Living Coast by Bike A GPS-linked website featuring 10 cycle routes through The Living Coast biosphere region, with route maps, heritage information, refreshment stops, and bike hire/shop links. Aimed at visitors and residents seeking sustainable cycling tourism experiences.
• Our City Our World A whole-school, whole-city approach to sustainability and climate change education for schools in Brighton & Hove, part of the Changing Chalk Partnership project. Delivered to school communities through educational programming.
• Changing Chalk Project

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,600 observations of 863 species recorded by 131 citizen scientists in City Nature Challenge
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Aquifer PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Collaboration on Our City Our World educational program secured £35,000 funding for 2024/25 academic year. Partnership works with farmers, land managers, and urban planners to protect groundwater from pollution through sustainable techniques including cover crops and rain gardens.
• Brighton & Hove City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership delivering environmental education, conservation projects including Black Rock vegetated shingle restoration, and joint staffing through Education Ranger program.
• So SussexcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped The Living Coast by Bike website featuring 10 GPS-linked cycle routes through the biosphere, launched 2021 as part of BioCultural Heritage Tourism Project.
• Ouse Valley Climate ActioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with £2m National Lottery Community Fund award covering nature recovery, skills development, and green energy initiatives across Ouse Valley.
• Kew Gardens Millennium Seed BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on coastal vegetated shingle restoration project at Black Rock, propagating plants from local seeds and cuttings.
• South Downs National Park AuthoritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in managing the biosphere region that extends into the South Downs National Park.
• Fabrica GallerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Living Coast Artist Residency program providing paid opportunities for artists to develop creative practice around nature and wellbeing themes.
• ONCA GallerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Living Coast Artist Residency program and marine conservation initiatives.
• Plumpton CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRuns One Garden Brighton (formerly Stanmer Walled Garden) as college's horticulture campus.
• Brighton Permaculture TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity partner at Stanmer Park managing Home Farm Orchard with over 25 rare Sussex apple varieties, designated National Collection by Plant Heritage.
• Low Carbon TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuilt England's first Earthship at Stanmer Park, an off-grid building powered by solar with water harvesting and wastewater treatment.
• Brighton & Hove Food PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped Stanmer Wellbeing Gardens and coordinates food-related initiatives including Sussex Surplus and Real Junk Food Project.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheLivingCoastUNESCObiosphere
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheLivingCoastUNESCOBiosphere
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-living-coast
• Instagraminstagram.com/livingcoastuk

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Living Coast UNESCO Biosphere