Darent Triangle | The Wildlife Trusts

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View across Darent Valley to Polhill, Feb 2012 (C.Blackburn)

restoring chalk grassland on a landscape scale

Kent Wildlife Trust

This scheme is based around a core of Kent Wildlife Trust reserves, SSSIs and Local Wildlife Sites stretching from Lullingstone, through Shoreham to Kemsing.

The scheme area encompasses up to 25 square kilometres of habitats associated with chalk downland, with the Darent Valley running through the middle. The area falls entirely within the Central North Downs Biodiversity Opportunity Area.

What’s happening?

A public consultation to inform this scheme was held in May 2010.

A Biffaward-funded project is currently enabling Kent Wildlife Trust to restore chalk grassland on a landscape scale by developing a self-sustaining livestock grazing programme, working with local authorities, parish councils, landowners, graziers and community volunteers. The Trust is providing livestock, associated resources (grazing infrastructure, feed) and management advice, as well as making available a grazier incentive fund to make it more economically viable for local livestock owners to access the scheme.

Grazing has been successfully reinstated at Kemsing Reserve.

Start date: 2010

Scheme area: 2,500 hectares

Trust reserves within the scheme

Kemsing, Fackenden, Polhill Bank, Hewitts Chalk Bank; two Roadside Nature Reserves

This scheme is helping species including...

Grizzled skipper, dingy skipper, small blue, dark green fritillary, chalkhill blue, adder, early gentian, water vole, serotine bat

Current threats to the landscape

Lack of management and srub encroachment on chalk grassland;
Agricultural inputs on neutral grassland along Darent;
Lack of management of ancient woodland;
Fragmentation of habitats;
Agricultural inputs and recreational pressure along Darent.

This scheme is also...

Helping wildlife adapt to climate change, providing habitat for pollinating insects, providing volunteering opportunities and skills training.

Partners

Natural England, Forestry Commission, Local Authorities, Butterfly Conservation, Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group, local landowners.

To find out more

Email: info@kentwildlife.org.uk | Tel: 01227 719506 | Kent Wildlife Trust

Living Landscapes

Find out more about our Living Landscape conservation work - targeting areas for landscape-scale nature conservation and transforming places for people and wildlife.