Sweet chestnut — Jon Hawkins, Surrey Hills Photography

Our plans for our woodlands - Here's how your donation will make Kent's woodlands wilder

4th October 2024

In this blog we take a closer look at how your donations will help to protect and restore woodland habitat across Kent.

Last month we launched our Save our Woodlands campaign. It’s our largest appeal yet, because Kent’s woodlands are at greater risk than ever before.

How we're already working for Kent's woodlands

From East Blean in the east of Kent to Brenchley Wood in the west, and from Cromers Wood in the north to the more southerly Collingwood, our reserve wardens, and the amazing volunteer teams that support them, work tirelessly to manage the 3,964ha of woodland habitat already under our protection. With challenges ranging from diseases and pests, to fly tipping and invasive non-native species, our teams are busier than ever.

At the same time, our Planning and Policy, and Advocacy teams are constantly working to ensure that woodland habitat beyond our reserves is safeguarded from damaging development, and that planning decisions prioritise the preservation of natural habitats. We’re also striving to increase the amount of woodland under our care, so that we can ensure more of Kent’s native woodlands survive and thrive.

Why now?

The threats facing our woodlands aren’t going away, they’re getting worse. And the species that depend upon these precious habitats are suffering. Recent government data revealed that 59% of woodland bird species declined since 2015. Here in Kent, we’ve already lost the willow tit, and the wood warbler and redstart no longer breed here; we’re at risk of losing breeding populations of other iconic species like the turtle dove and nightingale too. Woodland butterflies are also declining, with the loss of species like pearl-bordered fritillary linked to the loss of open spaces within our woodlands. (Kent Nature Partnership)

Lack of woodland management is one of the eight biggest drivers of species decline across the UK.

Climate change is another. We’re already feeling its effects, and the predicted impacts on Kent, including a 3°C rise in average summer temperatures by 2040, will further impact our habitats. But if we act now, we can ensure our woodlands are more climate resilient.

We need to raise £475,000 to support vital woodland management and protection this season.

We carry out most of our on-the-ground woodland management work in the autumn and winter to minimise disturbance to wildlife, so by donating to the appeal today you will be enabling us to do more to protect woodlands right now, and throughout the winter.

The more we raise now, the more we can do to safeguard woodlands across Kent.

Can you help us reach the targets below?  

If we raise £75,000, we can carry out vital disease and pest management on our reserves...

... protecting woodlands from threats like ash dieback disease. In Kent, our proximity to mainland Europe means we are especially vulnerable to pests, diseases and pathogens. The generosity of our supporters has allowed us to undertake extensive work to control ash dieback in recent years, but it is an on-going and costly challenge -requiring direct management of infected trees and regular surveying to monitor the spread of this and other threats.

If we raise £160,000, we can also improve tracks and access in and around woodlands, like the Blean.

To carry out essential woodland management activities like coppicing, and repairing fences, we have to manoeuvre machinery, materials, teams of volunteers, and livestock around our woodlands. Well maintained access tracks make this work possible. Our wardens also maintain 100s of kilometres of pathways to ensure our reserves are as accessible as possible, so that more people can experience nature.  

If we raise £215,000, we’ll be able to combat more invasive non-native species.

This is an on-going and labour-intensive challenge for our reserves’ teams, but it is crucial to ensure our woodlands remain diverse. If left unchecked non-native species like rhododendron, cherry laurel and goat’s rue can spread rapidly and outcompete native plants, like wood anemone, bluebells and lily of the valley, for space and light. 

Two Iron-age pigs at West Blean and Thornden Woods

If we reach £270,000 we can also install new fencing to support our Wilder Grazing programme.

Grazing animals, like Highland cattle, Exmoor ponies and Iron Age pigs help to naturally and sustainably manage our reserves. Fencing enables us to effectively and safely manage these animals, so they can continue to fulfill this important role.  

Blean Vegetation. A woodland in the summer's light. Photo taken May 22 by Donovan Wright

If we reach £315,000, donations will also support vital, on-going restoration work

Managing the woodlands under our protection takes significant time and resource. Donations will support our wardens and volunteer teams to carry out essential tasks like tree thinning, coppicing, and creating and maintaining rides and glades, which create a varied age structure and encourage a myriad of species; as well as training for the wardens and conservationists of tomorrow.  

Helen pitman with megaphone at keep blean green protest

If we reach £370,000, funds will also support the work of our expert policy and planning team.

This will help them to continue to engage with local planning processes, challenge inappropriate and damaging development and advocate for the protection and preservation of our natural spaces.  

If we reach our £475,000 target, we’ll have the chance to protect more at-risk woodland.

By bringing more land under our protection and working closely with landowners we can restore and reconnect fragmented woodland habitats, creating vital wildlife corridors. If we reach this target, we can set aside funds for viable land purchase opportunities that arise in the near future. Opportunities to buy at-risk land are often highly time sensitive, so a designated pot will help us to act quickly to purchase land or kickstart additional fundraising efforts if needed.  

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