Learn more about the wildlife and wild places in Kent and beyond.
The brightest greens on the reserve throughout winter are provided by the mosses, not just in the upper bog, where the SSSI citation mentions 12 species of sphagnum moss, but the many other species, in long and cropped grass, on bare soil and stones, and on tree trunks and stumps - anywhere with poor drainage and low soil fertility. Accurate identification requires a strong magnifying lens and a good guide to the 800 UK species.
Read about the life of a volunteer at Queendown Warren.
It’s harvest and hibernation time, some systems shutting down while embryonic life in the form of seeds fall and scatter, insect pupae drop to the ground to overwinter, and the many species of fungus on the heathland continue their spectacular show.
Note from the warden: We do not allow collecting of mushrooms on the Hothfield Heathlands nature reserve, this is to protect the fungi and the species that rely on them and to allow all visitors to enjoy them in their natural surroundings.
Kent Wildlife Trust Volunteer, Margery Thomas, takes a look at what Hothfield Heathlands Nature Reserve has in store for us this autumn.
Kent Wildlife Trust Volunteer Margery Thomas explores what's on display at the stunning Hothfield Heathlands Nature Reserve this September.
Wildlife can recover, but we often need to give it a nudge in the right direction. Here our warden, Alison, talks about an innovative approach used at Nashenden to help diversify a previous arable section:
Kent Wildlife Trust Volunteer Margery Thomas explores what's on display at the stunning Hothfield Heathlands Nature Reserve this August.
