10 must-visit Kent woodlands
Be sure to check out these 10 woods whilst exploring Kent, each offering something a little different across the county.
Get outside with Kent Wildlife Trust this Bank Holiday Weekend
As the bank holiday weekend approaches (23rd-25th August 2024), there's no better time to connect with nature and explore the great outdoors. Kent Wildlife Trust offers a variety of activities that make it easy to immerse yourself in the county's stunning landscapes and rich biodiversity. Whether you're a nature enthusiast, a family looking for a fun day out, or simply seeking a peaceful escape, we have the perfect opportunity for you...
August on Hothfield Heathlands: Barn owls & volunteers
By August, floral glory has passed from the orchids (heath spotted, southern marsh and a few large hybrids) to the heather or ling. As ever, we hope for a protracted display of purple in the heathy areas, which is likely if the cool nights persist. Orchid seed is now ripening. Dust-like, dispersed on the wind, the seed contains no nutrients to support germination so needs a mycorrhizal fungus to supply nutrients from the soil to its roots. From seed to flowering takes three years or more.
How to protect our marine areas
Nina Jones, Protected Area Warden takes a moment ahead of National Marine Week to explain what we can individually and collectively do to help restore and protect nature on our coasts.
How a wet spring at Hothfield has benefitted the dragonflies
The wettest winters and springs on record have had at least one benefit. The ponds and pools across Hothfield Heathlands are full of water!
Nightingales at Hothfield Heathlands in June
On 19th May one hundred years ago, the first outdoors broadcast by the BBC was of professional cellist Beatrice Harrison playing to and with nightingales in the garden of her Surrey home. Around a million listeners tuned in to the midnight broadcast, and she performed for similar outdoor broadcasts over the next twelve years.
May on Hothfield Heathlands
Margery Thomas describes another delightful May in Hothfield Heathland where volunteers conducted an amphibian torchlight survey on a number of Hothfield ponds. To learn what they found, read on!
A guide to chalk downland species: From plants to reptiles
Chalk grassland – also known as chalk downland or lowland calcareous grassland – is an increasingly rare habitat and one of the richest in Western Europe. In England, it’s mostly found on the North Downs but there are also patches scattered along the East Kent coast.