DAYSOUT
Rewilding cont...
Through grazing and wallowing, these animals naturally create clearings within dense woodland, allowing more light to reach the forest floor. This helps to trigger natural plant regeneration and the development of microhabitats that support insects and birds. The reintroduction of European bison is helping to reshape the landscape by restoring natural ecological processes that the animals have performed for centuries, and by working together, keystone species and visitors’ interest in this project are driving a transformative restoration of Kent’ s ancient woodland.
WOODSELL WILDING AND REGENERATION PROJECT
woodsell. co. uk
In the heart of the Kent Downs, you can discover Woodsell, a 180- acre wilding and regeneration project near Stalisfield and Faversham. First acquired in 2020, the site is managed under a 99-year lease by the John Foran Foundation, a charity which helps support the wildlife recovery in Woodsell and provides educational awareness and public access to the rewilding project.
© Sarah Medway
CHALK TO COAST NATURE RECOVERY
The project is transforming the former farmland into a thriving nature reserve, with a focus on rewilding the natural landscape, an increase in biodiversity and regenerative agriculture initiatives. Woodsell is situated between two areas of Kent Wildlife Trust’ s land: Spuckles Wood and Holbeam. The land serves as a vital hub for research, training and education alongside nature-based therapy, which helps to not only restore Kent’ s natural ecosystems but also our relationship to it.
While visiting the project, you can embark on Woodsell’ s nature trail, which explains more about the wilding and regeneration projects taking place. Along the route are six wildlife ponds and wildflower seed plots comprising six two-acre fields of commercial wildflower seeds in partnership with Kent Seeds. These extensive plots are helping to improve the health and fertility of the soil by using regenerative farming methods and a number of native wildflowers including yellow rattle, a semi-parasitic annual that works as a so-called‘ meadow maker’ as it syphons off water and nutrients to nearby grasses, clearing grassland as the foundation for boosting biodiversity and allowing wildflower meadows to thrive.
TREEHOUSE AT WOODSELL
While on the trail, you can also discover the seasonal Orchid Bank, which flourishes in late May and June. During this time, the bank is awash with a wide variety of native wildflowers including ox-eye daisies and a large number of pyramidal orchids, which are known for their vibrant pink-purple flowers and signature pyramidal shape. The immersive trail offers a unique opportunity to witness the positive impact of landscape-scale restoration projects across the Kent Downs.
© Tim Horton
BLEAN WOOD
CHALK TO COAST NATURE RECOVERY chalktocoast. co. uk
When exploring Kent’ s northern coastline, you can discover a visionary landscape-scale nature recovery project taking shape. The ambitious 450-square-mile Chalk to Coast Nature Recovery project aims to reconnect the fragmented habitats from the Kent Downs National Landscape to the North Kent marshes and further along the coastline.
The project is helping to connect a cluster of farmers and landowners to form a continuous network of wildlife corridors across the county. By linking habitats, from chalk grassland and ancient woodlands to chalk streams and heathland, the initiative hopes to successfully reverse biodiversity loss and strengthen the resilience of Kent’ s landscape.
This initiative is partnered with a number of supporting conservation groups including Kent Wildlife Trust, RSPB and Natural England, and is supported by the Farming in Protected Landscapes( FiPL) programme. Together, these groups are working to connect landscapes from coast to countryside, bringing together a network of farmers, conservationists and community groups who are eager to help restore and protect the county’ s natural habitats.
With a number of accessible coastal walks across Kent’ s northern coastline, you can visit the landscape firsthand as the recovery area stretches from Faversham, where native European otters can occasionally be spotted in the local marshes, to the Isle of Grain on the easternmost point of the Hoo Peninsula, where black-tailed godwits and a number of wading birds forage on the shoreline. These nature corridors are designed to link these diverse habitats together, where wildlife and humans have the ability to travel between them, creating a communal environment for both wildlife and humans to thrive independently.
34 • www. insidekent. co. uk