An exceptional year for Kent bogs and heaths
Although the rest of us may not have appreciated it, the miserable weather this summer has been welcomed at Hothfield Common’s developing bogs and heaths near Ashford, with many plants and animals thriving as a result.
Owned by Ashford Borough Council, and managed by Kent Wildlife Trust, many of Hothfield Common’s pools, which normally dry out in May, were still at a healthy level in August, thanks to the weather and the Trust’s water management. This was hugely beneficial to the many speciality bog plants that rely on permanently damp conditions.
One such plant that has flourished in these conditions is the remarkable round-leaved sundew - a carnivorous plant that catches insects on its sticky buds, and slowly digests them.
A whole host of plants are now benefiting from this Heritage Lottery Funded habitat restoration work, which has taken place over the last four years.
The sponge-like sphagnum moss and bog asphodel has re-established itself - whilst purple heather, which is now in bloom, has spread rapidly.
Orchids have had a particularly good season at Hothfield with heath spotted orchids appearing in their thousands and southern marsh orchids seeing dramatic increases.
Kent Wildlife Trust is working in partnership with Ashford Borough Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore the old heath and bog habitats of the nature reserve and saving many rare plants and animals.
Ian Rickards, who was recently appointed by Kent Wildlife Trust as the new Ashford Area Warden, said: “We have been using a potent combination of Highland cattle and wild Konik horses to carry out essential conservation work, preventing invasive species like bramble and soft rush from suppressing the more sensitive plants such as the southern marsh orchid.
“Grazing animals wallowing in the bogs provide germinating opportunities for our rare plants as well as creating ideal conditions for insects - such as the rare keeled skimmer dragonfly - to breed in.”
Ian’s team has been further strengthened by two volunteer trainee wardens, Susan Adams and Megan Jones, who joined on 1st September for an eleven-month stint at the reserve.
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