Kent Wildlife Trust says they are delighted that an appeal to Protect Polhill has gotten off to a flying start, raising thousands within a few hours of its launch, and reaching 10% of its overall target.
The charity is attempting to raise £195,000 to purchase the site in Polhill after a generous donor agreed to triple match the first £84,000 of the £252,000 needed.
The acquisition is for a 26-acre site - which is about the same size as 416 tennis courts). It has been previously managed as a commercial farm and if the trust’s appeal is successful the conservation charity aims to transform it into a biodiverse chalk downland. With the right management the area could become a thriving nature habitat and give the wildlife at nearby Polhill Bank Nature Reserve, purchased via a successful appeal in 2019, more space.
Chalk downland is important for wildlife; it is an incredibly biodiverse ecosystem which supports a wide variety of plants and animals. It is also rare and fragile, requiring careful management. Kent Wildlife Trust has years of experience in restoring these chalk grasslands and hopes to transform the Polhill site from arable farmed land to a haven for nature with ponds, meadows, and wildflowers.
The fruits of the charity's labour are already clear to see, just a stone's throw away at the neighbouring Polhill Bank. In just a few years since Kent Wildlife Trust acquired the 40-acre site, nature is thriving with insects drawn to the pyramid orchids and wildflowers, the yellowhammer bird attracted by the insects and the common lizards seeking refuge in the wildlife ponds.
If the Polhill acquisition is successful, these precious species will have a further 26 acres to grow, bringing a much-needed biodiversity boost at a time of nature crisis. The money raised will not only go towards the cost of the site but also, sowing seeds, livestock management, tree safety and ash die-back mitigation. It is hoped that surveys and studies will be carried out to help other organisations learn from the restoration efforts.
