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Lydden Temple Ewell RNR
The Road Verge Project is responsible for a unique scheme in the Lydden area, near Dover. In a partnership between Kent Wildlife Trust, Dover District Council, Kent County Council and DEFRA, three Roadside Nature Reserves are being managed under a ten year grazing scheme, supported by Countryside Stewardship.
In the two years up to autumn 2004, Road Verge Volunteers worked on a programme of scrub clearance undertaken on these RNRs, opening up areas of scrub to restore chalk grassland. In autumn 2004, the first site was fenced, and the first grazing animals (cattle from the adjacent landowner) went on to the site.
Developments
Additional fencing is now in place around Lydden Hill compartments 2 and 3, and the Canterbury Road RNR. Kent Wildlife Trust's sheep and goats now graze these sites, and, for the first time in many years, several common spotted orchids have been found on the Canterbury Road RNR. Grazing these sites will be a more sensitive, economic and sustainable approach to maintaining their diversity and conservation interest.
This is the first time that such a scheme has been tried on a Roadside Nature Reserve anywhere in the UK. If successful, a similar approach could be adopted on other, suitable RNRs in the future.
Project funders
We are grateful to the following organisations for additional funding which supported the Road Verge Project work at Lydden: Rees Jeffrey Road Verge Fund; D’Oyley Carte; Husk; Unison; Potted Garden Nursery; and Lydden Parish Council.
