Ashford and Dover Volunteers - September 2022 Update

Ashford Volunteer Update – Cristina Juan

“A couple of weeks ago we enjoyed a nice day out and about – well deserved after all the hard work we have done this year - and treated ourselves to a visit to Sandwich Bay, a wonderful coastal nature reserve. This is the place I looked after before joining the Ashford team and it was a joy to show my team around and share some inside knowledge. We had a lovely stroll along the beach where we found all sorts of treasures – from lovely, coloured shells and tasty (cucumber flavoured) sea sandwort to a perfectly preserved specimen of a washed-up dogfish.

A quick lunch stop later, we made our way to Dover Castle to be greeted by Suzanne from Wildwood, along with four very chatty choughs. Suzanne told us everything about this exciting project she is working on, helping to bring back choughs into our countryside. We were lucky enough to arrive right on (feeding) time and witnessed how these smart birds interact with their carer.

We ended our day with some ice cream with castle views - not a bad day all in all.”

High Downs Volunteer Update

It’s been a long process, but we hope to get cattle grazing at Covert Wood in the next few weeks.  The volunteers worked hard to clear and install over a kilometre of fencing, along with ongoing work to manage large parts of the heathland. When the cattle get onsite, they will be instrumental in maintaining the open heath, supported by our team of livestock checkers.

Dover Downs Volunteer Update

It is always good to see the benefits of the work that the Kent Wildlife Trust volunteers have achieved.  Several decades of hard work on the slopes of Lydden Temple Ewell, scrub clearing and fencing have produced great numbers of our target species.

Wart biter crickets and Straw belle moths have been spreading across the reserve, with a volunteer survey day in September finding 80 adults, making this one of, if not THE best spot for this beautiful moth in the country.