Meet a:dress: Slowing down fast fashion
a:dress is a creative, community‑led initiative working to slow down fast fashion at a local level. Learn more about what they've been up to and how KWT has been involved!
Kent’s wild orchids: Why these remarkable plants matter
Lady orchids blooming in well-managed coppice woodland. Tucked-away chalk grasslands where rare monkey orchids thrive. The fantastic mimicry of bee orchids next to cowslips and marjoram. This is Kent at its best!
One student’s mission to learn more about Ashford’s secretive beavers
In this blog, hear from Monitoring & Evidence Research Intern, Ollie, about his work tracking beavers in Kent. Believe it or not, these elusive creatures have made it to Ashford!
Top migratory birds to spot this spring
Have you heard an extra harmony in the dawn chorus recently? You might be hearing the passerines (songbirds) that have been migrating north to breed after spending the winter feeding in warmer climates.
The magical bluebell weeks - May on Hothfield Heathlands
The glossy green spears that pierced dense leaf litter in late winter are now transformed into sheets of violet-purple-blue in the woodland edges of the reserve. The magical bluebell weeks began fairly early, a soft scent and a flood of colour that changes with the light and is tricky to catch accurately in photos since the flowers are not one solid colour.
Why chalk streams must be granted irreplaceable habitat status
Chalk streams are among the most precious and rare freshwater ecosystems on Earth, which we are so lucky to enjoy across Kent. They are characterised by their crystal-clear, mineral-rich waters, filtered through ancient chalk bedrock, which support a unique array of wildlife. Despite their global rarity and ecological value, these rivers are still not recognised as irreplaceable habitats within planning policy.
April on Hothfield Heathlands - Highland cows and nesting birds
We are into full nesting season including the birds who nest on the ground or very low down in scrub, which is over half of Britain’s breeding species including the stonechat, robin, blackbird, skylark, yellow hammer, tree pipit and chiff chaff, not to mention the migrants such as whitethroats who will arrive from the South in May.
Grazing animal dung & its role in the ecosystem
One of the many benefits of using grazing livestock in conservation management is that they produce dung. Their dung acts in various ways to enhance the landscape and provides benefits for a range of organisms that would otherwise be excluded in a machinery-based site management scheme.