Four people bird watching with binoculars.

A team day out to Dane Valley Woods

Ecological Data Analyst, Lawrence Ball, talks about a recent team day out to Dane Valley Woods - and the team tells us what makes it so special.

Every few months, Kent Wildlife Trust’s Species & Nature Recovery, Planning and Policy, and Monitoring and Evidence teams come together for a day of socialising and information sharing at key sites in Kent where staff share the progress, challenges and successes of their work. 

Past team days have taken us to Bedgebury to learn about the pine marten reintroduction programme, Marden and the Weald for Turtle Dove and lowland meadow conservation, Betteshanger to explore planning challenges, and Dover for chough and chalk grassland conservation. 

Earlier this week, we headed east to Sandwich and Pegwell Bay to hear about the threats and challenges posed by the Sealink development and the inspiring work of the Rethink Sealink campaign. In the afternoon, the sun was shining and the wind dropped as we headed north to visit Dane Valley Woods, a community woodland in the heart of Margate, and a newly designated Local Wildlife Site.

The team were blown away by the dedication of local volunteers and the site’s sheer beauty and ecological value - see below!

Thank you to the staff who led the day and shared their incredible work and the Dane Valley Woods volunteer team.

It's a TARDIS of a site – it feels much bigger on the inside - easy to lose yourself in nature.
A wonderful case study of community-led nature recovery, creating a uniquely wild space just a stone’s throw from central Margate.
DVW presents a perfect example of how urban greenspace can be both a sanctuary for wildlife and a welcoming place for people.
A lovely natural area that is thriving thanks to the dedicated work of some amazing people, providing a direct benefit to both wildlife and the local community.
The visit to Dane Valley Wood was truly a revelation - an amazing transformation from former landfill to a mosaic of diverse habitats that is fabulous both for nature and the wellbeing of the Margate residents who pass through its leafy green embrace.
Ecologically it's super interesting because over 6,000 trees have been planted in 25 years and there are no deer or rabbits affecting sapling survival - the diversity of tree species and complexity of the vegetation structure is like nowhere else - a really special place.

Volunteer at Dane Valley Woods

The Dane Valley Woods team are looking for more volunteers to help with management and monitoring - contact them below if you're interested.

Get in touch