Why is nature restoration in Kent so important to us?

As an autistic person, nature is my everything. Navigating the modern world can be overwhelming at times, but when I step into nature, a sense of calm washes over me. Wildlife has and always will fascinate me. As a child, I would spend hours flicking through animal encyclopedias. I never cared for fiction - I found that the natural world had enough magic and mystery to keep me entertained! In my adult life, my connection to nature has supported my mental health, driven my career and given me a sense of fulfillment.

We should aspire to make Kent a wilder place to live for both people and nature. There is so much we can learn from nature, both in what we can understand about ourselves and about the creatures we share this planet with. Exploring Kent's countryside gives me a sense of connection to something bigger. At a time where humans and wildlife alike are facing adversity, these green spaces are sanctuaries, and we need to protect them.

For me it’s not just nature or wildlife but landscape and place. To sit somewhere high and read a landscape, how it has been shaped, by geology, weather, the animals that have moved through it and the people who have lived in it. The pattern of the fields and settlements, the habitats and wildlife - the story they tell, the way a landscape can speak to you, leaves its mark on you, as you leave your mark on it in return.

It's the stories those landscapes absorb, and the role nature plays in those stories which give us a means to reach people and talk to the importance of nature in their world and their role in caring for nature. It’s not necessarily about going back in time but about adding our own layers and stories to value, protect and restore nature to these landscapes reconnecting people to a sense of place and the crucial role of nature in our lives.

Nature is key to my wellbeing. I feel most comfortable outdoors, listening to birds, looking for different plants or pottering in my garden. When I'm in nature, my mind slows down and my thoughts relax. This is also why I care about protecting nature. Nature is amazing but it is delicate and the system we live in doesn't value it enough. I think lots of us are very disconnected from nature, but if we can find that connection again, it is essential to our wellbeing and improving many wider issues.

Nature means everything to me. It’s my church, my solace and my refuge. But living with seizures means I can’t always access it, especially not on my own. That’s made me realise how many barriers exist for people like me, and how important it is to make nature more accessible.

I never expected to work for a conservation charity, but when I saw a role for a Community Organiser at Kent Wildlife Trust, I took a chance. Now I get to work with communities who are often left out, especially young people and disabled people, and help them find their own connection to nature.

Wildlife matters, and a wilder Kent matters too. It’s not just about protecting the environment. It’s about improving lives. A wilder Kent gives more people the chance to enjoy green and blue spaces, feel better in themselves, and be part of something that belongs to all of us.

Nature is core to my being; it’s the blood that flows in my veins. It grounds and connects me to the wider world and is my solace through hard times. It’s not just something that nice to have, it is essential to our survival as one of the many species which call this world home. Repairing and renewing our intricate tapestry here in the UK, the south east, and Kent is key in making our areas nicer spaces for us to thrive in.

Nature is the rhythm of my life – I live and breathe it with every fibre of my being. Each walk through the Kent countryside with my dog, even on the darkest and most miserable of rainy days, reveals beauty, peace and joy that heals me daily. Wildlife is our shared treasure; by making Kent wilder we protect not only the creatures we love but the very heart and soul of a beautiful place we are so very lucky to call home.

I was fortunate enough to grow up connected to nature. I lived in an area with access to green spaces, and my parents and grandparents all cared about the natural world. Whether it was finding the magic in making ‘fairy houses’ from moss and twigs as a child or running through fields of grass I’m oh-so allergic to, I’m incredibly grateful for being able to experience some of Britain’s wilderness.

Not everybody is so lucky – and, as time goes on, each generation will be less fortunate than the last. If we stay on this trajectory, soon nobody will be able to connect to wild spaces.

Nature isn’t a negotiable and nor is creating a Wilder Kent. This is our county, ‘The Garden of England’, and I know many people can picture a time and place where wildlife wasn’t something you had to seek out – it just was. That’s how it should be. For our wellbeing and the future of the planet.

For me, nature has always been more than a backdrop, it's where I find balance, connection and perspective. Running along the Kent coast is where I clear my mind and remind myself what really matters. Walking with my girls along the woodland paths, pointing out different flowers or the flash of a rabbit, I see the world through their eyes - full of wonder, curiosity and possibility. It makes me determined that they grow up in a county where wildlife thrives and where nature is woven into daily life, not pushed to the margins. Kent is beautiful, but it could be wilder.

A wilder Kent means clearer rivers, richer soils, buzzing hedgerows, and more space for people and wildlife to coexist. That's why I care so much about wildlife, and why I believe we should all care. Because a wilder Kent isn't just good for otters, beavers, or butterflies - it's good for all of us. It's about health, joy, resilience, and leaving something stronger for the next generation.