Wildlife

Custodians of biodiversity

One of the primary aims of Countryside Management Partnerships (CMPs) is to act as custodians of wildlife, not only on sites that they manage, but in the whole of Kent.  Creating habitats where wildlife can flourish, giving advice about habitat management, recording wildlife and encouraging people to create wildlife friendly areas in gardens are all essential parts of the CMPs’ work.

Kent is home to some rare and internationally important habitats.  The appropriate management of our habitats, which include chalk downland, wetlands and the vegetated shingle in Dungeness is vitally important in the effort to maintain the unique biodiversity of a heavily populated county.

The many and varied habitats and species in Kent require management that is specific to the needs of the species that are being conserved.  Some of the examples of the way that CMPs do this include:

• reintroduction of grazing to downland
• pond creation
• creating corridors between areas of good wildlife habitat
• woodland management
• tree and hedge planting
• habitat pile creation

Biodiversity Action Plans

Biodiversity Action Plans have been formulated to create targets to help protect and enhance biodiversity.  Find out how CMPs are helping to achieve Biodiversity Action Plan targets.

Invasive species

Non-native species can pose a major threat to our native wildlife as they often spread very quickly and can crowd out indigenous species.  Find out more about how CMPs help to combat invasive species.

Advice and services

• habitat management
• biological recording
• funding for wildlife
• school grounds
• Kent Free Trees scheme

Your local wildlife

Useful links to external sites

• Wildlife Gardening (Wildlife Trusts)
• Wild About Gardens (Kent Wildlife Trust)
• Creating areas for nature
• Kent and Medway Biological Records Centre
• Kent Biodiversity Action Plan