In May, Charing Alderbed Meadows was officially launched as a community wildlife site by the Mayor of Ashford. Designated a Local Wildlife Site in recognition of its damp meadow and wet semi ancient woodland, the site is now fully open to the public. Extensive access improvement works, including a car park, boardwalk and access gates, all made possible by grant money sourced from Mid Kent Leader +, the Rail Link Countryside Initiative, and others are now complete. A programme of activities, running from May through to December, has been organised to give people the opportunity to come along and learn more about the site. Events kicked off with a flower walk, a bird and bat box building day and a minibeast safari in the spring. So far this summer, people have got out of bed extra early for a dawn chorus breakfast, enjoyed a small mammal trapping day, watched a historical performance from Charing Primary School children, made some wild art and ventured out after dark for moth and bat evenings. But don’t worry if you think you’ve missed out, there’s plenty more to come including a woodland workshop, an autumnal walk, hedge planting and coppicing.

The latest homes to be developed in Ashford this summer haven’t been on the land but in the river! Located in the very desirable Godinton Park, these beautiful stone apartments have been constructed for one species in particular- the white clawed crayfish. Native to the UK and now extremely threatened due to the introduction of the American or signal crayfish, the upper reaches of the Stour are one of the few remaining strongholds for this species in Kent. Looking like a small lobster, these amazing nocturnal crustaceans occur in freshwater streams and feed on snails, insects and dead fish.

The new structures, known as deflectors, help reduce the width of the river channel, speeding up the water flow and increasing the erosive scouring action on the riverbed. This washes away silt and exposes a shingle, gravel river bed- ideal habitat for the crayfish. Not only that, but the local Kentish ragstone that the deflectors are made from also create many different cracks and crevices which are ideal for crayfish to squeeze into.

KSCP volunteers created two double deflectors in total and made repairs to several existing structures. In addition to this, members of the UK wide group the ‘Peoples Trust for Endangered Species’ were given the opportunity to come along and learn all about crayfish during a special training course run by the KSCP.

Ever heard of a horse stile before? No it’s not the start of a bad joke but an ingenious access solution to allow horse riders onto part of Chilston Park. This section of historic parkland in Sandway, Lenham, was isolated from the rest of Chilston Park during the construction of the M20 and Channel Tunnel Rail Link, and was purchased in December 2005 by the Heaths Countryside Corridor (HCC). During the construction process of the rail link, the land was no longer farmed and remained unmanaged which unfortunately lead to motorbikes using the area. A short section of bridleway runs across the site but whilst HCC wanted to make the site secure and deter motorbikes, it was still necessary to keep an access point for horse riders. But what can you create to allow in horses but prevent motorbikes? A horse stile! This is an enclosed area with a normal bridle gate at one end and a narrow section at the other. Across the narrow section are placed two railway sleepers at a set distance apart which horses can step over but large motorbikes can’t be lifted over.

Installed by KSCP volunteers with the expert help of Ian Hayes from Kent County Council’s Public Rights of Way team, the horse stile was one of several access points put in as sections of the site’s boundary were fenced. Together with a pedestrian stile and a vehicle gate, the stile is the beginning of bringing the site back into management for the enjoyment of people and wildlife conservation.

Other work at Chilston Park this year has included surveying. Before deciding on the best way to manage sites, it is important that surveys are completed to find out what type of plants and animals live there. The KSCP, with help from local BTCV pond wardens, carried out a total of six night time torch surveys of the sites two ponds to find out whether they were home to the rare and endangered great crested newt. One of the ponds, on the bank of the railway line, was found to be home to a good population of these rare amphibians who seemed to not notice the high speed trains shooting past at regular intervals. The other pond, which has significant historical interest due to its use for collecting ice to go in the ice house (a giant underground fridge) was considerably more overgrown and difficult to survey but, with the help of some harmless live traps, great crested newts were found there also. In addition to this, smooth and palmate newts were also recorded and when a group of people braved the weather to come along to the public survey evening, small young newts, known as efts, were also found.

The Ashford Warren Local Wildlife Site is predominantly oak and chestnut woodland close to the town centre. Its acid grassland and veteran trees are special features. The KSCP volunteers have worked on the site almost every year since 1993 and in 2006 KSCP have carried out surveys, de-silted the pond and stream, built a dipping platform, helped the Council with a bracken removal policy and mown the meadows. Interpretive Panels are also due to go up in the autumn. Anyone interested in helping with wildlife surveys should contact KSCP.