Kent farmers in innovative Chalk to Coast project
Farmer-led initiative to create vital nature network across Kent's diverse landscapes. Project contributes to government's Nature Recovery Network commitment
Nightingale in nest - credit Ben Andrew (RSPB-images.com)
An ambitious farmer-led initiative connecting Kent’s diverse landscapes from chalk downlands to coastal habitats has officially launched, bringing new hope for wildlife conservation across the region.
The Chalk to Coast project unites three established farm clusters, Hoo Peninsula, Swale and North Kent Downs and Medway Gap, forming a ‘super cluster’ that will create natural wildlife corridors across different habitats.
A farm cluster is a plan to help farmers and partners work more cohesively together in their locality, enabling them to collectively deliver greater benefits for soil, water and wildlife at a landscape scale.
Part of the project includes the creation of ‘natural corridors’ that will be placed strategically on strips of land and help connect fragmented wildlife habitats, allowing plants and animals to move freely and enhancing biodiversity.
These corridors are crucial for supporting wildlife movement, enabling them to find food, mates and suitable breeding grounds, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and thriving natural environment.
The creation of the nature corridors between the three farm clusters, including linking the new North Kent Woods and Downs National Nature Reserve in the countryside with Elmley National Nature Reserve by the sea, will link habitats together, creating a continuous ecological corridor for wildlife to travel between from ‘Chalk to Coast’ in Kent.
Barn owl in flight - credit Robert Canis
Things that can be done to enable nature corridors includes:
- Planting more trees and hedges and getting more woodland coppiced and back into healthy management use.
- Planting more hedgerows to encourage the dispersal of the rare and endangered dormice simultaneously connecting woodlands.
- And creating stepping stones of thick scrub to encourage wider populations of nightingale. Kent has the stronghold of nightingale, an incredibly rare species in the UK.
James Seymour, Natural England deputy director for Kent, said:
Nature’s recovery is core to delivering the Plan for Change with economic growth and a healthy environment. This project shows how Natural England provides expert advice that enhances ecosystems while supporting agricultural businesses.
This collaborative approach demonstrates how agriculture and nature recovery can work together, delivering biodiversity gains while maintaining profitable farming businesses.
Natural England has played a pivotal role in supporting this initiative, which forms part of the government’s commitment to a growing network of wildlife-rich places that supports nature recovery and sustainable farming practices nationwide.
With a new website now live at www.chalktocoast.co.uk, organisers are calling on more farmers and landowners across Kent to pledge their land to expand this vital nature network.
The three landowners and co-founders of the Chalk to Coast project explain more.
Guy Nevill, of North Kent Downs and Medway Gap Farm cluster, said:
This initiative shows how agriculture and nature recovery can work hand in hand. By connecting farm clusters, we’re creating wildlife corridors across Kent’s landscapes. We’re now encouraging more farmers to join this collaborative approach to land management.
Tom Gore, from Hoo Peninsula Farm cluster, said:
This is an exciting opportunity for both commercial farmers and environmental organisations to come together. Linking wildlife corridors and carrying out a large-scale biodiversity project, where both food production and nature work in harmony
Gareth Fuller, of Swale Farm cluster, said:
We are very excited to be part of Chalk to Coast. Over the last forty years, we have worked to restore abundant nature to the coastal wetlands of Elmley and Swale, and more recently to develop a sustainable nature-based economy though nature tourism and education.
To do more we want to collaborate with others across a much larger area. Chalk to Coast offers the inspiration, ambition, opportunities, and scale to achieve a more connected, abundant landscape for nature and people. We are hugely grateful to Guy Nevill and the other founders for driving this initiative forwards.
Boxing hares - credit Robert Canis
The project contributes to the government’s Plan for Change through the development of a national Nature Recovery Network, helping wildlife thrive and respond to climate change while connecting people with nature, farming and food.
The initiative builds on existing farm clusters in Kent, enabling coordinated action on soil conservation, water management, habitat creation, and species recovery across property boundaries.
Land managers interested in joining can find information at www.chalktocoast.co.uk.
Background:
For more information about Chalk to Coast, visit www.chalktocoast.co.uk.
For more information about Natural England’s work supporting nature recovery, visit www.gov.uk/natural-england.
Contact us:
Journalists only: 0800 141 2743 or communications_se@environment-agency.gov.uk.