On Tuesday, 4th June a volunteer task force worked alongside staff from Kent Wildlife Trust and the Species Recovery Trust to survey the population of the plant at the reserve, situated just outside of Sittingbourne. 

The team was encouraged after counting 86 species, an increase from 47 in 2023 to 17 initially planted in 2021. 

The critically endangered species is the rarest of the milkworts and grows on chalk grassland in Kent. It is a subspecies of dwarf milkwort which had declined in population due to scrub encroachment, lack of grazing and ploughing.  

Milkwort plays an important role in supporting biodiversity by providing food and shelter for various insects, birds, and small mammals. 

Historically, two distinct populations existed one in Yorkshire, Cumbria and Teesdale and the other in Kent, which had 16 sites.  By 2010, only three Kentish sites remained.  

In 2013, Kent Wildlife Trust, The Species Recovery Trust, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and a handful of volunteers formed a steering group aiming to improve populations of dwarf milkwort and since the project began, northern and southern populations have split, with Kentish milkwort becoming its own subspecies, increasing the importance of conserving this delicate plant. 

The project began with a comprehensive survey of current and historical sites to better understand species requirements and strategies for improvement. Out of the three sites in Kent, low populations were found at two and the third recorded no plants for the past four years. Seeds were collected from the strongest population and taken to Kew to cultivate. This process ensured a long-term seed source for future introduction projects, without depleting existing populations. 

In 2021, Kew grew enough plants for trial introductions at Fackenden Down and Queendown Warren, both chalk grassland habitats. While only two plants persisted at Fackenden, the Queendown population thrived. 

The latest survey news is encouraging news for the project and the team is hopeful they may have saved this important plant from extinction. 

This success means that the population at Queendown Warren is now large enough for small numbers of seeds to be collected, bolstering the collection at Kew. 

The long-term future will involve using pigs and cattle to maintain the open ground and sward that this plant seems to enjoy along with introducing the plant to other suitable sites in the hopes of securing this Kentish endemic’s population. 

Kent Wildlife Trust Area Warden, Rob Pennington said: “We are delighted that Kentish milkwort appears to be thriving at Queendown Warren. This is a reflection of a huge team effort, both from the Species Recovery Trust and the wonderful volunteers who work tirelessly, all year round, to maintain this special nature reserve. 

“At a time when we are constantly bombarded with negative messages about species decline and the environment, this is a good news story which should give us all hope for a better, wilder future.”