Photo by Phil Haynes
Water for Wildlife
Water for Wildlife
Rivers and wetlands are inspiring landscapes with amazing wildlife. Loved by many, from walkers to writers, our wetlands are fantastic places to spend your time. We also depend on these habitats for clean drinking water and growing food so we need to care for them.
Lapwing, photo by Jim Higham
Oxeye daisy meadow, photo by Dave Kilbey
Water vole, photo by Greg Hitchcock
Photo by Joyce Pitt
Dragonfly, photo by J. Hukins
Wetlands have been used and changed by humans for centuries. Exploitation has caused these habitats to become degraded and many associated species are declining. Low water levels, pollution and invasive species are some of the threats to wetland wildlife.
The Water for Wildlife Project works across Kent to protect and restore wetlands. We do this by:
- Engaging with local communities
- Working with landowners and providing management advice
- Delivering habitat improvement projects
- Influence policies that impact on wetlands (by responding to consultations)
Current projects:
Replenish: Ham Fen Restoration
We are working with the East Kent Reserves team to continue the restoration of Kent’s last remaining ancient semi-natural fenland, Ham Fen. Most of the fen had been historically drained and continues to be under pressure from water abstraction and pollution from agricultural chemicals.
Funding from Coca-Cola’s ‘replenish programme’ has enabled us to start improving the quality of water coming into Ham Fen. Work includes establishing reed swamp habitat and increasing the volume of water retained and stored on site through creating new wetland features. Additionally, we are working with an adjacent landowner to restore fenland habitat on their land.
Isle of Oxney Habitat Connectivity Project
Bounded by River Rother, Reading Sewer and Royal Military Canal, the Isle of Oxney has areas of valuable habitat, Local Wildlife Sites and Nature Reserves. The project will improve, expand and join up these pockets of habitat so wildlife can move across the landscape.
We are working with landowners to deliver projects that benefit biodiversity and water quality.
RiverSearch… on the Eden
RiverSearch is a network of volunteers who are trained to monitor a stretch of river. Through education, we are enabling the local community to protect the river. The information is used to assess habitat condition and identify key pressures within the catchment. The data will be used to decide catchment priorities and measure the impact of restoration projects.
Want to know more?
For more information about the project and ways to get involved, please contact our project officer, Chloe Sadler.
01622 662012
