Chalk grassland – also known as chalk downland or lowland calcareous grassland – is an increasingly rare habitat and one of the richest in Western Europe. In England, it’s mostly found on the North Downs but there are also patches scattered along the East Kent coast.
Habitat fragmentation poses significant threats to biodiversity and climate stability. In our lifetimes, we’re witnessing dramatic changes in the landscapes around us and the species that inhabit them.
This is the month that the heather bursts into flower, covering our reserve with a carpet of purple flowers. Shading from bracken and birch scrub, has restricted the development of heather, but the recent work to create a more open habitat has allowed new heather seedlings to pop up all over the place.
