A major appeal has been launched in a bid to raise £100,000 to protect a wildlife reserve.
The Kent Wildlife Trust this week called on the county to help fund a major restoration programme to ensure the continued success of Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve – a site of special scientific interest – and a pioneering site in the history of wildlife conservation.
The trust’s reserves officer, Dave Hutton, said: “More than 50 years ago, this remarkable site made history when many local volunteers started to make it the first of its kind in Britain – a gravel and sand quarry transformed into a site for nature conservation.
“Today, it is hard to imagine that where there are now five beautiful lakes, reed beds, ponds and woodland, and home to more than 2,000 recorded species – was once a sterile industrial landscape.
“Since the trust took over the management of the site in 2005, continued progress has been made to improve habitats and facilities.
“We now need to conduct a further programme of major restoration work, to build on conservation success already achieved.”
Huge tracts of willow, alder and birch trees need to be managed by coppicing – particularly along the lakes’ edges.
This will benefit wading birds and the many smaller birds that occupy the dense marginal growth.
A new reed bed will be established to attract warblers and some ponds will be managed specially for frogs, newts and dragonflies.
The overgrown banks of the River Darent, which runs through the reserve, will need coppicing to allow light to encourage more aquatic plants and marginal vegetation.
Pools and shallows are to be created, making more natural places for wildlife and encourage the return of scarce species such as the white claw crayfish.
The appeal funds will also be used to tackle public safety and access issues.
The specialist skills of tree surgeons will need to be employed to manage the many veteran trees and prolong their life – and the numerous birdwatching hides are to be refurbished to improve the visitor experience.
The trust’s chief executive, John Bennett, said: “Donations will help us make Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve even more vibrant; strengthen populations of kingfisher, bittern, great-crested grebe, lapwing, terns, little ringed plovers and other exciting species and, possibly, enable us to re-introduce one of the UK’s most threatened animals – the water vole.
“Sevenoaks Wildlife Reserve has a unique place in the history of nature conservation and we want this beautiful, peaceful place to be enjoyed by generations to come.”
POSTED: 26/09/2009 11:00:00
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