The Blean Re-Wetting is a Green Recovery Challenge Fund (GCRF) project, delivered by a partnership of RSPB, Kent Wildlife Trust and Councils across the Blean Woods complex. This year-long project will see the implementation of natural flood management techniques to increase the amount of water in the woods. From heavy-duty earthen banks to small scale leaky dams; staff, contractors and volunteers will carry out a range of interventions to slow the flow of water through the woods, encourage the formation of meanders and reinstate flood plains.

The purpose of this project is twofold – combatting the effects of climate change and tackling the biodiversity crisis. Kent is on the frontline when it comes to feeling the effects of a warming climate, and increased moisture retention will fortify the woods against aridification. At the same time, wetter soil will support greater and more diverse populations of invertebrates and it is hoped that this will in turn benefit other wildlife.

 While nature-based solutions like this are becoming increasingly common, there is little data on the benefits it can bring to wildlife.  The project team consider it a high priority to gather as much robust data as possible on changes in soil moisture, invertebrates, and any other potential beneficiary. Not only will this be an important measure of the project’s outcomes, clear evidence of benefits to wildlife will also support the case for similar projects elsewhere.

The team are seeking volunteers with some level of ecology expertise to inform and assist with this monitoring, with a high priority on gathering baseline data prior to work commencing in September 2021.. Monitoring will continue until the project completion in March 2022 and beyond. Please get in touch if you are interested or if you have any questions. Email 

 Furthermore if you would like to receive updates regarding project events or volunteer work parties, please contact  and they can add you to the appropriate mailing list (we send a maximum one email a week).

Take part in this survey to help Kent Wildlife Trust understand wildlife declines:

Recent scientific research has shown that in Europe, flying insects have declined by 75%. In the UK, we don’t have the data to assess this trend for most insect groups, but we do know that many are in decline here too. These are very worrying statistics, not only for insects but also for the huge number plants and animals (including humans) that depend on them for food, pollination and other essential functions. We need to act now to understand what is happening to them and work towards a Wilder Kent.

By counting the insects that get squished on the number plate of your car, you can help us assess the insect trends and the productivity of ecosystems in Kent. You can contribute on any journey you take within the county between June and September 2019.  Any journey within Kent will give us valuable data – simply driving to work or school is perfect. Shorter journeys are especially useful and will help us understand the differences in insect numbers in different parts of the county. 

To find out more, visit https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/get-involved/our-projects/natures-sure-connected

Are our landscapes becoming more joined up?

Kent Wildlife Trust has teamed up with Butterfly Conservation to see if habitat connectivity is improving. By looking for key butterfly species, chosen for their dispersal ecology characteristics, and searching nearby to where we know they are found, you can help them understand if species are able to move from one patch to another though a more connected landscape. Help the Nature’s Sure Connected project answer this question by signing up to be a butterfly monitoring volunteer for your area.

Read more about the project and how to get involved here: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/get-involved/our-projects/natures-sure-connected

Our sister organisation Kent Reptile and Amphibian Group (KRAG) has teamed up with Kent Wildlife Trust to deliver part of the Nature's Sure Connected project and needs volunteers to undertake surveys to find out whether reptiles are present at sites close to known adder colonies.  Artificial refuges will be placed at sites around Kent and they would like people to check them through the summer for reptiles.  This can be done whenever it is convenient for you and the weather conditions are good.

To help people get up to speed there will be a workshop for volunteers to introduce them to reptile identification and survey techniques.  The workshop will be held at Wildwood (near Herne Bay) on Sunday 16th June from 11am to 4pm.

To find out more about the project, to volunteer or to attend the workshop please go to: https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/volunteering-opportunities/reptile-survey-volunteer

‘Carbon Storage in Intertidal Environments’ (C-SIDE) is a research project looking at the importance of salt marshes in absorbing CO₂ to combat climate change.

C-SIDE is collecting lots of soil samples from salt marshes across England, Scotland and Wales. In the lab, we’re measuring how much of this soil is organic carbon (made up of things like roots and dead leaves) and we are then using the samples to go back in time - 12,000 years in fact - to see how carbon storage has changed since the Last Ice Age. You can find out more about the C-SIDE project at https://www.c-side.org/.

Though we’re covering as much of the British coastline as we can, we can’t do it on our own. We need Citizen Scientists to help us! Here’s what we’re asking volunteers to do:

1. Head down to their nearest saltmarsh and follow instructions using the ‘Saltmarsh App’ to complete a simple plant and soil survey

2. Collect nine small soil samples using equipment we’ll provide by post

3. Return the samples to us with a pre-paid envelope

If you or your team/network could help, please let me know at and I’ll send out an information pack with instructions on how to carry out a survey. The survey doesn’t take long, and it’s a great way for people to explore their local salt marsh!

If you know of another group that might be able to help, I’d be grateful if you could pass on this letter. Everyone can find their nearest saltmarsh using the interactive map at www.arcg.is/08nWvX. We’re hoping to get volunteers out collecting samples over the upcoming summer period.

To thank volunteers for their hard work, they’ll be credited in any output we produce. We’ll also keep you updated about how the project’s going and how it’s making a difference.

Thank you for your time,

   Cai Ladd