Past Events

A joint meeting with the British Entomological & Natural History Society. This is the Kent Field Club's first visit to this site, where in 2010 the scarce bug Megalonotus antennatus was discovered by a member of the KMBRC. Meet by the Alma public house in Painters Forstal, TQ993589. Leaders: John Badmin & Michael Barnett

Meet in the car park of the A253 at TQ283656 by 10am. Leader: Tony Harman

Meet in car park at TQ555373. Leader: Martin Allison

Meet in the field off of the lane at TR195485. Leader: Leonie Seymour

Meet in the car park in Peene village at TR185378. Note: We will move to a different car park so don't be late! This may change for MOD reasons. Leaders Alfie & Peter Gay

A visit to Great Culand Pit KWT Reserve for spiders and general interest. Meet at Tyland Barn (TQ752592) for transport to the site. Note: There are some very steep steps. Leaders: Steve Weeks & Greg Hitchcock

A general interest visit to this lovely spot. Meet in the field beside Fackenden Lane at TQ529607. Leader: Dave Hutton

A general interest and invertebrate visit to Herne Bay Downs. Meet on the Lees (seafront road above grassland bank) at TR192684 - note: This is a private road with no vehicular access and drivers should park to the East of Beacon Hill. Leader: Fred Booth

A meeting for general interest and invertebrates at The Plants area of Tudeley Woods near Tunbridge Wells. Meet in the RSPB car park at TQ617433. Leader: Ian Beavis

A botanical interest meeting to see if Orchis purpurea can be found in recent coppice. Meet in Crutches Lane, Gadshill at TQ707703. Leader: Joyce Pitt

A general interest meeting, plus a chance to find Eryngium campestre.  Meet in Hurstwood Road (or the church car park) at TQ797622. Leaders: Tony Witts & BWAG

A general interest visit to this new Kent Wildlife Trust reserve with acid grassland and woodland to explore. Meet in the public car park on Warren Lane off of the A292 at TR003442. Leaders: Lesley Mason & Fred Booth

Early flowers of coast and chalk quarry. Meet in the Riverside car park at TQ807684. Leader: Fred Booth

Meet in the Little Chef car park on the A21 (far end away from the restaurant) at OS TQ695338.

Leader: Alison Riggs

Meet in Grandshore Lane at OS TQ800403. Allow time for parking.

Leader: Joyce Pitt

Meet at the forest parking area near Forester's Cottage OS TQ749334

Leader: Jan Hendey

For Seal Church meet at in Church Street at OS TQ550569 by 10.30am, and for Seal Chart meet in Church Road at OS TQ573552 by 2.00pm.

Leader: Ishpi Blatchley

The Annual General Meeting of the Kent Field Club will be held at Tyland Barn, Maidstone (OS TQ752 593). Join us for an afternoon of interesting talks and to meet other wildlife enthusiasts.

ATTENTION - The launch of Eric Philp's New Atlas of the Kent Flora at Canterbury Waterstones this Thursday, 9th December has been cancelled.  It is hoped to reschedule the launch in January.

Eric Philp, author of the recently published  'A New Atlas of the Kent Flora', will give a fascinating talk about his survey of the wild flowers of Kent. More than 250,000 records covering over 2500 taxa were amassed by the author including several species new to the county. Admission free.

Meet at the start of the KWT reserve at TR367591.

The entrance Fee to Sandwich Bay has been waived for the meeting. Leader: Joyce Pitt.

Meet at the main car park TQ971461. Leader: Mario Tortelli.

There is limited parking at TR177488.

Leader: Alick Henrici.

Meet in the carpark at Fowlmead Country Park, nr Sholden TR352540. Leader: Joyce Pitt.

Broadwater Forest RSPB Reserve.

Meet in Reserve carpark, Broadwater Forest Lane at TQ 555373. Leader: Martin Allison

Kent's Biodiversity 2010 – and beyond

The Old Sessions Lecture Theatre,
Canterbury Christ Church University College,
Kent

10am - 4pm

Supported by Kent and Medway Biological Records Centre

The aim of this year's conference is to look at 'biodiversity in Kent' as our contribution to the International Year of Biodiversity. The IYB is meant to raise awareness of the importance of the world's biodiversity through activities and events with a view to influencing decision makers "to elevate biological diversity nearer to the top of the political agenda". Dick Vane-Wright, former Keeper of Entomology at the Natural History Museum, has studied numerous faunas around the world and will explain what he thinks biodiversity is, and how to measure it. The main focus will be on showing how organisations both inside and outside Kent are working with the Wildlife Trust to maintain the region's biodiversity, with speakers from Butterfly Conservation, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, the farmers' Wildlife Advisory Group and Kent County Council. Biodiversity 'hot spots' are not just confined to land and two talks, both by NHM specialists, will focus on the wildlife in the seas around our coast. New morphometric and molecular techniques have shown that there is a wealth of biological variation below the species level (subspecies, forms, ecotypes, haplotypes) that is equally 'diverse' and requires recognition and conservation support. Professor Richard Bateman from RBG Kew will present the results of recent studies on monkey, lady and late spider orchids and BSBI Recorder for Kent, Geoffrey Kitchener, will cover the wider aspects of our flora. The time is approaching when we might seriously be able to produce a comprehensive account of our county's biodiversity – atlases to several groups have recently been published, the new Plant Atlas has gone to press and more are planned. The conference concludes with a look at future studies:  with the undertaking of a new Habitats Survey by Kent County Council. 

 Kent Wildlife Conference 2010 programme and booking form (241.52 kB)