News Three new nature reserves for Maidstone
Natural England has approved three new nature reserves for Maidstone at Allington Millennium Green, Fant and the combined site of Weavering Heath, Five Acre and Wents Wood.
Maidstone Borough Councils’ Parks and Open Spaces Team applied for the new nature reserves which brings the total to six for the borough.
Nature Reserves are open to the public welcoming all visitors to connect with nature and be inspired by the fantastic wildlife, habitats, geology and landscapes.
Nationally they were first established to protect some of the UK’s most important habitats, species and geology, and to encourage learning.
Cllr Patrik Garten, MBC Cabinet Member for Environmental Services said:
“We are committed to providing places for nature to thrive which allow our residents and visitors to connect with biodiversity, protect habitats and species and learn from the environments around them. We are delighted that Natural England have approved our three sites as new local nature reserves during 2023.“We will put up signs in the three areas showing the declaration and ask anyone visiting our reserves to please follow the countryside code to enable everyone to enjoy, value and respect England’s most important places for nature. They will provide great opportunities to schools, specialist interest groups and the public to experience wildlife at first hand and to learn more about nature conservation.”
There are currently more than 1200 Local Nature Reserves in England with a total area of over 40000 hectares managed for nature.
Maidstone’s newest Local Nature Reserves will increase that number with three more reserves adding another 15 hectares managed for nature for the long term as follows:
- Allington Milliennium Green has around 0.83 hectares
- Fant has around 3.55 hectares
- Weavering Heath, Five Acre and Wents Wood has around 10.24 hectares
Find out more about other Nature Reserves in the area on the Wildlife Trust website here: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/nature-reserves
The three Local Nature Reserves below have previously been declared in Maidstone:
- River Len – declared 2014 – size 1.7 hectares
- Boxley Warren - declared 2005 – size 83 hectares
- Vinters Valley – declared 1993 – size 30.2 hectares
The declaration information is available on the MBC website here: https://maidstone.gov.uk/home/other-services/campaigns-and-projects/tier-2-primary-areas/new-local-nature-reserves